MLB upholds Miguel Sano’s stupid one-day suspension

Remember that whole thing a couple weeks ago where Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd purposefully tried to hit Miguel Sano with a pitch, Sano pointed and yelled at him for it, and then Tigers catcher James McCann stood up and slapped Sano in the face with his catcher’s mitt? And SANO was the only one who received a suspension?

Sano appealed his suspension, of course, and gave his side of the story in a 90-minute hearing last Friday, but I guess MLB wasn’t having. MLB still believes Sano punched James McCann (it was actually a shove), and upheld the one-game suspension.

Which is bullshit.

Okay—I’ll admit Miguel Sano wasn’t totally innocent in the bench-clearing ordeal, but this one-game suspension is completely unfair. Even though the Tigers started the situation and helped escalate it, neither Boyd nor McCann received any suspension. In fact, McCann wasn’t even ejected or fined. He received no punishment what-so-ever—and that’s why this is bullshit.

Yeah, Sano pushed (not punched) McCann, but what would be your reaction if someone jumped up and put both of their hands literally on your face?

And why were the Tigers throwing at Sano!? It was supposedly retaliation for Twins rookie pitcher Justin Haley hitting Tigers rookie hitter JaCoby Jones in the face earlier in the game, but that was a clear accident. I mean, Jesus Christ, they’re both just rookies in the first month of the season.

Furthermore, McCann’s comments about what happened sure don’t sound like he was just trying to get in-between Sano and Boyd and not start anything. As he told The Detroit Free Press [emphasis added]:

“It’s one thing to get hit, it’s a whole other story to get hit in the face,” McCann said. “There’s no protection. It’s not a lot of fun and you don’t like to see that happen to your teammate.....

“It’s a man’s game and people are going to react the way they react,” McCann said. “I don’t know what (Sano) was going to do, but I saw him wag his finger at my pitcher. And as far as I’m concerned, you’re not going to do that when I am catching.

“I just stepped in between to prevent anything from happening.”

Hey, McCann, here’s an idea: Why don’t you prevent something from happening by, I don’t know, not having your pitcher throw at Miguel Sano as some sort of stupid caveman showing of manhood? Or why don’t you maybe not try to take matters into your owns hands—literally and figuratively—when Sano got justifiably mad at being thrown at?

Sano was not rushing the mound. There was nothing for McCann to prevent from happening, and truly I don’t think that was McCann’s real intention. This is a case of McCann trying to play big tough guy and get in Sano’s face, but since he’s so much smaller than Sano, he was able to slip by without looking like the aggressor—even though he totally was.

Paul Molitor agreed after the game, telling reporters, "There seemed to be some contact initiated by McCann. I don't think [Sano] likes someone putting their hands on him very much."

Why wasn’t McCann ejected? Or fined? Or suspended!? Why did he receive no punishment what-so-ever for clearly creating and escalating the situation? Why did Sano receive a completely disproportionate share of the punishment? It boggles my mind.

The only good news is the timing of Miguel Sano’s suspension, which he’ll serve tonight. Pretty sure the rest of the Twins lineup can handle Mike Pelfrey on their own.

Good riddance.