Spring Training Fights Are Awesome!

Written by Brian Powell on 12 March 2008.

I'm trying to find video for it now but it looks like New York might be a bit upset about the Rays playing hard in Spring Training.....

One day after Yankees manager Joe Girardi insisted his club would not retaliate for a violent home-plate collision in Saturday's game against the Rays, both clubs spilled onto the field at Progress Energy Park in a bench-clearing incident Wednesday.

In the first inning, Yankees starter Heath Phillips was ejected for throwing an up-and-in fastball to Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, grazing the batter and earning an immediate thumb from home-plate umpire Chad Fairchild.

In the home half of the first, the Yankees' Shelley Duncan escalated the incident by sliding hard into second base, clearing both benches. Play halted for several minutes as the two clubs engaged in shoving, and at least one punch appeared to be thrown.

Yes! There's nothing to make a pointless game even more pointless by fighting over a guy who was just trying to make the team. Video to come shortly. Oh and no.....Billy Crystal was not involved.

Update: Okay this is just wrong. Via The Sporting Blog....