Jose v. Pedro, Round II

I was at the Nationals-Mets game at RFK last night, and let me just say, I was sorely dissappointed. The closest I came to seeing any ort of shenanigans was when Jose Guillen lined a pitch right back at Pedro Martinez. Which, I'm assuming, wasn't intentional.

I get that the MLB wants to protect its image, and bench clearing brawls do not accomplish this in any way, but the fact is that there were nearly 30,000 people in RFK Stadium just praying that someone would get beaned, and (presumably) because of MLB's warnings to the two teams, nothing happened and everyone went home empty handed. Except the asshole Mets fan who was sitting behind me.

I'd like to see baseball model itself after the NHL. If Pedro wants to bean someone, let him do it. If, in retaliation, a Nats pitcher beans Pedro or another Met, they should be allowed. In the NHL, this sort of thing happens all the time. But, the NHL also has a rule in place wherein any player leaving the bench to join in a fight is automatically ejected and suspended ten games. I think a rule like this would solve all of baseball's problems.

Except for Jim Bowden. There's no solving Jim Bowden.