Rays Colored Glasses: Operation You’re An Idiot: Phase One

Starting the season 1-7 is not exactly going to have the clubhouse rocking out. Well maybe rocking on edge. The Rays have been through so much over the past week and one can only wonder if the 2011 season is going to be as eventful as the off-season was. Looks to be that way. The Manny Ramirez retirement is no doubt a huge blow for the organization but the 25 guys on this squad need to step back, take a deep breath, come together, and relax! It is a long season, one which will only get worse for the defending AL East champs if they don’t harness the frustration.

Apparently, I should have wrote this piece before Saturday’s game so that Felipe Lopez could have read it. I didn’t, so he didn’t, and thus we have a more solid foundation for Operation You’re An Idiot.

Phase One took place in the top of the ninth inning when White Sox reliever Chris Sale, a Florida native, threw his first pitch to Lopez. The ball was a bit inside and Lopez had to move out of the way. Now I say move because that’s all he really had to do. He didn’t have to jump, dive, or even duck out of the way. He just had to move a bit to avoid being beaned. Sale is a hard throwing lefty so naturally Lopez, a switch-hitter, was batting from the right side. With the delivery that Sale has the ball naturally tends to move in on righties. Lopez took the next pitch and deposited it over the left-center field fence for a solo home run bringing the Rays within two. This is where things got interesting. On his back-swing Lopez flung the bat forward in the direction of Sale. The bat was flung so hard that it made it almost all the way out to where Sale was standing. Upon arriving at home plate, Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski had a few words for Lopez about the incident. The first thing that pops into my head here is, Relax dude you’re still down by two. You didn’t tie the game, you didn’t win the game, and more importantly you’re still losing! In looking at the situation I’ve decided to have a jury trial to determine whether or not Felipe Lopez should be found Guilty or Not-Guilty on the charges of, You’re An Idiot!

Prosecution:

Why would you hit the lead-off man in the ninth inning of a three run game?

Didn’t you learn, how to not-throw the bat in little league?

Have you ever flipped the bat that way after a home run before?

Defense:

When asked about the possibility of being plunked in Sunday’s game, Lopez had this to say

"It’s baseball, man…I’m a man. Whatever happens happens. At least I know I didn’t do it on purpose."

Didn’t do it on purpose? Really? So, you meant to throw the bat, just not at Sale? It had nothing to do with you being upset about the previous pitch?

For the record, I am by no means a fan of Pierzynski, not after all of his on-field antics, but he has good reason to confront Lopez on this one. Do you really think Sale wanted to put the potential tying run in the on-deck circle?

To me this seems like an open-and-shut case: GUILTY

I’m going to leave it up to you, the jurors, to seal the fate of Lopez.Your Guilty or Not-Guilty comment below will help determine if he will become the pioneer for Operation You’re An Idiot?

We the jury find the defendant Felipe Lopez…

You can also reveal your verdict on Facebook and Twitter