default-cbs-image

Monday night, Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo slid into Padres backstop Austin Hedges with a slide that was deemed illegal by MLB. Hedges gave Rizzo a path to the plate and Rizzo clearly deviated from it to initiate contact. Rizzo will not be suspended.

Here's the play:

Following the slide, which bruised Hedges' thigh, many assumed the Padres would seek retaliation against Rizzo on Tuesday night. By drilling him, specifically. You knew that. That's how you retaliate in baseball.

Padres manager Andy Green, however, said throwing at Rizzo would be "absolutely asinine" on Tuesday morning. Safe to assume retaliation isn't coming. Here are Green's comments:

This is what I've always asked: What do you accomplish by hitting somebody? You accomplish nothing. You put a man on first base, and you give them an opportunity to win a baseball game. ... You don't, all of a sudden, gain the high, moral ground because you chose to retaliate. You don't, all of a sudden, get to pound your chest because you were man enough to throw a ball at somebody's back. I think it's absolutely asinine to even take that approach.

For what it's worth, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he disagrees with Green that throwing at hitters as retaliation is asinine.

My guess is many players, including several who suit up for the Padres, disagree with Green too. They probably believe Rizzo should wear one after the illegal slide that hurt (but didn't injure) Hedges.

Ultimately, plunking Rizzo in retaliation for sliding into Hedges doesn't accomplish much. It sends a message that the Padres won't be messed with? Okay. But they're still going to be among the worst teams in baseball and the Cubs will still be the defending champs. Rizzo is among the MLB leaders in hit-by-pitches too. How much will a retaliatory plunking bother him anyway?

The Padres are rebuilding and Hedges is one of their prized young players, so I can understand anyone who feels the need to stand up for him by hitting Rizzo. I'm just not sure what it accomplishes. The Padres hit Rizzo, the Cubs hit someone back, and it turns into this big stupid thing that would otherwise be forgotten in a week.