Thoughts on the suspensions

If you missed the updates on the earlier post, Shelley Duncan and Melky Cabrera were suspended for three games, and Jonny Gomes was suspended for two. All three players were also fined undisclosed amounts.

In the press release announcing the suspensions, Duncan's actions were called "violent and reckless" and they "incited the bench-clearing incident."

In comparison, they said Gomes' actions escalated the brawl.

There wouldn't have been a brawl if Gomes didn't run in from right field to plow into Duncan. The Rays would have been upset that Duncan spiked Akinori Iwamura, but the benches weren't ready to empty until after Duncan was run into.

How Gomes only received two games is ridiculous.

Cabrera received the same amount of games as Duncan for throwing a punch at Evan Longoria. Cabrera wasn't even ejected from the game, but the Rays had evidence of the punch. Even if he did throw a punch at Longoria, he shouldn't have gotten more games than Gomes did.

Manager Joe Girardi will only be fined. Since managers cannot appeal suspensions, he would have had to miss his first game as Yankee manager. Coaches Kevin Long and Bobby Meacham also received fines.

Because of Gomes' actions, the Yankees will be without their starting center fielder and will have to use Hideki Matsui in left for at least the first couple of games of the season.

Yes, Duncan's play was dirty. But Gomes caused the brawl.

Brawl in pictures

I can't condone Shelley Duncan going in spikes high. Duncan claimed he was playing hard and that there was no malicious intent. However, he supposedly was out by at least five feet and still went in hard. He wasn't trying to break up a double play here. Everyone knows there was intent to make a statement.

Duncan was trying to stand up for his fallen teammate, but he went about it the wrong way. While I like that the team is showing heart, you don't try to intentionally injure someone.

Akinori Iwamura has a cut on his thigh from Duncan's spikes. Jonny Gomes returned the favor by running in from right field to tackle Duncan.

Quotes from Bryan Hoch:

Jorge Posada:"If [Phillips] wanted to hit [Longoria], he would have hit him. You don't throw at somebody with runners on first and third."

Gomes: "I just think [Duncan] tried to inflict pain on Aki. That just comes second nature. I was taught all the way from T-ball to have a teammate's back. It's a baseball field. There's fans and kids watching. I had to let [Duncan] know that's not going to fly."

Duncan: "I made a hard slide into [Iwamura's] glove. When I'm out there playing, I like to play hard. In my head, I wasn't thinking about a message. They see me playing hard every day."

I don't think we've heard the last from this. The Yankees play the Rays twice more in the spring, and 18 times during the regular season.

Gomes' explanation is a little shady too. It's a baseball field and there are kids watching, so you tackle him?

(AP Photos/Gene J. Puskar)