Former big leaguer Offerman arrested for melee

[miami_fan]

Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Updated: August 15, 1:32 PM ET
Former big leaguer Offerman arrested for melee

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ESPN.com news services

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Former major league All-Star Jose Offerman was charged with two counts of second-degree assault after hitting the pitcher and catcher with his bat during an independent minor league game.


Offerman posted $10,000 bond and is due in Bridgeport Superior Court on Aug. 23, court officials said Wednesday.



Offerman, playing for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League, homered in the first inning. The next inning, he was hit by a pitch from Bridgeport's Matt Beech and charged the mound with his bat.

"I called [Atlantic League executive director] Joe Klein immediately after the incident and told him what had occurred on the field," Bluefish CEO Mary-Jane Foster told the Connecticut Post. "And I have asked that the Atlantic League suspend Jose Offerman from the league for life."

On Wednesday, the league suspended Offerman indefinitely.


According to the Post, Beech was hit on the hands as he attempted to defend himself, while catcher John Nathans was hit in the back of the head on Offerman's backswing. Police said Beech, a left-hander, sustained a broken right middle finger, and Nathans later suffered from nausea, the newspaper reported. Bridgeport manager Tommy John told ESPN2's "First Take" that Nathans suffered a concussion.


Both players were treated at a hospital and released.


Bridgeport Bluefish catcher John Nathans, right, tried to stop Jose Offerman from hitting Bluefish pitcher Matt Beech with a bat on Tuesday night. Beech broke a finger and Nathans was hit in the head in the attack.
"[Beech] hit him with a cut fastball in the left calf," John said, according to the Post. "And the next thing you know, Offerman's going to the mound with his bat over his head taking swings at Beech. He took at least two, maybe even three [swings]."


"It was just a scary incident for everybody witnessing what took place," Bluefish pitcher Mike Porzio said, according to the Post. "Everybody was in shock at the time because it's not something you see. I've played 15 years and I've never seen that before.

"Everyone was fearful for Matt Beech because apparently something set Offerman off, because he's played a long time and nobody could believe what they were seeing. Unfortunately, though, he got out to the mound before we could," Porzio said, according to the newspaper. "Luckily for Matt Beech, he was agile enough to dodge a bat. But it may have only been John Nathans taking one on the backswing in the head to have saved Matt Beech from really taking one in the face."


Nathans left the game at the end of the inning, the Post reported.


"He attempted to keep on going, but he came in the dugout and fell over," Porzio said, according to the Post. "Clearly, it was more than just a bang on the head."



The game was delayed for about 20 minutes because of the melee. Offerman, Beech and John were all ejected.

The newspaper reported that police converged on the Ducks' clubhouse to arrest Offerman once order was restored on the field. Offerman played for the Bluefish in 2003.


Ducks owner Frank Boulton, who also is the league's chief executive, said his team would abide by whatever punishment Klein, the league's executive director, deems appropriate.



"I can say that Jose's conduct in bringing the bat to the mound after being hit was wrong, there is no question about that," he said. "We're all saddened by this because Jose has had a 15-year major league career and is a true gentleman."



Offerman batted .273 during his 15 seasons in the majors. He last played in the majors in 2005 with Philadelphia and the New York Mets. He was an All-Star in 1995 with the Dodgers and 1999 with Boston.

Boulton said it was important to consider that the incident started with Offerman being hit by a pitch.


"The pitcher was ejected because the umpire felt he threw at the batter," he said. "We all know that stuff happens."


The Associated Press contributed to this report.

I'll go ahead and call it early. Clear case of roid rage.

[gstelmack]

What I never get in these is that the guy charges a pitcher with a bat after being plunked in the leg, and 2 other people get ejected? Seriously? I mean, once he charges with a bat and starts swinging it at people, all bets are off, right?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

What I never get in these is that the guy charges a pitcher with a bat after being plunked in the leg, and 2 other people get ejected? Seriously? I mean, once he charges with a bat and starts swinging it at people, all bets are off, right?

Well, if the umpire felt that the pitcher intentionally threw at the batter, the pitcher has to go. The manager would also have to go if the umpire thinks that the manager was involved, too. Whatever happens after the intentional beaning is another story. Obviously, Offerman went nuts, but that wouldn't mean that the pitcher and manager who started it aren't somewhat responsible.

Clearly, the two incidents - throwing at the batter and swinging a bat at other players - deserve different punishments. It's just that the additional punishment to Offerman hasn't been handed out yet. I don't think anybody's really treating those two incidents as equals.

[Poli]

I plan on one of these next time I see WSUCougar.

[st.cronin]

Jose Offerman, the 38th best 1st baseman in the history of the Boston Red Sox, right behind Nick Esasky, and just ahead of Phil Todt.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Jose Offerman, the 38th best 1st baseman in the history of the Boston Red Sox, right behind Nick Esasky, and just ahead of Phil Todt.

Where does Reggie Jefferson rank?

[King of New York]

The LI Ducks play on the grounds of an old psychiatric hospital--maybe his defense lawyer can claim that was possessed by the spirit of a former patient? Insanity by reason of proximity?

[Poli]

He was no Dave Stapleton.

[MikeVic]

I thought Offerman played 2B too? I least I remember him starting out making like $5M in a Baseball Mogul league I was in, and having to use him as a not-so-good-fielding 2B next to Nomar at SS.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

He was no Dave Stapleton.

So, we all know Joe Charbonneau was the 1980 American League rookie of the year. Who finished SECOND???? That's right, David Leslie Stapleton. 2 points ahead of Doug Corbett, 5 points ahead of Damaso Garcia, and 7 points ahead of southpaw Britt Burns.

[Poli]

Started out at short, made his way around the infield. I will always remember him for his horrible rookie year...something like 40 errors at short for the Dodgers.

[Poli]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

So, we all know Trix are for kids.

You're right, thanks to you we do.

[st.cronin]

Jose Offerman's most-similar-player-list is actually pretty funny.

2. Phil Rizzuto
3. Delino Deshields
7. Tom Herr (!!!!)
9. Jim Gantner (!!!!)
10. Bill Doran

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

As a Royals fan, I'm just glad to see that he finally found a pitcher he could solidly hit.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Why couldn't Roger Clemons have been on the mound?

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by M GO BLUE!!!

Why couldn't Roger Clemons have been on the mound?

I don't know, but Roger Clemens is in the major leagues right now.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

Started out at short, made his way around the infield. I will always remember him for his horrible rookie year...something like 40 errors at short for the Dodgers.

42 in '92, 37 in '93.

He was nicknamed Awfulman for good reason!

[dime]

what the article doesn't mention is that offerman proceeded to bobble the bat several times before throwing it into the first base dugout.

[KWhit]

No video?

[Brillig]

See, the mistake he made was in charging the mound. Pitchers throw at hitters all the time without getting arrested for assault - what he should have done is wait for his next at bat, then "lose his grip" on his next swing causing the bat to go flying out at the pitcher.