Posted by  Tom Gadbois, Long Beach, CA on 06/06  at  06:16 PM

The Rays are a tough group and will not be pushed around. Unfortunately, they cannot get sucked in to any of these situations any more-Too much to lose. The Yanks and Sox will continually try to get them off their game. There is no place for actions like Crisp’s in baseball. Nor is there any excuse. Moreover, there can be no good result for the Rays. From here, they have much more to wory about trying to stay near the top of the dicvision on the road.

Posted by  Roman, Tampa, FL on 06/06  at  05:50 PM

Cont’:

I feel Crisp was incredibly wrong and should have taken his hit, but it was his intention to start a fight. Thinking like a ball player, I realize what Crisp did was intelligent. Take out the Rays no. 2 pitcher, and make the AL East leader go to their bullpen for the rest of the game. Why not?

Moving forward, I hope the Rays get back on track and prove to the best team in major league baseball.

Posted by  Roman, Tampa, FL on 06/06  at  05:49 PM

I am die hard Rays fan. I have been and always will be. I find the actions of Gomes and Crawford disappointing, to say the least. I fully believe that Rays should have not taken ourselves to the Red Sox’ level and caused a brawl. That being said I thought it was outrageous that Lester was not thrown out of the game in the 5th inning and major league baseball should question the umpiring crew as to why he was not taken out.

As a fan of the Rays, I have never been more embarrassed watching the events that transpired. I have watched the Rays be no-hit, shutout, and blown out but this was the worst game I have ever watched.

Posted by  jim dimacher,  on 06/06  at  04:56 PM

Maddon and the Rays are a bunch of bush leaguers for their actions last night.  I am a sox fan but like to see underdog teams finally become competitive and root for them but then I have to witness this abomination from the Rays manager and players.  Crawford and Gomes are dirtbags that have no character, are gutless and just plain cowards. Maddon needs to learn to stay out of it and let the players police themselves and not tell a young pitcher to start a brawl by hitting an opposing player.  I will root against the Rays the rest of the year and hope those perennial loser players Crawford/Gomes/Iwamura have lousy years and short careers.

Posted by  MasterB, Rochester, NY on 06/06  at  04:42 PM

Your comment regarding a “purpose pitch” is telling.  Do you really think it’s responsible for someone to do something like that?  What if he missed and hit a batter’s head?  Disgusting.  the Rays coach should be penalized too for publically spouting he intended to take care of it that way.  Your team needs to relearn the spirit of competitiveness and sportsmanship.

Posted by  Matt Schooley, Milford, NH on 06/06  at  04:28 PM

In regards to the last comment, I think it did the opposite for the Red Sox chemistry. Aside from the Manny and Youk situation, a brawl almost always brings teams closer together. What Coco did wasn’t bush, as it happens in baseball, but pinning a guy down and having three guys pin one guy down and throw punches at him is bush…

Also, if Madden was upset at Coco’s slide, he’s a hypocrite. He said, and I agreed, that the Spring Training incident where his player bowled over a Yankee catcher was hard baseball. What Coco did was too.

Posted by  Mike MacDonald, Virginia on 06/06  at  04:19 PM

Shields was doing what any picture would have done.  Crisp is a bumb and should go play for the Yankee’s.  Now, that Jonny Gomes is goon and should be Kimbo Slice’s next opponent.  Let’s see how far he gets with him. 

GO RED SOX!!!!!

Posted by  Greg Salts, Manchester, NH on 06/06  at  03:47 PM

As a Sox fan, I say to Tampa that I am sorry for Coco Crisp. He showed himself to be a Bush Leaguer two days ago and confirmed it last night. His actions have harmed team chemistry and embarrassed Boston. I hope the rest of the players on both teams can remain professional to each other and focus their angst on the perpetrator.