Sheffield attacks fan

[Chaplin]

Come on. How can anyone condemn Sheffield in this?

True, the fan's arm was in the field of play. Was it a punch? Didn't really look like it, BUT, you've got a play happening where a ball gets by an outfielder, he hurries to get it, reaches down and sees a hand/arm very close to his face, in a stadium where their team is notoriously berated and insulted. With his adrenaline going because it was the middle of a hit, he reacted. Anybody would do a similar thing. I've played outfield, and when the ball gets past you, you're adrenaline is sky high because you have to run to it and then get it in as fast as you can.

I think because Sheffield is such an *****, it shows some good sense that he didn't proceed with pummeling the fan, regardless of whether it was a deliberate punch or not.

Kudos though to the security guard who appeared out of nowhere to get between them.

 

[Southpaw]

Aww come on folks! Ease up on wally.

He still has issues about Sheff getting traded away by the marlins....and hasn't yet come to terms...

I miss Gary. He shared clear medicine info with me at fan appreciation day.

 

[Southpaw]

Sounds like Wally has an anti-Sheff agenda. The facts are that the guy crossed the line between player and fan by reaching into field of play and hitting Sheffield. Whether the fan's behavior was intentional or not is irrelevant.

Ground rule double.

 

[Southpaw]

Sounds like Wally has an anti-Sheff agenda. The facts are that the guy crossed the line between player and fan by reaching into field of play and hitting Sheffield. Whether the fan's behavior was intentional or not is irrelevant.

I have seen that play a hundred times, but never seen a player stop , punch a fan, throw the ball home, then go back and **** his arm to hit him again. Indefensible.

P.S. If John Henry removed all of the field accessible seats from the ticket plan at Fenway, the BoSox would be playing to about 28,000 fans. Prior to every game the unmpires meet with the managers at home plate, exchange lineups and discuss ground rules for thet park. Maybe Sheffield should go to the next meeting. I would like to see Gary's swollen lip boo boo.

 

[asudevil83]

you have to look at this from Sheffield's perspective.

1.) these arent just any fans, these are Red Sox fans. they hate the Yankees with a passion.
2.) Sheffield is being taunted and badgered the entire game....which is to be expected.
3.) you have to think that if any fans got close enough that they would try to interfere with the play. Sheffield expected this, so if something did happen (inadvertent or on accident), you have to think that Sheffield would AUTOMATICALLY think that it was done on purpose.

IMO, while this whole thing is being played out bigger than it should, i wouldnt blame Sheffield for this one bit (even though i despise the Yankees).
if a fan interferes with a play and elbows Sheffield in the head while he's trying to make a play, what is he supposed to think?
"Oh, this fan who hates me just accidently hit me in the head when i got close to him, and interfered with me making a play." GIVE ME A BREAK....

and Wally, you are letting your hate for Sheffield and the Yankees blind you big time. BTW, when was the last time you saw a ground-rule-double called on interference with a PLAYER?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

There's a big difference between reaching out and interfering with the ball while it's in play (which results in an immediate fan dismissal) and interfering with an OF (intentional or not) while he's in play. Any non-biased person could tell you that.

 

[Billexium]

I dunno. If someone paid me $13 million a year to PLAY A GAME for six months. I think I'd be able to "compose" myself a little better than that.

 

[moviegeekjn]

So easy to pontificate when removed from the situation, watching on the TV and seeing countless replays. Put yourself in Sheffield's shoes at that moment--when you're trying to retrieve a ball and get it back to the infield in a pressure situation, and some unknown Fenway patron is taking a swipe at your face.

 

[asudevil83]

So easy to pontificate when removed from the situation, watching on the TV and seeing countless replays. Put yourself in Sheffield's shoes at that moment--when you're trying to retrieve a ball and get it back to the infield in a pressure situation, and some unknown Fenway patron is taking a swipe at your face.

exactly...

 

[PDXChris]

If this was a likable guy like Gonzo, not a work would be said about rage. I do not think Shef did andthing wrong, if he owuld have climbed the stands that would have been different.

 

[Southpaw]

This says it all

' The following is a statement released by Chris House, the fan involved in Thursday's incident with Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield:

"The ball hit by Jason Varitek Thursday night in the 8th inning was just the latest of many balls hit to right field that I have witnessed during my 12 years as a season-ticket holder in the front row of Box 86. Quite often, excited fans lean or reach over the wall to follow the action of the ball. On Thursday, as the ball approached my seats, the fans to my left leaned into the action and I did the same."

"I had no intention to make contact with Mr. Sheffield, and I do not believe contact occurred. It is ridiculous for anyone to even suggest that I punched him or even attempted to. I was shocked and disappointed by his reaction and I thank Red Sox security and Boston Police for quickly coming to my assistance."

"Fan interference was not called, but I was asked to leave the park, which I did without resistance. Out of respect for the Red Sox and Major League Baseball, I have not discussed the play until today."

"This morning I met with the Red Sox Chief Legal Officer, Red Sox Director of Security and, unexpectedly, numerous Major League Baseball officials. I completely explained and described the details of the play. I left the meeting excited to continue visiting Fenway Park with my family, friends, employees and business associates as avid members of Red Sox nation."

"Unfortunately, Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox decided otherwise."

"I want to thank all my friends and the fans across the country for their outpouring of support. I also want to thank my family and neighbors for enduring the invasion of their privacy and lives over the past few days."
Posted April 19, by Ben Maller

 

[clif]

during my 12 years as a season-ticket holder in the front row of Box 86. Quite often, excited fans lean or reach over the wall to follow the action of the ball. On Thursday, as the ball approached my seats, the fans to my left leaned into the action and I did the same."

"I had no intention to make contact with Mr. Sheffield, and I do not believe contact occurred. It is ridiculous for anyone to even suggest that I punched him or even attempted to. I was shocked and disappointed by his reaction and I thank Red Sox security and Boston Police for quickly coming to my assistance."

"Fan interference was not called, but I was asked to leave the park, which I did without resistance. Out of respect for the Red Sox and Major League Baseball, I have not discussed the play until today."

"This morning I met with the Red Sox Chief Legal Officer, Red Sox Director of Security and, unexpectedly, numerous Major League Baseball officials. I completely explained and described the details of the play. I left the meeting excited to continue visiting Fenway Park with my family, friends, employees and business associates as avid members of Red Sox nation."

"Unfortunately, Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox decided otherwise."

"I want to thank all my friends and the fans across the country for their outpouring of support. I also want to thank my family and neighbors for enduring the invasion of their privacy and lives over the past few days."
Posted April 19, by Ben Maller

If he was "following the action" he would have realized that the ball rolling towards his seats would be picked up by a player! Did he think the ball would stay there untouched? Whether he tried to or not he interfered with the game being played in front of him. To say he did not intend to punch sheffield is fine, but he still was in the wrong.

 

[Southpaw]

If he was "following the action" he would have realized that the ball rolling towards his seats would be picked up by a player! Did he think the ball would stay there untouched? Whether he tried to or not he interfered with the game being played in front of him. To say he did not intend to punch sheffield is fine, but he still was in the wrong.

Did you actually read the article / statement?

"I had no intention to make contact with Mr. Sheffield, and I do not believe contact occurred. It is ridiculous for anyone to even suggest that I punched him or even attempted to. I was shocked and disappointed by his reaction and I thank Red Sox security and Boston Police for quickly coming to my assistance."

He did not say "he did not intend to punch Sheffield". He said he did not punch Sheffield and BTW, there isn't a tape that shows he even came close to punching Sheffield. Only tapes that showed he didn't.

P.S. What's with the " rolleyes " smilie?

 

[moviegeekjn]

IF the fan behaved LEGALLY, he wouldn't have been reaching over the wall at all ... that is the point.

 

[BC867]

I wonder what Chris House does for a living.

It sounds like either he is an attorney or had his statement prepared by one.

It would perhaps be more convincing if he sounded like a fan.

 

[Cardinal Bob]

I wonder what Chris House does for a living.

It sounds like either he is an attorney or had his statement prepared by one.

It would perhaps be more convincing if he sounded like a fan.

I don't know, but from reading about this in the Boston papers, he's 39 yrs. old and has been a season ticket holder for 12 years. It also said he has seven tickets in the front row of Box 86, and those tickets are $45 a ticket for each game!

$45 x 7 tickets x 81 games = $25,515 per season that this guy pays for his seats!!! That's a lot of scratch for baseball tickets!

 

[clif]

Did you actually read the article / statement?

"I had no intention to make contact with Mr. Sheffield, and I do not believe contact occurred. It is ridiculous for anyone to even suggest that I punched him or even attempted to. I was shocked and disappointed by his reaction and I thank Red Sox security and Boston Police for quickly coming to my assistance."

He did not say "he did not intend to punch Sheffield". He said he did not punch Sheffield and BTW, there isn't a tape that shows he even came close to punching Sheffield. Only tapes that showed he didn't.

P.S. What's with the " rolleyes " smilie?

My point was that anyone who looked at the video of the incident can see that whether he intended to or not, the guy made a mistake by leaning into the field of play with the action occuring right in front of him.

He can sit there and say he did not intend to make contact all day, but being a 12 year fan who seems to have been at a lot of games it doesn't make sense that he would forget the rules of the ballpark.

and the smilie was directed towards the guys prepared statement. He is trying to portray himself as a victim (not that I think that sheffield is a victim)

 

[Southpaw]

Gary just won't give it up.

May 5, 7:40 PM (ET)

By KEN MAGUIRE

BOSTON (AP) - Two Boston Red Sox fans who scuffled with New York Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield during a game last month won't be charged after a court dismissed the case Thursday for lack of evidence.

The clerk magistrate said there was no probable cause to charge Christopher House and Matthew Donovan with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. House and Donovan were ejected from Fenway Park on April 14 after House appeared to make contact with Sheffield as the player chased down a ball in the outfield.

"If that's the way you want to handle the situation, you handle it the way you see fit," Sheffield said before Thursday night's game at Tampa Bay. "But, you know, what happens when the next incident happens? If you feel that's setting an example, so be it."

Sheffield said he would not press charges on his own.

"If you press charges, that's going to require Sheff to testify and have to go somewhere and do this, that and the other thing. That's my unsolicited opinion on that. It's probably the best," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "Again, I think it sent a message, and I think that's the most important thing."

Had the magistrate found probable cause, criminal charges would have been filed and the case referred to a judge.

"We're very pleased with the outcome, obviously," House's lawyer, Matthew McCarthy, told The Associated Press as he left the closed hearing in Boston Municipal Court.

Police had filed applications for criminal charges against House and Donovan, who apparently tossed a beer in Sheffield's direction during the scuffle.

Sheffield was chasing Jason Varitek's triple into the right-field corner when House reached over the 3-foot high fence, and Sheffield said he was hit in the face.

Sheffield picked up the ball, pushed House, then threw the ball to the infield. Sheffield turned toward House, but a security guard jumped over the wall and stood between the two.

House has denied making contact with Sheffield.

Red Sox officials revoked House's season tickets and banned Donovan from buying tickets this season.

"We've been cooperative with the Red Sox from the beginning," McCarthy said. "Hopefully at some point he'll get his tickets back."

House declined to comment after the hearing. As he headed into court he said: "I'm a private businessman. I intend to stay that way."

Donovan declined to comment.

Red Sox spokesman Charles Steinberg said in an e-mail that the team's focus is "on maintaining a comfortable environment at Fenway for players and fans alike."

A Boston police spokesman said the department had no plans to appeal the clerk magistrate's decision.

The Suffolk District Attorney's Office did not comment.


.... and the imaginary punch beer toss rages on in Gary's head.