To say tension escalated yesterday between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees would be an understatement. The incident peaked with a 101 mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman that somehow avoided Mike Brosseau’s head, for which Chapman has now been suspended. I’m very glad that pitch missed, because it’s no joke to be hit in the head with a baseball at any velocity, much less 101 mph.
Before we get to the tipping point we need to look at the context.
Tuesday Night
In the first inning Yankee’s starter Masahiro Tanaka purposefully threw at Joey Wendle not once but twice.