iStockphoto / CRobertson
The Minor League Tampa Tarpons hosted the Clearwater Threshers on Sunday, April 23rd, and tensions boiled over as the geographic rivals erupted into a brawl.
The visiting Clearwater Threshers routed Tampa, 12-3, despite only having 1 more hit than the hosts. There were 4 players in the game who recorded a ‘hit by pitch’ which is a telltale sign that something in the air was off.
When Clearwater’s Erick Brito got beamed by Tampa Tarpon (Yankees affiliate team) pitcher Alex Bustamante the benches cleared. It started with words begin exchanged between home plate and the pitcher’s mound but quickly escalated.
The home plate umpire tossed the Clearwater manager Marty Malloy, who played 2 seasons in the bigs, and he came out to argue with the ump. Benches cleared. Punches were thrown. Bodies were hitting the dirt. It was all out mayhem.
As far as Minor League baseball brawls go this one is top-tier. Around 45-50 seconds after the fire was lit, both bullpens come trotting down the first and third base lines and they appear to be in formation.
It’s almost as if the bullpens had been training to trot out like that.
The longevity of this Minor League baseball brawl sets it apart from the rest as well. Normally, things are settled in a hurt. This one had legs. The two sides aren’t backing away for over 2 minutes.
What’s most remarkable, however, is how early this happened in the game. If you look at the scoreboard in the outfield it was only the second inning!
Erick Brito was the third batter hit by a pitch in the game and they were only in the second inning!
TMZ Sports reported there were several ejections. That list of ejections included Tarpons pitching coach Gerardo Casadiego, Tarpons SS Dayro Perez, and Threshers manager Marty Malloy.
There were a reported 778 fans in the stands to watch this action unfold.
The temps were in the lower 90s here in Southwest/Central Florida yesterday. Tempers flare when it gets that hot out but this seems early in this season for these kinds of shenanigans.