A result of the AWB. Blood will flow in the streets..er, ball games.

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Texas Pitcher Sparks Brawl at Oakland


AP Photo OAS105

By The Associated Press

Texas reliever Frank Francisco needed just one dangerous throw to overshadow an exciting back-and-forth game with a playoff atmosphere.

During an altercation with Oakland fans next to the bullpen in the ninth inning Monday night, Francisco threw a folding chair into the stands, hitting a man in the head and breaking a woman's nose.


``I don't know about rivalry, but all these games are going to be intense from here on out,'' Oakland's Eric Chavez said. ``It was almost like a kickoff of a football game.''


Texas took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 10th before the A's rallied against Rangers Francisco Rodriguez in the bottom half to win 7-6. There were five lead changes, all after the fourth inning, in the game that ended on Chavez's RBI single.


``Too many twists and turns in that game,'' A's manager Ken Macha said.


With the victory, the A's maintained their two-game lead in the AL West over Anaheim, which beat Seattle 5-1. In other AL games, it was: Kansas City 17, New York 8; Baltimore 9, Toronto 1; and Minnesota 5, Detroit 3.


Texas' Alfonso Soriano tied it at 5 with two outs in the ninth on his second homer of the night. Moments later, the Rangers' bench and bullpen cleared.


Reliever Doug Brocail was seen screaming at a male fan, and the pitcher had to be restrained by teammates and bullpen coach Mark Connor. Others also had to be held back.


Francisco, amid a crowd of players, then tossed a chair at a fan in a lower box to the left of the bullpen along the right-field line. Francisco pitched in the seventh inning, but was still in uniform.


``Tonight it went over the line,'' Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. ``It was a real break from the normal trash you hear from fans. We've had problems about every time we've come here.''


Security ran to the scene and a small section of fans was cleared from their seats. Play resumed after a 19-minute delay, with Dave Rinetti, vice president of stadium operations, standing in front of that section for the remainder of the game.


``From what I understand there was some calls made to security early during the game but I have no idea what started it out there,'' umpire crew chief Joe Brinkman said.


In the bottom of the 10th, Mark McLemore drew a bases-loaded walk to score the tying run, then Chavez broke an 0-for-13 stretch with a sinking liner to shallow center off Cordero (3-2), who blew his fourth save in 48 chances.


Justin Duchscherer (6-6) pitched the 10th to earn the victory.

I saw a vid of it, i blame the fans just as much as the players, the fans were told to watch thier attitudes when it was all over. I am not saying that hitting the women was right because it wasent but some fans need an ass kicking. Players too.

Quoted: During an altercation with Oakland fans next to the bullpen in the ninth inning Monday night, Francisco threw a folding chair into the stands, hitting a man in the head and breaking a woman's nose.

"America's Game" has fallen pretty far, hasn't it?

Steroid boys breaking records, players spitting on umpires and now throwing furniture AT THEIR CUSTOMERS???

(hometown or opposing fan, Mr. Francisco, they are PAYING YOUR SALARY YOU MORON)

My biggest gripe with MLB is that they hold cities hostage for new stadiums (thanks to an anti-trust exemption that precludes competition)

What a bunch of pathetic, whiny "athletes" some role models...

Quoted: Having been to MANY, MANY baseball games the players don't just start talking to fans.....most of them are pricks when it comes to stuff like that. I guarantee the Oakland fans were talking shit, and it got out of control.  It's always the guy to hit someone last that gets blamed -- in this case he threw a chair -- way over the line and I hope he gets a 10 game suspension and a HUGE fine.  He is a fringe player and that type of punishment will effect him. Too bad about the chick getting her nose broken, but that's what happens when you hang out with roughnecks.

I've been to a few Dodger and Angels games.

I was at an Angels game when that lefty reliever Mitch "Wild Thing" I forget his last name, walked like 5 guys in a row. It was free seat cushion night and tshtf. Everyone in the crowd started throwing their seat cushions on to the field.

Crazy.

Quoted: Having been to MANY, MANY baseball games the players don't just start talking to fans.....most of them are pricks when it comes to stuff like that. I guarantee the Oakland fans were talking shit, and it got out of control.  It's always the guy to hit someone last that gets blamed -- in this case he threw a chair -- way over the line and I hope he gets a 10 game suspension and a HUGE fine.  He is a fringe player and that type of punishment will effect him. Too bad about the chick getting her nose broken, but that's what happens when you hang out with roughnecks.

No, he should be FIRED.

You throw a chair at work today, breaking someone's nose and see how long you keep your job.

Supporting this behavior (by attending games & purchasing MLB merchandise) is tacit approval of different standards for "star athletes" (could as well be rock stars or politicians) and the rest of us.

If none of you have been to a Giants, 49whiners, A's or especially Raiders game, you have yet to see a true CIRCUS.

The fans are WAY overboard. In fact, at 49whiners games it's far more entertaining to watch 49ers fans PHYSICALLY FIGHT AMONG THEMSELVES that it is to  watch the game.

And it takes brass clappers to go to a Raiders game and root for the other team. Raiders fans have decided that they need to be the kings of outrageousness and disgusting public behavior.

Wanna see fans with ZERO courtesy and consideration? Go to a Giants/Dodgers game.
Grown men with their kids, sitting amongst other children, spewing a steady stream of profanity-laced BS at the opposing players-AND NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

I'd never seen that type of behavior at an A's game but it doesn't surprise me.

Californians just haven't realized that their "we can be more radical than anyone else" attitude has cost them freedoms and the tolerence of the LEOs. Sometimes I'd  see people there being so obnoxiously rowdy and stupid that I can understand why the politicians balk at normal firearms freedoms. Hate to say it but it's true-and any of the fine members here from California would be lying if they didn't agree with me.

It's great to watch spoiled millionares act like little children ...


That's quality entertainement - as opposed to that boring game they play

Quoted: Quoted: Having been to MANY, MANY baseball games the players don't just start talking to fans.....most of them are pricks when it comes to stuff like that. I guarantee the Oakland fans were talking shit, and it got out of control.  It's always the guy to hit someone last that gets blamed -- in this case he threw a chair -- way over the line and I hope he gets a 10 game suspension and a HUGE fine.  He is a fringe player and that type of punishment will effect him. Too bad about the chick getting her nose broken, but that's what happens when you hang out with roughnecks. I've been to a few Dodger and Angels games. I was at an Angels game when that lefty reliever Mitch "Wild Thing" I forget his last name, walked like 5 guys in a row. It was free seat cushion night and tshtf. Everyone in the crowd started throwing their seat cushions on to the field. Crazy.

Mitch Williams?  He lost the World Series for the Phils.  Had to get a bodyguard.  Oddly enough, IIRC he still makes his home in Philly or So Jersey.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Having been to MANY, MANY baseball games the players don't just start talking to fans.....most of them are pricks when it comes to stuff like that. I guarantee the Oakland fans were talking shit, and it got out of control.  It's always the guy to hit someone last that gets blamed -- in this case he threw a chair -- way over the line and I hope he gets a 10 game suspension and a HUGE fine.  He is a fringe player and that type of punishment will effect him. Too bad about the chick getting her nose broken, but that's what happens when you hang out with roughnecks. I've been to a few Dodger and Angels games. I was at an Angels game when that lefty reliever Mitch "Wild Thing" I forget his last name, walked like 5 guys in a row. It was free seat cushion night and tshtf. Everyone in the crowd started throwing their seat cushions on to the field. Crazy. Mitch Williams?  He lost the World Series for the Phils.  Had to get a bodyguard.  Oddly enough, IIRC he still makes his home in Philly or So Jersey.

yeah, Mitch Williams. I think the Angels was his last stop before retiring.

They lost me at the last strike when Toronto was on their way to a third World Series. I used to like baseball.

I wish I was the person with the busted nose!  The lawsuite!  The new car and new m4!  Almost like hitting the Lotto!  

Quoted: If none of you have been to a Giants, 49whiners, A's or especially Raiders game, you have yet to see a true CIRCUS. The fans are WAY overboard. In fact, at 49whiners games it's far more entertaining to watch 49ers fans PHYSICALLY FIGHT AMONG THEMSELVES that it is to  watch the game. And it takes brass clappers to go to a Raiders game and root for the other team. Raiders fans have decided that they need to be the kings of outrageousness and disgusting public behavior. Wanna see fans with ZERO courtesy and consideration? Go to a Giants/Dodgers game. Grown men with their kids, sitting amongst other children, spewing a steady stream of profanity-laced BS at the opposing players-AND NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I'd never seen that type of behavior at an A's game but it doesn't surprise me. Californians just haven't realized that their "we can be more radical than anyone else" attitude has cost them freedoms and the tolerence of the LEOs. Sometimes I'd  see people there being so obnoxiously rowdy and stupid that I can understand why the politicians balk at normal firearms freedoms. Hate to say it but it's true-and any of the fine members here from California would be lying if they didn't agree with me.

I remember an A's game way back when several fans were totally dogging Harold Baines every single inning.  Baines was easily within earshot to hear every word.  We half-hoped that Baines would come over and hop the fence, but he played the game and ignored the dorks.  About the 7th inning so many A's fans complained about the other fans, that security finally showed up to tell them to shut up.

I've been to several Giants-Dodgers games...they're about the worst with a rivalry dating back decades.  I remember sitting in the cheap seats at Candlestick and Giants fans were buying Dodgers banners, then lighting them on fire.

49whiners...hehe.  I'm sure there are several, but I've personally known two 49ers fans that were fans before 1981.  I consider them true-die-hard fans.

But a Raider's game would have been more "exciting"....particularly on Switchblade Night.  Then again, maybe not...people want to keep their switchblades just to make it out of the parking lot.

Quoted: He's probably league minimum or slightly above....a fight is a fight.  Trying to equate me throwing a chair at someone in my office to this incident is kind of narrow sighted. Let's say, for instance that some random clown enters my building and is standing at the doorway to my office screaming obscene things and postuering.  I believe I might be justified at my rather hostile course of action, which would not include a chair but might include a stapler or other implement upside his head.

Not at all, baseball (like so many other "modern sports") is predicated on talking smack, since performance & hustle have long since been exchanged for 'tude & bling, gold plated Hummers and diamond earrings (I don't care if you hit 100 home runs a year, diamonds in your ear make you look like a girlie man), charging kids for your autograph (ALL BOW TO THE GOD OF CAPITALISM AT IT'S FINEST) and ex-pornstar wives of equal intelligence.

If Francisco gets unnerved by the typical knuckle-dragger fan grunting at him, then he should take up another vocation.

If a deranged baseball fan showed up at the office, taunting and spewing incomprehensible epithets, they would likely be removed for psychiatric evaluation...  no need to bean them with the stapler. No need to prove how tough one is by slinging a chair at the source of "oh all those awful words! boo hoo hoo" I laugh as I watch baseball implode, effers deserve it (after the strikes and the holdouts for new palaces stadiums)

Baseball, what's that?

I stopped watching after the LAST time those overpaid asswipes who get paid to play a GAME went on strike.

F'em....

Just herd on the radio that the player was arrested for aggravated assault, serves him right, in my opinion these guys make millions for playing a kids game, if they can't handle some trash talking they should find another line of work. Pussies!