Roger Clemens has been suspended for five games after his retaliatory role in Toronto on Tuesday night. That’s right, FIVE GAMES…let the outrage begin. Are you kidding me Bob Watson? Is it me or has the Major League Baseball vice president of on-field operations elevated his power beyond totalitarian control. Since taking over as Der Fuhrer Selig’s right hand, Watson has handed out more suspensions than baseball has seen in the preceding twenty-five years. What was once settled by baseball’s unwritten rules has since turned into an abuse of umpire authority and an over-policing by the Commissioner’s office.

The feud stems from an incident dating back to May 30 when Alex Rodriguez shouted something as he ran past two infielders near third base causing an error. But if throwing behind A-Rod in game 1 of this series was not enough, Toronto’s Josh Towers proved the Blue Jays inability to move past their own inabilities to make routine plays by not missing him in the second game. And if the benches clearing result didn’t escalate the feud enough, Towers continued the melee by forcing a second clearing moments after peace was made. So how many suspensions were handed out to the instigators? None. However, Roger Clemens takes home 5 games for settling the dispute the way the game has always been played with a fastball between the numbers, clean and simple. Unjust? Of course, but I’ll let you decide.

So while fans yearn for the times when players settled feuds themselves and the result ended the dispute without carry-over, thank Roger Clemens for standing up and taking five for the team, if for only to protect a dying need.

(6 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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