used to play here, there were times I expected him to stand up from behind the plate and just cold cock the umpire.  He's got a bit of a firey streak.

And if the pitcher was throwing at Offerman because he hit a homer the previous at-bat, then he's a poor sport.  But Offerman has earned himself the Douche of the Month Award in my book.

The pitch hit him in the back of the leg.

In the FIRST INNING.

Maybe the pitcher was throwing behind him, but c'mon.

>pitch wasn't up-and-in, but those pitches can end a guy's life (or just his career as we saw with Puckett)

Puckett came back from the beaning to play, and there is no medical evidence to suggest that beaning precipitated his subsequent glaucoma, which is a prevalent disease in young, black men, particularly those with hypertension.

Very rarely is it obvious when a pitcher is trying to hit a batter. Usually when he is, it ends up in the middle of the back. Pitchers need to pitch inside to be effective. Sometimes those pitches get away from them. They should get the benefit of the doubt when they do. Since it is practically impossible to tell when a pitcher intentionally hit a batter, it cannot be considered assault.

On the other hand, when a guy rushes the mound, bat in hand, he intends to hit the pitcher--beyond reasonable doubt.

Because when you peel away this veneer of civilization we are still animals, and nobody wants to show weakness.  Or at least that is what your average evolutionary psychologist would argue.