Page 15 - aruba-today-20240905

A15
sports Thursday 5 sepTember 2024
Braves' Merrifield rants about out-of-control pitchers after getting

plunked in the head

ATLANTA (AP) — Whit Mer- where the hell it's going,"
rifield got lucky. He wasn't Merrifield said. "They throw
seriously injured when a 95- 100 miles an hour so they
mph fastball struck him on say, 'All right, we'll see if he
the head. can get guys out. Just set up
Still, the Atlanta Braves sec- down the middle and throw
ond baseman is livid about it as hard as you can.' It's
the state of pitching in the driving me nuts. I hate where
big leagues, saying it's only the game's at right now."
a matter of time before In a different era, a team
someone is seriously injured could expect payback
or even killed. when one of their bat-
"The way pitchers are throw- ters was hit by a pitch. But
ing now, there's no remorse MLB has cracked down on
or regard for throwing up that sort of retaliation, and
and in," Merrifield said after there's no way to go after
Tuesday's game against the the pitcher himself since
Colorado Rockies. "Guys are baseball now has the desig-
throwing as hard as they can nated hitter in both leagues.
and they don't care where "You can't hit a guy back
the ball goes." anymore, so there's no fear
Merrifield was struck behind that, 'Oh, if I hit this guy, our
the right ear with a pitch guy is gonna get hit,'" Mer-
from Jeff Criswell in the sev- Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper holds his arm after betting hit by a pitch in the first in- rifield said. "And pitchers
enth inning of Atlanta's 3-0 ning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. don't have to hit anymore,
Associated Press
victory. so they don't have to stand
Fortunately, the ball ap- good spot." tee, said pitchers must face who had close calls. in the box."
peared to catch a bit of Elsewhere, Philadelphia some ramifications for hitting Second baseman Ozzie Al- He noted that he had to
Merrifield's helmet, though Phillies star Bryce Harper batters. He planned to dis- bies went on 10-day injured leave the game after get-
he was still forced to leave had to leave a game at cuss the issue on a confer- list in April with a broken right ting hit, while Criswell stayed
the game. He wasn't in the Toronto after he was hit on ence call. big toe after being hit by a in.
lineup Wednesday but ex- the left elbow by a pitch. "Without being over dra- curveball. Third baseman "It's just ridiculous and it has
pects to return in a day or Harper winced in pain and matic, that was my life on Austin Riley is expected to to be fixed or, god forbid,
two after passing the con- grabbed his elbow after the line out there," Merrifield miss the rest of the regular something terrible is gonna
cussion protocol and getting he was struck by a 92 mph said. "I'm sick of it. It's hap- season with a fractured happen," Merrifield said, "It's
a clean bill of health from a fastball from right-hander pening way too much." right hand, the result of be- frankly pathetic that some
precautionary CT scan. Bowden Francis in the first The Braves have already ing plunked with a 97-mph of the pitchers that are
"I just took 95 right off the inning Wednesday. had two players go down fastball last month. out there, they don't know
head," he said. "I'm very Merrifield, who serves on this season after being hit by "Team are bringing pitch- where the ball is going the
lucky that it got me in a MLB's competition commit- pitches, and several others ers up and they don't know majority of the time."q

Larson and Hendrick Motorsports

in discussion on a 2025 return to

Indianapolis 500

By JENNA FRYER napolis Motor Speedway run the 600.
AP Auto Racing Writer in May, where he qualified That created a commotion
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — fifth but a late-race speed- in NASCAR, with many mem-
Make no mistake: Kyle Lar- ing penalty took him out of bers of senior leadership tak-
son wants to run the India- contention and he finished ing the position that Larson
napolis 500 again next year. 18th. Plus, there was an and Hendrick had prioritized
The deal he and Hendrick hours-long rain delay in In- the Indianapolis 500 over the
Motorsports signed with Ar- dianapolis and the Hendrick 600 and therefore wasn't
row McLaren Racing was al- camp, after pouring millions owed an automatic waiver Kyle Larson steers through Turn 4 during a NASCAR Cup Series
ways a two-year deal, but of dollars into the effort, de- to participate in the playoffs. auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Dar-
2025 was an option year cided to leave him at the The situation dragged on lington, S.C.
that Larson said Wednesday 500 and deal with the Coca- for well over a week as the Associated Press
is still being ironed out. Cola 600 in Concord, North frustrated Hendrick camp a playoff waiver when he ing a mental health break.
If he had his way, a decision Carolina, later. was incensed the situation was hired as a replacement NASCAR eventually gave
would be made sooner rath- As soon as the Indy 500 end- was being hyper-scrutinized driver for the suspended Lar- Larson the waiver — and he
er than later. ed, Larson jetted off to North when other drivers have re- son. opens the playoffs Sunday
"I would love to. We're still Carolina — where he was ceived waivers for non-rac- Kurt Busch received a waiv- at Atlanta Motor Speedway
working on it," Larson said. met by more rain. He ran to ing incidents. For example, er when he was suspended as the points leader — but it
"It's progressing. So I like that, his car just as the race was Matt Kenseth missed half the while under investigation is unlikely Rick Hendrick will
but obviously things can al- paused for weather, and 2018 season, all of the 2019 for a domestic assault al- sign off on another Indy 500
ways change." because it never resumed, season and the first four rac- legation, and Tony Stewart run without a guarantee
Larson was a star at India- he never got the chance to es of 2020, but was granted received a waiver after tak- from NASCAR. q