Hi everyone, I am a lover not a fighter. I do not condone the actions of these angry grown men but I will state this. Baseball fights are entertaining to watch and always make the headline on Sports Websites when they occur. As always these list are made for banter and discussion. No baseball players were seriously injured in these videos. Only maybe Robin Ventura’s feelings (haha just joking, Ventura had a very underrated career).
12. Reds-Pirates (2019)
Amir Garrett Vs the Pirates is a good one too. Truth is for two teams that haven’t been in contention recently these teams still do not like each other. The Garrett fight was later in that year but we are going to talk about the first skirmish between the two teams which occurred in April of that season. Derek Dietrich took Chris Archer deep early in the game and admired the shot. Archer and the Pirates did not like it too much and later in the game retaliated by throwing behind Dietrich. What would later ensue would be an old fashioned melee with Yasiel Puig trying to take on the entire Pirates team. It was crazy.
11. Cardinals-Reds (2010)
The Cardinals and Reds were locked in a tight division race in 2010. It had been well documented that Brandon Phillips of the Reds did not like the Cardinals and there was a little tension over the years between managers Tony La Russa and Dusty Baker (who got in each other’s face). When Phillips got up to the plate in his first at bat of the game Cardinals Catcher Yadier Molina got into Phillips face and Phillips did not enjoy that to much. Let the melee begin.
10. Red Sox-White Sox (1993)
Red Sox’s Aaron Sele threw the ball at the White Sox’s George Bell not once but twice in this at bat. The second time George Bell decided that was enough and charged the mound and swing and missed at the Red Sox hurler. What was the moment of the brawl was Mo Vaughn hitting George Bell high (would certainly be a 15 yard penalty today but in 1993 was deemed legal). Good ol fashioned melee, check it out below.
9. Red Sox-Yankees (1976)
Just fair warning there will be a lot of Red Sox Yankees on this list. In case you didn’t know those teams don’t like each other. This brawl was a play at the plate in which the Yankees Lou PIniella (yes future manager Lou Piniella) runs over Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk (a common play back in the 1970s but primarily illegal to run over the catcher now). They would get tangled up and an already pissed Carlton Fisk decided to take matters into his own hands.
8. Expos-Phillies (1996)
APEX Pedro Martinez may have been the best pitcher in the history of baseball at the peak of his powers. Pedro was just starting to come into his own in late 1996 when the Expos were playing the Phillies. Earlier in the game Pedro hit Phillies first baseman Gregg Jeffries. Phillies pitcher Mike Williams decided to retaliate not once but twice when Pedro was up to bat later in the game. Pedro would charge the mound and toss his helmet in the general direction of the Phillies hurler, boy I miss the Expos.
7. Orioles-Yankees (1998)
Long story short about this brawl. The Orioles were a once great fast declining team in disarray and the Yankees were on the verge of becoming a dynasty. In the bottom of the 8th of game in late May the Yankees just took a 7-5 lead on a Bernie Williams homerun and Orioles closer Armando Benitez was pissed about it. So next batter Tino Martinez stepped into the plate and Benitez threw at his head. Benitez got tossed and a wild brawl ensued.
6. Blue Jays-Rangers (2016)
The 7th inning in a 2015 win or go home divisional playoff game against the Rangers and Blue Jays was one of the most ridiculous innings in not just postseason history but the history of baseball. Seriously check it out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V8W6_bD7bE). It was capped off with one of the most epic big moment homeruns in recent memory by Jose Bautista. His emphatic bat flip kind of pissed off some of the Rangers players. So next season in a game in Texas with Bautista sliding into second base to break up a double play Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor took exception to things and what ensued was one of the most awesome sucker punches ever in a brawl. Awesome thing about this was these teams met again the 2016 playoffs.
5. Nationals-Giants (2017)
Hunter Strickland was mad at Bryce Harper. Harper kept hitting home runs off Strickland and Hunter didn’t like it one bit. After Harper had recently taken Strickland deep again the prior day Hunter Strickland have had enough and beamed Bryce in the back. Harper know it was intentional and a fight ensued.
4. Tigers-Royals (2001)
Mike Sweeney was a Royal for 13 years. One of the most underrated hitters of the 2000’s. A players who played on many losing teams but was always respected by his peers. On August 10th 2001, Jeff Weaver saw the rare angry side of Mike Sweeney. Weaver had been barking at Sweeney a week prior at a game in Detroit after Sweeney hit a double. The following week (now in Kansas City) Sweeney asked the umpire if Weaver can move the Rosen bag since it’s distracting him. Weaver would say in words other than what I am going to say here but the answer was no way. Sweeney did not like that too much and put on his best Mike Tyson/Brian Urlacher impersonation. One of the greatest beatdowns in a brawl ever, thanks Youtube and Care Bears for the Video.
3. Yankees-Red Sox (2003)
In Game 3 of the ALCS Yankees hurler Roger Clemens threw the ball in the vicinity of Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez in retaliation for Red Sox hurler Pedro Martinez hitting Yankees Karim Garcia earlier in the game. Manny would be upset and have words and the benches would clear. Not too much outside of some chatter would occur except 72 year old Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer would charge Pedro Martinez who spiked Zimmer to the ground. It was funny, sad and confusing all at the same time. Pedro and Zimmer would be later say they both regretting their parts in this confrontation (spoiler alert we will return to this rivalry in the same time frame at #1).
2. White Sox-Rangers (1993)
#1 rule in baseball history is to not mess with the Texan. Any baseball historian knows I’m referring to Nolan Ryan. Nolan Ryan would plunk Robin Ventura in his second at bat of a game in August of 1993 (forgot to mention that the 93 White Sox just liked to get into fights didn’t they). Nolan Ryan was 46 and Ventura was 26. So Robin Ventura charging the mound would have the advantage right? Uh, well let’s just say that Nolan Ryan was not giving Robin Ventura a noogie here. Strikeout’s, no hitters and kicking butt is what Nolan Ryan was all about.
1.Yankees-Red Sox (2004)
2003-2004 Red Sox Yankees was the most awesome rivalry at it’s APEX in my lifetime. The Yankees and Red Sox just had one of the best ALCS of all time with the Red Sox losing in heartbreak yet again in Game 7 (Aaron Boone anyone, yes the now Yankees skipper Aaron Boone). In the ensuing offseason the Yankees traded for the best player in the American League at the time Alex Rodriguez. It was despised by many that the rich kept getting richer. Alex Rodriguez was up at bat in a late July game at Fenway against young Red Sox hurler Bronson Arroyo. Arroyo would hit A-Rod in the back and Alex was not too happy and started chirping at Arroyo. Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek would get in A-Rod’s face defending his pitcher and the games would begin. On a game note the Red Sox would win on a Bill Mueller two run walkoff off Mariano Rivera to win 11-10. This late July game in 2004 may have been the best regular season game of the Century thus far (the Padres-Rockies game 163 in 2007 is in heavy discussion with this game but not many other games to argue with). The Red Sox would come back from a 3-0 deficit in the following ALCS over the Yankees and win their first World Series in 86 years and break the Curse of the Bambino (blah blah blah). Anyways, thank you for reading the list. Please comment on facebook, twitter or this page here. Have a great day everyone!!