In southern California, an infielder for the Inland Empire 66ers could face felony assault charges after striking a Lancaster JetHawk pitcher with a baseball bat late Monday night, sparking a 25-minute brawl that resulted in the suspension of a California League game in Lancaster.

Inland Empire second baseman Evel Bastida charged the mound and struck Lancaster reliever Josh Kranawetter in the lower back after Kranawetter had hit Bastida in the back with a pitch during the 15th inning. Kranawetter suffered a bruised lower back but was not seriously injured. No arrests were made at the scene but the incident is being investigated & Bastida could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, said Deputy Mark Round of the LA County Sheriff's Department.

Kranawetter threw his glove at Bastida as the second baseman charged the mound but Bastida was undeterred, swinging the bat with both hands and hitting the reliever squarely below the tailbone.

"Who will think of the children??" says Mrs. Lovejoy.

~Adam

I think my favorite reading of the line was by Mrs. Krabappel when the school was about to be destroyed--she said it with a total lack of passion and sincerity.

Seeing as the game was in the 15th inning it would hardly seem to be the time for a pitcher to throw deliberately at a hitter. This is just ridiculous.

A simple rule change: you charge the mound, you're automatically ejected and suspended for a couple of games.

Earlier this season a brawl broke out during a game I attended between the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees (pitcher went a-head huntin'). Play was interrupted for over a half hour while the officials determined who to eject.

The Seattle Mariners, the parent organization of the Inland Empire 66ers, have suspended Evel Bastida for the remainder of the season and are considering releasing him. Bastida was also fined an undisclosed amount by the California League (their policy is to refuse to make that kind of information public) and could face felony assault charges in connection to his attack on Josh Kranawetter. The Mariners are also offering Bastida counseling.

~Adam