Yankees and Rays Fight in Spring Training 2008

Normally, if I told you Elliott Johnson barrelled over Francisco Cervelli at home plate, you’d assume I was talking about my nephew’s Little League game, not a Major League scrimmage.

When Shelley Duncan, better known as “Sloth” from The Goonies, decided to go spikes up on Akinori Iwamura in retaliation, he was trying to send a message.

“The Yankees, of whom I consider myself a valuable member, will not ‘play down’ to the opposition. We play hard, every day, regardless of the opponent or situation, and we will not tolerate the disrespect you have shown our teammate.”

A noble gesture, by a young player who realisitcally had only an outside chance of making the team.

The Rays’ response to that message? Echoing Paterson Catholic’s own Tim Thomas, and the incredible album title by Hoboken’s own Yo La Tengo, “I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ass.”

The Rays were led by Jonny Gomes in this particular fight, who sprinted in from right field, fist cocked, just moments after the collision took place at second base. Duncan, the son of immensly respected pitching coach Dave Duncan, was undoubtably aware of how high his spikes were, and took a serious beating for it.

The Devil Rays had been the laughing stock of baseball for, well, their entire existence. The ballpark, the uniforms, the front office, the players themselves. All were regarded as pathetic, and rightfully so. They were a poor excuse for a Major League franchise, and no one on the team (other than new acquisitions Cliff Floyd and Troy Percival) knew any better. They had always been the AL doormat, and most expected them to continue on in that fashion for at least a few more years.

But something different was going on in Tampa this year. A lot (probably too much) was made of the franchise dropping the word “Devil” from its name, but at this moment, it seemed to be justified. Jonny Gomes clearly had the Power Of Christ in his fists. He was ready to hurt somebody.

This act, as much as anything that any Rays player could do on the field that year, defined the new franchise. No longer were they content to sit back and take whatever beating the bullies from the North East wished to inflict upon them. They were going to fight until the end, even if they were the ones who technically “started it.”

The fight itself was fairly uneventful. I think maybe Melky Cabrera, Duncan and Gomes got suspended for a few games, and that was essentially it. No limbs were lost, no tears were shed. But the new Rays shed the reputation that had haunted them since their inception, and shouted a message to anyone who was smart enough to listen.

Of course, what happened from April through the ALCS was the important part. New attitude or no, you have to outplay your opponent on the field. Unless you’re the Philadelphia Phillies, the Tampa Bay Rays outplayed you last year.

It’s tough to say if the fight helped bring about a new attitude, or if the Rays’ already possessed a fighting spirit that spilled over onto the field. Regardless, this much is clear: When you claim that your franchise is headed in a new direction, sooner or later you have to put your money where you mouth is, or put your fist where someone else’s mouth is. The Rays did both of those things last year.

Having already proven that they were not afraid of you, they focused exclusively on beating your ass.

Straight Melee.