Rangers Reliever Throws Chair At Fans

[Headache in a Suitcase]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Texas reliever Frank Francisco threw a chair into the right field box seats, hitting two spectators in the head Monday night, as Oakland Athletics fans taunted the visitors after a two-out, top-of-the-ninth homer tied the game.

One of the fans, an unidentified woman, was bloodied and her nose was broken.

Major league baseball's commissioner's office said Tuesday morning it was investigating.

With two outs in the ninth, Texas Ranger Alfonso Soriano tied the game at 5 on his second homer of the night. Moments later, with the Rangers' Hank Blalock at the plate, the Texas bench and bullpen cleared.

``Tonight, it went over the line,'' Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. ``It was a real break from the normal trash you hear from fans. We've had problems about every time we've come here.''

Texas reliever Doug Brocail was seen screaming at a male fan, and the pitcher had to be restrained by his teammates and bullpen coach Mark Connor. Others also had to be held back.

Francisco threw the chair at a fan in a lower box near the Rangers' bullpen along the right-field line. The chair hit one man in the head, then bounced and struck the woman on her left temple.

Security ran to the scene and a small section of fans was cleared from their seats.

A's manager Ken Macha came across the field to speak to Dave Rinetti, vice president of stadium operations, before play resumed 19 minutes later.

There was talk between the umpires and managers of suspending the game, clearing the stands and forfeiting the game.

The Athletics won 7-6 in the 10th inning.

Rinetti said afterward that the woman was being treated at a hospital for facial cuts and a broken nose and was considering pressing charges. Francisco was escorted by police out an alternate stadium exit after the game and into a car waiting on the field. No arrests were made.

Brocail declined comment, and Francisco wasn't around the locker room afterward.

Francisco, 25, was named American League rookie of the month for August, when he was 3-0 with a 1.69 earned-run average.

 

[DaveC]

What a royal cocksucker.

 

[zoney!]

he should never be allowed to play baseball again.

Major League athletes are paid far more than average people who excel in their positions because they have a unique talent...and should be ready for this type of stuff.

 

[popacrobat]

awful thing? yep it is.

are the fans retarded too? yep they are.

everybodys a loser in this story.

do i blame the pitcher? yep i do.

would i see why he would do it? yep i do.

should he have done it? not at all.

 

[stammer476]

Does anyone know what the fans said/did?

 

[stammer476]

He's been arrested.

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3010780

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Texas reliever Frank Francisco was arrested Tuesday morning on a charge of aggravated battery after he threw a chair into the right-field box seats and hit two spectators in the head during Monday night's loss to the Oakland Athletics.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Does anyone know what the fans said/did?

i believe something along the line of "what'cha gonna do brotha when the 24 inch pythons and hulkamania comes... for YOU!

 

[stammer476]

Headache, you have more fun with photoshop than a human should be allowed to have.

And why aren't we on red level security? We've got an official title.

 

[Hewson]

The most shocking aspect of this story is that it didn't take place at US Cellular Field(aka New Comiskey)

 

[U2Kitten]

I can understand how he felt, I hate being taunted, and I hate people who get a kick out of taunting people. His temper and rage got the best of him and now he's going to get sued. He should have just shut up and realized they were stupid losers and no matter if he wins or loses the game, he's still rich.

 

[JessicaAnn]

i believe something along the line of "what'cha gonna do brotha when the 24 inch pythons and hulkamania comes... for YOU!

You have too much time on your hands.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Headache, you have more fun with photoshop than a human should be allowed to have.

And why aren't we on red level security? We've got an official title.

when the esteemed director hears Vertigo on the radio, minus wacky Spaniards and waves, then we shall be at red.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You have too much time on your hands.

and to think... someone is paying me money while I photoshop Hulk Hogan... oooooooooooo yea brotha

 

[popacrobat]

when the esteemed director hears Vertigo on the radio, minus wacky Spaniards and waves, then we shall be at red.

i have proof of the office of U2 security being duped into a trap when on red two weeks ago.

i've never thought the same of it since. a new intel department is needed.

 

[zoney!]

Yeah...Headache is a flip-flopper!

 

[zoney!]

The most shocking aspect of this story is that it didn't take place at US Cellular Field(aka New Comiskey)

Its the fans who get unruly at "the Cell" - its the baseball players at Wrigley.

The Sox are in Minnesota this week while Florida and Montreal play at "the cell" - I am not sure if anyone in North America could get excited about a Marlins V. Expos match up! Or at least not excited enough to throw a chair.

 

[Hewson]

I blame Bobby Knight

 

[Bbug]

My opinion:

(1) It's never okay to throw a chair at someone, no matter what they say to you or yell at you. Once you throw a chair at someone, you deserve to be charged with assault, and you automatically lose all moral high ground in the situation. "S/he hurt my feelings, so I walloped him/her with a folding chair."? Um, no.

(2) It has nothing to do with how much he's getting paid. More money doesn't mean you have to take more guff in the workplace-- that's a pretty stupid notion. But it's the nature of his workplace that stupid people show up and get drunk and yell at him. He should be able to deal with it by now. But it's not a case of poor fans and evil money-hungry athletes who should be punished. Weren't these people season ticket holders? Those aren't exactly cheap. And IMO if you're going to pay a lot for tickets or cable packages, you lose all right to complain about the money these guys are making, because you're feeding into the system. Watch college ball or triple-a instead, if it bothers you that much.

(3) How'd this dude get to the majors without dealing with taunts before? I mean, seriously? When I was playing fracking highschool slow pitch softball in Rhode Island, people (often parents) used to heckle us. For some reason all sporting events ALWAYS attract losers who get off on making fun of players, whether it's little league parents taking thing way too seriously or these people. They're little people*, stupid people, drunk people, or some combination of the three. You deal with it by not paying attention because they're not worth it, and by knowing that if you're making them feel insecure enough that they're shouting at you, you've already won. At a major league level, why wouldn't you just think "Haha! Some moron actually PAID a lot of money to get in here to yell shit at me! Don't these dumbasses realize they're paying my salary? Thank you God for this athletic ability and for populating the Earth with suckers!" I mean, really, dude. It's not all that bad.

(4) The fans, the player, and ballpark security (if it was getting out of hand, or if the taunts were really provocative or graphic, why didn't they ask them to stop or at least glare at them sternly?) are all at fault here.

*metaphorically speaking. I didn't mean 'people with dwarfism' and I can't think of another way to put it. anyway...