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.

Goal... interrupted

I very nearly didn't attend last night's game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals, but at the last minute I decided that, regardless of whether or not I actually have the money, it was still worth it to have the chance to see Alex Ovechkin possibly score his 50th goal and his 100th point on the season. He had a first period assist and deflected Brian Willsie's shot from the top of the left circle in the third for his 49th goal and 100th point and MCI... *ahem* Verizon Center went nuts and it made the whole night worth it in spite of the less than desirable outcome.

Then I got home to discover that the official scorer decided he never got a piece of the shot in the 3rd, and the goal was credited to Willsie instead. So depressing.