Game of the 'weak' between Sox-Tigers
When rattling off some of his favorite moments, retiring captain Paul Konerko mentioned the brawl between the White Sox and Tigers at Comiskey Park in 2000. It was a nasty one, and 16 players were ejected.
Konerko had to be feeling some déjà vu at Detroit's Comerica Park on Wednesday when the benches cleared after Sox ace Chris Sale drilled the Tigers' Victor Martinez with a pitch in the sixth inning.
Afterward, Sale said the baseball just got away from him. But there appears to be more to this story - much more.
Let's go back to the beginning of the game.
Martinez, who has hit Sale hard throughout his career, was intentionally walked in the first inning after manager Robin Ventura made an unusually early mound visit. After Martinez struck out swinging in the third, Sale turned and pointed toward center field.
In the sixth inning, Sale hit Martinez and again pointed to center as both benches and bullpens spilled on to the field.
No punches were thrown and there were no ejections, but Sale shaped his hands into binoculars when he returned to the dugout, a clear sign he believed someone with the Tigers was stealing signs and alerting Martinez from center field.
After Wednesday's game, Detroit manager Brad Ausmus was not happy about Sale's actions. He accused Sale of hitting Martinez on purpose and deemed it "pretty weak."
On Thursday, White Sox manager Robin Ventura had a strong response.
"I know Chris is not weak," Ventura said. "I know that. I know if anything, he's not weak and we don't do weak things. And Chris doesn't do weak things. (Ausmus) should probably worry about his own team and investigate a little more in his own team. Don't worry about my team."
Ventura rarely lashes out to that degree, but the Sox' manager was clearly not happy with Ausmus' accusations.
"Right now, I'm done talking about it," Ventura said. "Chris is a great pitcher and he's not a weak person. Nor does he do weak stuff. That's it."
In an unusual twist, the White Sox sent Sale home Thursday before batting practice for "personal reasons."
Sale, who is not going to make another start this season, is due back at the Cell on Friday and it should be interesting to see if he has anything more to add.
As for Ausmus, he didn't back off Thursday.
"Oh well, that's how it goes in baseball," Ausmus told reporters. "When you hit somebody, you always deny it. When he's pointing towards center field and then he's making binocular signs to the dugout, I think that's pretty obvious.
"I've never heard of someone stealing signs from a fan with binoculars in center field. The only time I've ever heard of binoculars being used were in bullpens that were in center field. I can't say that I've ever seen it, but I've heard that it has happened."
Stealing signs has long been a part of major-league baseball, and if you don't believe it, just ask former Sox coach Joe "Eye in the Sky" Nossek.
"It probably does," Ventura said when asked if stealing signs comes up in the game. "You always have to be prepared for it. Guys who are on second base are usually trying to do it. That stuff comes up."