Happy 30th Ben Christensen?

by Richie Hebner 18 on Feb 7, 2008 3:50 PM CST

Ben Christensen was supposed to be another fire-balling weapon in the Cubs young-armed arsenal.

Christensen was a first round pick by the Cubs in the '99 draft, the first draft after Kerry Wood's debut season. And at 6'4" the righty out of the central plains would hope to soon join Wood as the Cubs Gunslingers.

But Christensen notes his 30th birthday today far removed from pitching mounds in pro ballparks.

The stud left Wichita State with a .955 winning percentage, not because he was drafted. He was suspended.

In April 1999, Christensen intentionally threw a warm-up pitch in the direction of on-deck hitter Anthony Molina. He hit Molina in the face. Molina never played professional ball and later sued Christiansen.

Despite the beaning and the subsequent negative press, the Cubs spent their first round pick on Christensen.

Christensen spent parts of six seasons in the Cubs' minor leagues earning more notoriety for that one warm-up pitch than for anything he did as a Cub farmhand. He was released in 2004. Seattle picked him up, but after walking 10 in 8 double-A innings, he was cut again and his professional career was over.

I'm not sure if it was the beaning that psychologically hampered his development, or the shoulder woes he would eventually suffer, or if he was just another first rounder that didn't have the talent to make the majors.

Christensen continues to be an example of any management's desire to win taking precedence over what its fans consider 'right':

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/slezak/740900,CST-SPT-carol15.article

Christensen, to me, will never seem far removed from that 21-year-old kid with a momentary but critical lapse in judgment. It surprised me to see he's 30 now. As a Cub fan, to me it's ancient history. I've moved on.

But I wonder if he has.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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30 years old

Wow, that was fast. I feel bad for the guy, although most minor leaguers never make it to the big leagues. Still, he had some promise.

He was only 21 years old when he did his crime. A lot of people (especially men, myself included) make mistakes at that age. His was very costly in many ways.

"These are terrible times, and I shouldn't joke about them." --Warren Zevon

by ExNorthsider on Feb 7, 2008 4:05 PM CST reply actions

Re:

I coach in the same baseball league as Anthony Molina's attorney in the case, I'll have to bring this up to him next time I see him.

by hauss007 on Feb 7, 2008 4:07 PM CST reply actions

Is Anthony Molina...

...related to the well-known baseball-playing Molinas?

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Feb 7, 2008 4:11 PM CST reply actions

I'll take a non-poular stance

Christensen is not at fault for what transpired. In college sports, there is a "machismo" that is not transparent to everyone. Having played college baseball, I can tell you for certain that players are told to "put a neck tie" on a guy who is taking his practice hacks between innings close to the plate instead of the on-deck circle. I have no doubt in my mind that this is exactly what Christensen was taught and he did acted as taught. The coaching is the responsible party. The result absolutely sucks, but is part of the sub-culture of baseball. This situation is in the realm of drilling a guy because he or a teammate stood at the dish and watched a HR or drilling a guy when you believe teams are relaying/stealing signs from 2B to the hitter or hitting a guy because of one of your players getting hit.

I do agree that this is all what he'll be remembered for and it's a shame it took place.

by socalbob on Feb 7, 2008 4:12 PM CST reply actions

Molina sued Wichita St.'s coach, too

socalbob, I agree with you that the coach helps create this environment, regardless of how the claim holds up in court in a case like this.

http://www.kscourts.org/Cases-and-Opinions/opinions/ctapp/2001/20011214/86410.htm

I'm not a lawyer, but I think this document shows the WSU coaches were found to be not negligent in this case.

by Richie Hebner 18 on Feb 7, 2008 4:25 PM CST up reply actions

My take

As both a former college player and current lawyer, I can say two things: one, this is indeed part of college baseball "culture" and while it may not be politically correct to say and won't be found in the appellate court decision, Molina's experience as a Division I college player should have led him to know that standing too close to home plate while a pitcher warms up could lead to such consequences. Yes, I know, that is crass and barbaric to say but it's entirely accurate in the context of college baseball. Should it be stopped? Of course. Will it be stopped? Don't bet on it.

Secondly, the most interesting read is the appellate decision that clearly indicates that at least part of the reason summary judgment was granted in favor of WSU and was similarly dismissed on appeal, was due to procedural errors by Molina's counsel. I would ask the attorney about such procedural errors rather than the merits of the case which could be debated for centuries.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Feb 8, 2008 8:40 AM CST up reply actions

I don't disagree

and you see the samething at the major league level with hitters getting thrown at for various reasons.

Like fighting in hockey, this has always been a part of baseball culture.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Feb 7, 2008 4:32 PM CST up reply actions

While this may be true...

... I think it's reprehensible for that to be just dismissed as "part of baseball culture". If that's so, it needs to be stopped. Now.

Maybe Ben Christensen was just a 21-year-old kid obeying his coach, or doing what he thought his coach wanted, but you'd think that anyone with a brain would stop and say to himself, "I have to throw at someone's HEAD??"

Sorry. Do NOT get me started on this issue. I'm glad Ben Christensen washed out of baseball.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 7, 2008 5:46 PM CST up reply actions

Amen...

don't we all hate it when people have to suffer consequences for their actions?

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Feb 7, 2008 5:50 PM CST up reply actions

And another thing...

... about fighting in hockey. You say it's an accepted part of hockey culture. Why does this have to be so? Yes, hockey is a rough sport. That's a given. But fistfights are not part of the sport, or shouldn't be. People hit other people playing hockey. Each person who gets hit should just pick up and move on. The fistfights ruin it for me.

Obviously, I'm in the minority, because when I'm at a hockey game, the loudest cheers seem reserved for the fights. But is this the way to make hockey more popular? I say no.

There's an easy way to end the fistfights. Simply increase the penalties for fighting. Since the NHL won't do this, they clearly condone it.

Go watch a college hockey game sometime; there's just as much beauty on ice, just as much hitting, but no fighting.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 7, 2008 5:51 PM CST up reply actions

I agree

When I was a kid, I got to see lots of hockey on WGN with Lloyd Pettit doing great announcing. The NHL only had six teams, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, New York and Boston. Needless to say, the skill levels were high, and, although there were fights, the skating, stick-handling, and shooting were the main thing. Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Kenny Warhem (help me, I can't remember his exact last name), Pierre Pilot, and the one roughneck, Reggie Fleming, were wonderful to watch. I only saw one game at the old Stadium in those days, but hockey was on the minds of Chicago sports fans in ways it hasn't been since local television was removed and the league blimped up to its ridiculous number of teams.

Hoping to goodness is not theologically sound. --Linus

by moldyfolky on Feb 7, 2008 6:05 PM CST up reply actions

I hope

someone sucker punches him in the face for no good reason, so he gets to know what it's like.

Dirtbag.

by nickler on Feb 7, 2008 6:06 PM CST up reply actions

That's the hockey I loved, too.

Kenny Wharram is the guy you're thinking of.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 7, 2008 6:07 PM CST up reply actions

And in a similar manner

baseball condones 'purpose pitches' and bean balls. Yeah the pitcher and his manager get tossed after the benches are warned; big deal.

When Christensen did was wrong, throwing at a guy on the on-deck circle. If he wanted to bean him, do it when he's at bat and keep it below the neck. How soon people forget or never bother to look up what a Don Drysdale or Bob Gibson used to do to opposing batters.

As for hockey, don't get me started. Fighting has always been there, even back to the golden era of the original six ('42-'67) and further back beyond that. It's the fastest moving team sport in the world where players are on artificial feet, changing players during the play and each of them essentially carrying a weapon. Because of the speed and contact, there is the instilled behaviour to stick up for your team mates.

There's things I did both in HS and college that I'm not necessarily proud of looking back, but at the time I protected my team mates and let opposing players know they could not get away with excessive force that resulted in a penalty. Any of you who played for many many years like me would tend to agree.

What's happened the last 20-30 years in the NHL and AHL that was never there before, was the stick swinging incidents climbing exponentially. IMHO it coincides with the influx of players from certain parts of the world. One of those players, from the Wings years ago, hit a 'Hawks player in the mouth with his stick so hard, it took 108 stitches to close him up. That is the shit that is hurting hockey, not fighting.

The reason fighting is essentially outlawed in HS and college is the injury impact of kids in school. Plus at those levels, full face protection has been mandated for decades now. Note fighting isn't banned in Juniors, either in Canada or the US. Kids that play hockey in Juniors are going there for hockey first and foremost. School is a distant second. It may be considered wrong by some but it's been that way for decades and won't change soon.

by blackhawk24 on Feb 8, 2008 7:42 AM CST up reply actions

Hockey and Christiansen

The NHL did apply stiffer penalties to fighting last season. IIRC, a fight got you an automatic ejection and a one game suspension. Some people may think that's too lenient, but it beats the ten minute major that was the old punishment.

Personally, I have no problem with players policing themselves as long as they hold to certain, unwritten rules of conduct. To me it would have made more sense to wait until Molina was at bat before plunking him. And if Christiansen purposefully threw at his head, he's everything you say he is. If he was simply trying to hit him and it got away, then I'd stop short of crucifying the guy.

by JDay on Feb 8, 2008 1:22 PM CST up reply actions

5-minutes for fighting...

No man power change on the ice and the players can come out of the box after the 1st whistle following 5 game-minutes, except...

The rule you're talking about is only in the last 5 minutes of regulation and in OT. The player must also be an instigator (not all fights have that, believe it or not if you wish) upon which he'll also get the standard 2-minute minor for instigating (powerplay advantage for the instigatees' team) and a game misconduct. There are also league rules about repeat offenders and associated fines.

The whole idea of putting that rule in is to keep fisticuffs from happening when a game (score-wise) is out of hand.

Also, 3 fighting majors in a game results in a game misconduct (technically counted as 10 minutes) and a 1-game suspension, plus potential league review depending on the refs' post game report. "Rocky" Al Secord had that once in the 80's and he was 3-0 in his fights. I believe that game occurred against Willi Plett, Dino Ciccarelli and the Minnesota North Stars.

Fighting has never been anything but 5 minutes. There are other instances of 5 minute majors that do affect man power advantage on the ice. The 5-minute high-sticking major (draws blood and in the ref's opinion more than an accident) holds a man-advantage plus there is a game misconduct attached. Other 5-minute majors that include a game misconduct and possible fine/suspension are the match penalty (intent to injure; e.g. Bertuzzi a couple years ago) and the gross misconduct; not necessarily fighting related but essentially an elevated unsportsman-like-conduct call; spitting, language, excessive arguing after being put in the box, etc.

One of the other posters here had a really, really good explanation of how pitchers are tought to intimidate batters, especially when batters are on-deck trying to time pitches. Don't remember who it was, but it was a damned good comment. I remember being plunked after a couple team mates ripped the cover off the ball ahead of me in the lineup. Since I was almost always in the 7-slot, I took a beaning for our 3-6 guys just clobbering the ball. It didn't matter; as long as I didn't take it in the melon and could still run, I was usually on 2nd base only 2-3 pitches into the next batters' AB.

by blackhawk24 on Feb 8, 2008 1:51 PM CST up reply actions

Here is the problem with that

whenever a pitcher lets go of the ball (at 90+ mph) towards someone, it has a chance to hit them in the head. If it is an obvious situation where a pitcher is throwing at someone, they have complete responsibility for the outcome.

Pitchers are pampered enouph in today's game. Which is why I advocate a "tit for tat" type of retaliation; if a pitcher hits one of my guys, I am not going after your best hitter, I am going after the guy who threw the ball. Something tells me would think twice about what they do.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Feb 8, 2008 2:32 PM CST up reply actions

cocur

Another reason why the DH should be abolished. Let the friggin guy step in the box if he wants to throw at some other hitter. Clemens is the obvious example. He never had a lower 3-year stretch of HBP when pitching for the Astros. He had 4 seasons of double digit hit batters in the AL, then only hit 13 during his tenure in HOU.

by socalbob on Feb 8, 2008 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

Believe me

I by no means excuse what Christensen did. No way, no how.

As someone who faced pitchers when I played ball, I never accepted that it was ok for a pitcher to throw at you for simply having success against them or any other reason.

It has long been accepted for a pitcher to throw one under your chin (or hit you) if you hit a homer or two off of them or teamates do. To me, that is simply doing your job. Now, when a pitcher strikes out 3-4 guys in a row, does the next hitter let go of the bat and let it sling towards the pitcher?

Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, and having someone throw at you is complete BS. I have no problem if they want to throw inside and back you off the plate, but you better know where it's going because you are risking injuring someone and that ain't cool.

I have long advocated throwing at the oppossing pitcher if one of your guys gets plunked on purpose. I guarantee, this would make pitchers think twice about nailing someone. This is impossible to do in the AL, which is another reason I hate the DH.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Feb 8, 2008 9:23 AM CST up reply actions

Loud, sustained applause.

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 8, 2008 9:27 AM CST up reply actions

Where was Molina standing?

I always wondered where was Molina Standing? How much out of the on deck circle was he? Does anyone have a diagram?

by Payton2000 on Feb 8, 2008 5:28 AM CST reply actions

As I recall...

... he was in the on-deck circle. What they took exception to was him trying to "time" Christensen's pitches.

I'll reiterate -- if this is part of baseball culture, throwing at someone's head when he's not even at bat, it has to stop.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 8, 2008 9:05 AM CST up reply actions

Well if thats the case

....Im surprised no one threw at my every time I batted in HS. Because before my at bat.........TADA I tried to time the pitcher from the on deck circle.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Feb 8, 2008 9:59 AM CST up reply actions

Same Here

We didn't have a 'formal' on deck circle in HS. It was low level ball. But if we were leading off an inning, it was expected that we walk halfway from the dugout to the plate and time the pitches.

I suppose that's the difference between low level HS and elite level college.

by Richie Hebner 18 on Feb 8, 2008 10:06 AM CST up reply actions

Well....

...it's a BS reason to throw at somebody. First of all, very few pitchers at that level throw their warm up tosses at 100% velocity. Also, if you are concerned that is going to give the hitter an advantage, your not much of a pitcher.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Feb 8, 2008 10:13 AM CST up reply actions

not what I recall

He was "on-deck" but not in the on-deck circle. He was standing near the dirt cutout of the home plate area and swinging at every offering as Christensen warmed up.

The average Joe thinks he beaned him 35-40 feet away from home plate. He was maybe 5-10 feet off the plate. A pitcher would never throw at a guy standing in the designated on-deck circle timing pitches. Just wouldn't happen.

by socalbob on Feb 8, 2008 12:48 PM CST up reply actions

Correct

My recollection is he was standing in the fungo circle near home plate and not the on-deck circle near the dugout.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on Feb 8, 2008 1:49 PM CST up reply actions

Starting to jaw the memory banks

Think both of you are correct, it was the fungo circle, not the on-deck circle.

If he wanted to bean the guy, he should have waited until the AB, then nailed him in the ribs or thigh. Never, never in the melon. Believe me, head injuries are tricky and nasty, though my worst one was on the rink, not the diamond.

On the fun side of getting drilled, check out this ESPN / Jim Caple story:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=3232393

by blackhawk24 on Feb 8, 2008 1:56 PM CST up reply actions