That little laugh of yours doesn’t hide the tension

Screen grab from the scrum because it shows how mad Tito was.

Screen grab from the scrum. I like it because it shows how mad Tito was.

I received  my first piece of Tigers fan hate mail last night!  (Okay, it probably was just someone pretending to be a Tigers fan but whatever…)

It seems that he was on Twitter and read a response I wrote to someone who had jokingly asked who “won” the fight last night because Tigers fans were convinced that Porcello came out on top.

What I wrote:

Porcello got himself thrown out in the 2nd inning and messed up his bullpen in the process. Youk got Mike Lowell in. Sox won.

Now I was being equal parts funny and genuine.  While no one really “wins” a basebrawl, especially since people get thrown out and probably suspended,  calling a winner is silly.  But after a game where their starter didn’t go five innings, in his game Porcello decides to throw at Martinez and then hit Youkilis  thus getting himself thrown out of the game in the SECOND inning.  So that’s now TWO starts where the Tigers had to go to their bullpen early (and two  that ended in losses).  On the side of the Red Sox, Youkilis got thrown out and they had to bring in Mike Lowell.  Mike Lowell who happened to have two home runs last night off of the bench.  Given Detroit lost by two runs, you tell me who “won” this fight?  Yes, I’d say Youkilis and the Sox.

So here’s the email I got from the person who read my tweet reply (everything is sic’d):

Your sux won the game but not the fight. Yukilis is a punk who got taken down by a scrawny pitcher. I hope the next one on Wednesday hits him right between the eyes. Tigers will take the next two and probaly take out a few more of your batters.

Alrighty then. Thanks for the message.

Youk made it known after the game that while he wasn’t apologizing for defending himself he was sorry that he charged the mound because he doesn’t want the kids to think that’s how you handle things.

“I definitely regret it with it being on TV and there’s little kids out there. It’s not the way you should handle it”…“Two days in a row, and the way it was going, I had enough of it. At some point, you have to protect yourself as a hitter and your teammates. I felt like I had to do what I had to do.”

I’m not happy that they lost Youk for the game (although the blow was softened thanks to Lowell!) and I’m definitely not happy about the probable suspension coming to him but I’m definitely good with someone who gets used as target practice finally fighting back.  People can bitch about Youk and his hot head all they want but how many times has he actually every charged the mound?  It was obvious to everyone but Dennis Eckersley that Porcello did what he meant to do so how can people fault Youk for being human and reacting the way he did?  (And, yes, I know that Youk hangs over the plate.  That makes up for probably about half of his HBP.  Many, many times teams (hello Joba) decide he’s the player they’re going to plunk and he’s had enough.  Good for him.  I have to admit that I’m happy it didn’t happen with the Yankees because I don’t think the ensuing scrum would have been as harmless as this one was.  No one else seemed to get  hurt nor did anyone else get booted from the game (during the fight anyway – I think Tito had a bit of extra adrenaline that got him booted on the JD Drew out at second call)…had it happened against the Yankees I fear there would have been more punches thrown, injuries and more ejections/suspensions.

It should also not go unnoticed that after an ugly first inning, Junichi Tazawa came out and pitched well.  He definitely made a wonderful contribution last night.  Most importantly, the Sox won another game.  Two in a row.  This is how streaks begin, right?

Live blog tonight.  Bring your boxing gloves.

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