King Kaufman's Sports Daily
Crime and punishment: Jose Offerman's swinging bat draws more fire than Juan Marichal's in 1965. Plus: Prince Fielder's suspension is too much -- and too lax.
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Aug. 16, 2007 | Shades of Marichal vs. Roseboro: Former major league infielder Jose Offerman was charged with two counts of second-degree assault after he hit the opposing team's pitcher and catcher with his bat Tuesday in an independent minor league game in Bridgeport, Conn.
Offerman, 38, last played in the majors two years ago with the New York Mets. He's been playing with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, a club that's employed many a faded big-leaguer in recent years. He homered in his first at-bat against the Bridgeport Bluefish Tuesday, then was hit by a pitch in his second. He charged the mound and swung his bat as many as three times, according to news reports quoting Bridgeport manager Tommy John.
Pitcher Matt Beech raised his hands to defend himself, and Offerman broke the middle finger on the lefty's right hand when he connected. Catcher John Nathans was hit in the head on Offerman's backswing and sustained a concussion. Offerman was ejected, as were Beech and John, since the incident started with, in the judgment of the umpire, an intentional beaning.
Interesting to note how crime and punishment has changed over the years. The Offerman incident is strikingly similar to the famous Aug. 22, 1965, brawl between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. In that one, Giants pitcher Juan Marichal, who was batting, took offense at Dodgers catcher John Roseboro whizzing return throws back to pitcher Sandy Koufax an inch or so from Marichal's head.
Roseboro was doing this because Koufax had refused to throw at Marichal in retaliation for Marichal brushing back a couple of Dodgers batters. The Dominican Dandy turned around to confront Roseboro, who stood up and whipped off his mask. Marichal bonked him over the head with his bat and a massive brawl ensued.
Roseboro missed two games with a gash and a concussion, and Marichal was fined $1,750 -- about $11,000 in 2007 money -- and suspended for eight games. So he missed two starts.
Aside from being brought up on assault charges, Offerman was suspended indefinitely by the Atlantic League, with a ruling on his ultimate status promised by the end of the week. It seems likely he'll be banned for life, and that hardly anyone will call that unfair, even those few folks who care about the goings-on in the Atlantic League.
Judging by similar incidents in the NHL and NBA recently, I'd guess that if Offerman had wielded his bat in the majors, he'd be looking at a suspension of about a year.