I Was Watching A Baseball Game...

... and a hockey game broke out.

Seriously, one of these days someone's going to get really hurt in a baseball brawl, and then maybe the powers that be will take Steve Stone's suggestion -- which is to adopt the hockey rule, that the "third-man-in" gets a severe penalty. There's really no reason for the bullpens and dugouts to empty, for everyone to get into a pile, and for fifty-something coaches and overweight umpires (yeah, yeah, I know, there are fewer of those than there used to be) to try and break up fights between 6-6 twenty-somethings.

The Cubs lost to the Reds 3-1, but that was kind of lost in the shuffle when Reds pitcher Paul Wilson, who had squared around to bunt, took exception to a pitch that clearly simply got away from Kyle Farnsworth. The high/inside pitch also got away from Damian Miller, so when Farnsworth made a move to the plate that was most likely just a pitcher reacting to having to cover a base, Wilson had words, and then charged the mound. That's a mistake when you're going after someone like Farnsworth, and Wilson left bloodied. I suppose both of them will be suspended, but this one was clearly Wilson's doing.

You know, the Reds are becoming a very disliked team. First, it's their "Group Grope -- er, Jump & Hop" after they have a walkoff homer; some people like this while others are quite offended. Then there was the brawl they got into last Friday with the Phillies, which was precipitated by a hard slide into home by Adam Dunn with a 10-0 lead, something that's pretty well frowned upon in the baseball world. Then there were some beanballs, and it rapidly degenerated. They seem to walk around with a chip on their shoulders, and teams like that don't usually go very far baseball-wise. It doesn't help them that the bizarre-lineup-minded Bob Boone is their manager.

The Cubs and Reds don't play again till September, when the games might be really meaningful. We'll see if this bad blood carries over to then.

Troy O'Leary was rung up on a strikeout to end the game on what was obviously a checked swing on a pitch in the dirt. It was clear to me that the umpires were more concerned with getting in out of what was becoming a pretty heavy rain, than getting the call right, with the bases loaded.