Being that it’s late December, we’re pretty much at the vernal equinox of Major League Baseball, with the World Series just about as far behind us as Spring Training is ahead of us. Congratulations, you’ve made it this far.
There *is* baseball going on around the world, though, and I sometimes come across highlights around the web. Usually it’s Cubs players and former Cubs players that interests me most, but, man, when I saw this from the Venezuelan Winter League last night, I had to share it.
A brawl broke out between the Leones Del Caracas and the Tiburones de La Guaira, and it was freaking wild. Recall, although we think of the VWL as a place where guys can go ball in the winter to get experience for the MLB and MiLB years ahead, these are actually just the country’s pro teams, playing in their highest pro league. So the passion is very real.
OK, so here’s how the brawl started, and it will look mostly familiar to you:
Se armó en grande la bronca en el beisbol de Venezuela.
El cubano Félix Pérez, conocido en México, fue el protagonista en la pelea entre La Guaira y Caracas #PelotaCaribe pic.twitter.com/Nz3gaCyKCj— Revista Strikeout (@Rev_Strikeout) December 20, 2018
The pitcher clearly wanted to start something, threw behind the batter twice, and got the charge he was looking for. Benches clear, there is pushing and shoving, and even some swings. It’s ugly, but it happens.
Except in this case, the brawl kept going. Really going. And spilled into the freaking dugout:
Momento de la pelea en el dugout de Leones pic.twitter.com/ddEqoEoseZ
— Marcos Grunfeld M. (@bvenezolano) December 20, 2018
It gets even crazier. While the rumble was going on, there were fans who took the opportunity to come out of the stands, onto the field … to steal gloves:
Mientras en el juego Caracas & La Guaira se presenta incidente entre jugadores de ambos equipos,fanático de las gradas aprovecha para hurtar guantes. En esta fiesta deportiva la violencia no debe tener cabida. #19dic #LVBP #NoALaViolencia #baseball #béisbol #Venezuela #Video pic.twitter.com/XpP6bqn3YL
— Osmira Campos (@OsmiraCampos) December 20, 2018
That is seriously wild. The Cubs, if you were curious, do have one player on Caracas (pitching prospect Enrique De Los Rios), though I couldn’t tell you from the videos whether he was involved in the scuffling.