To the point in the top of the 8th inning, the USA pretty much controlled the game and had a very comfortable 8-1 lead. Then Bryan Engelhardt, a complete unknown amateur outfielder from the Corendon Kinheim team of the Netherlands KNBSB league, hit a solo-homerun off USA reliever Matt Lindstrom.I found myself thinking; "wow that's nice, Netherlands may have their Cinderella run ended tonight, but at least that guy gets to go home with the memory of hitting a home run off a Major League closer known to hit 100+mph regularly".
Then for whatever stupid reason out of nowhere, Matt Lindstrom throws his next pitch (clocked at 98mph) at the next Netherlands' batter, Vince Rooi. As any sane person would do the entire Dutch team and coaches came up to the top of their dugouts and started yelling essentially WTF and many other things?Then viewers were subjected to the complete stupidity of the ESPN announcers trying to tell us, the viewers, why it is ok to throw a baseball at 90+ mph at a batter when you are already up by 6 runs; because the guy before him may, or may not, have spent too much time watching his home run.
Now for those who didn't see it; yes, Engelhardt did not go right into a sprint right after swinging contact, but nothing in a taunting/gloating manner; more in a "wow that was awesome" manner. The reason they only show the replay of it in slow-motion, is because that is the only way they can make it look like he did anything they claim. When played in regular time you will see no standing around, he did not point or say anything to any member of the USA team; he did absolutely nothing to taunt USA or disrespect the team in any way. It was simply a matter of an amateur enjoying what may be his only moment of glory in his entire baseball career.
UPDATE: Now with Video
I don't care that, as the announcers said, "Lindstrom didn't actually hit him", and that "he could have hit him if he wanted." Or that "he should know to not watch his home run", in fact in the 5 or so replays shown, anyone would fail to see where he did anything disrespectful, he in fact, barely stood at all, maybe less than a second. Never mind you that to this point in the game we'd already seen Jimmy Rollins dancing in the USA dugout, Adam Dunn stand a whole hell of a lot longer when he hit a home run, or the fact that the game was basically already over....
Here's the point where Lindstrom and the US announcers are total idiots: the World Baseball Classic exists to spread the game of baseball and the love of international competition. The Netherlands to this point are known to be major underdog amateurs, but have gotten a lot of notice and respect back in their home country for upsetting the Dominican Republic.There are probably many new or prospective fans of baseball in the Netherlands watching baseball for the first time; and they were not only subjected to some idiot American throwing a baseball at one of their countrymen, they then have to listen to jackass announcers tell you why its OK to throw a baseball at 100mph at a guy; and why players should not enjoy the sport of baseball if they are losing.
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Following the dust-up, the Dutch team continued hitting off Lindstrom, scoring another run in the process, without taunting or posturing. Then suddenly after one of the hits, Lindstrom needed a trainer and, oh no, he was now "hurt" cause clearly no amateur should hit off his awesomeness. Then in the bottom of the inning the new Dutch pitcher threw his first and every pitch in the strike zone.
In those few moments the Dutch team showed more class than Lindstrom or the announcers did all night. And as a citizen & supporter of the USA team, I find Lindstrom's in-game actions & his official comment on the whole matter: "it is what it is", embarrassing & hope his "injury" keeps him from further competing in the WBC.
Pictures via worldbaseballclassic.com
