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The Royals and White Sox have a bit of a history, you may remember their bench-clearing brawl a few years ago that left Lorenzo Cain looking like “The Great Cornholio” from Beavis and Butthead. Last year, Salvador Perez took issue with White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, after Anderson showed some exuberance and cursed after hitting a home run.
Anderson stirred the pot some more in the fourth inning this afternoon by launching one of the biggest bat flips ever after he smacked his 50th career home run.
Tim Anderson played it up big after his HR pic.twitter.com/5NRm0GpFz5
— Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) April 17, 2019
Well you knew the Royals wouldn’t let that go. When Anderson came up in the sixth, Keller plunked him with the first pitch.
92.0 MPH two-seam fastball right on the hip. Next time, I want Tim Anderson to rush the mound and beat the pitcher with the bat. pic.twitter.com/34nWSxbZ1D
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 17, 2019
Keller got tossed after the HBP pic.twitter.com/JjBCxBXHya
— Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) April 17, 2019
Before you knew it, the benches were cleared.
The next pitch to Tim Anderson hits him, causing the benches to empty
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) April 17, 2019
pic.twitter.com/Z0vHBXX6zu
Ned Yost even got into it, going after White Sox manager Rick Renteria!
Ned Yost was big mad pic.twitter.com/9AYDlMUvH0
— Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) April 17, 2019
Renteria was ejected, as was Anderson and Keller and Royals coach Dale Sveum. Yost stayed in the game. Keller is probably looking at a suspension for intentionally throwing at Anderson.
Did the Royals have to retaliate to put an end to Anderson’s showboating? Or is this a silly part of baseball’s unwritten rules? Matthew LaMar took the side that the practice is “dangerous, infantile idiocy.” What do you think?