BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Rays pitcher Al Reyes slugged, Tased, arrested at Tampa bar

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Friday, April 11, 2008

Rays pitcher Al Reyes slugged, Tased, arrested at Tampa bar

Affbayray!

Tampa Police arrested Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Al Reyes early this morning, saying the reliever was drunk and disruptive after falling down, picking a fight and spitting blood at the patrons of a popular Hyde Park night spot where Jessica Sierra was arrested last year for throwing a glass at a patron.

Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said this morning: “We are looking into the situation as we are just learning of it.’’

Thursday was Reyes’ 38th birthday.

...The bouncers tried to control Reyes, but the 6 foot 1, 230-pound right-hander kept pushing them away. A Tampa Police officer working extra duty at the bar tried to calm the fracas, but Reyes “continued spitting blood and thrashing about,” Tampa Police Lt. William Ferguson wrote in the release.

Moments later, the officer Tased Reyes, knocking him to the bar floor. Ignoring police commands to stay down, authorities said Reyes got up and was Tased a second time.

Repoz Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:45 AM | 67 comment(s)
Related News: General, Tampa Bay

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages

1. Alex Gordon's #1 Fan Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:50 AM (#2739446)

Don't tase me bro!

2. No, but I stayed at a Halladay Inn last night Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:52 AM (#2739448)

too slow.

3. Shooty misses Bill King Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:56 AM (#2739454)

picking a fight and spitting blood at the patrons of a popular Hyde Park night spot

Ewwwwwwwww.

4. No, but I stayed at a Halladay Inn last night Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:56 AM (#2739455)

Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said this morning:

"Reyes hates to be shut out at hotels and restaurant-type places"

5. jwb Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:57 AM (#2739456)

I used to see Harold Washington eating breakfast at the Hyde Park Coffee Shop. The Hyde Park Cafe seems like a much more happening place.

6. Verlander's missing fastball Posted: April 11, 2008 at 11:57 AM (#2739457)

*Waiting impatiently for video*. I really, really want to see a crazy drunk Al Reyes spinning around spitting blood at people I can't even imagine what that actually implies.

On a sidenote, a pro-boxer I knew always said that of all the athletes, pitchers would actually make the best boxers: "loose shoulders". I'd imagine the athleticism to throw 100 mph are at least similar to that of throwing a haymaker.

7. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:00 PM (#2739458)

[French accent]

"Now go away or we shall Tase you a second time-a"

8. Craig Calcaterra Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:01 PM (#2739459)

Nolan Ryan threw a decent punch.

9. Lastings Milledge Gives Good Quote (Esoteric) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:07 PM (#2739465)

Just goes to show the similiarities in places named "Hyde Park." From the description of events this could just as easily have been Chicago as Tampa.

10. Gary Geiger Counter and the Malaska Pipeline Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:08 PM (#2739466)

pitchers would actually make the best boxers: "loose shoulders". I'd imagine the athleticism to throw 100 mph are at least similar to that of throwing a haymaker.

Might make sense. I think some pitchers fit the power forward/tight end mold. Bob Gibson, Scott Burrell (Blue Jays minor league system), Dave Debuscherre, and Gene Conley all played hoops. Nowadays, you have NFL teams converting ballers like Tony Gonzalez and Marcus Pollard into TEs.

11. Greg K Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:10 PM (#2739467)

Am I the only one not surprised in the least to see Rick Vaughn working for the Rays?

Let's hope he can turn that franchise around like he did in Cleveland

12. Dr Love Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:12 PM (#2739470)

It doesn't say he was spitting his own blood.

13. Shredder Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:13 PM (#2739473)

Don't tase me bro!

Umm, I believe it's "¡no el tase yo, hermano!"

At least that's what babelfish thinks it is.

14. Bob Dernier Mauvais Gout Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:24 PM (#2739484)

Are there any historical examples of pro baseball players who were also prizefighters? The further back in time you go, the more the milieus converge (think of the boxers who hung out with ballplayers and helped fix the 1919 Series). Admittedly, boxing isn't the best way of staying in shape to hit or throw a baseball ...

15. Gary Geiger Counter and the Malaska Pipeline Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:32 PM (#2739489)

Bob, there was one guy who's name escapes me. He was a White Sock, IIRC, and he played during the 20s or 30s.

16. TWO!-OH!-OH!-OH! CLAP!-CLAP!-CLAP!CLAP!CLAP! Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:35 PM (#2739492)

It doesn't say he was spitting his own blood.

Chris Truby and Albert Belle better have solid alibis.

17. Gaelan Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:44 PM (#2739499)

Bob, there was one guy who's name escapes me. He was a White Sock, IIRC, and he played during the 20s or 30s.

Art the Great. Funny I can't remember his last name.

18. Lastings Milledge Gives Good Quote (Esoteric) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:51 PM (#2739506)

Umm, I believe it's "¡no el tase yo, hermano!"

If we wanted a culturally appropriate translation, it would probably be "¡no me tase, amigo!"

Which actually retains the punchy & pithy grammar of the original pretty well, IMHO.

19. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:53 PM (#2739507)

"Are there any historical examples of pro baseball players who were also prizefighters?"

IIRC, Dave Clark, ex-Pirate outfielder and coach, was a pretty decent Golden Gloves boxer in his younger days.

20. Padraic Posted: April 11, 2008 at 12:58 PM (#2739512)

This will inevitably lead to jokes, but Brett Myers was a very good boxer as a kid. Actual good Conlin.

Edit - Well, maybe not so good. A metaphor about a "beacon that has shined a lot of hope." Ugh.

21. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:01 PM (#2739516)

I'm not surprised by the incident, but I always thought it would happen to this guy.

22. baseballing powerhouse (phredbird) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:07 PM (#2739518)

sandy koufax was often referred to as having a 'prizefighter physique'. he was very strong in the upper body. also, basketball was his favorite sport when he was younger.

23. Alex Gordon's #1 Fan Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:08 PM (#2739519)

"Are there any historical examples of pro baseball players who were also prizefighters?"

This guy was pretty good, although I remember him being bigger than his listed weight.

24. Moe Greene Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:10 PM (#2739520)

I've heard positive reports regarding the fighting abilities of Wil Cordero and Elijah Dukes.

*ducks*

25. AROM Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:14 PM (#2739523)

The Nolan Ryan beatdown of Robin Ventura is a classic, but nobody can watch that and confuse Ryan with a prizefighter.

26. Huston Streets of Ben Francisco (CSC) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:25 PM (#2739527)

Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said this morning: “We are looking into the situation as we are just learning of it.’’

Spokesman and not pitching coach? Or was that California Penal League line on his resume too much of a turn off?

27. zonk Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:29 PM (#2739530)

The Nolan Ryan beatdown of Robin Ventura is a classic, but nobody can watch that and confuse Ryan with a prizefighter.

Yeah, that was more of a professional wrestling beatdown... all Ryan needed was a turnbuckle to smack Robin's head into.

28. Judges 20:16 (the Lord's bullpen) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:31 PM (#2739531)

Just goes to show the similiarities in places named "Hyde Park." From the description of events this could just as easily have been Chicago as Tampa.

This is the sentence that proves that this is not true:

the patrons of a popular Hyde Park night spot where Jessica Sierra was arrested last year for throwing a glass at a patron.

The descriptor "popular night spot" excludes the Chicago variant of Hyde Park. A Chicago version would read:

University of Chicago campus police arrested Chicago White Sox pitcher Jack Keefe early this morning, saying the reliever was drunk and disruptive after falling down, picking a fight and spitting blood at the patrons of a place in Hyde Park where people go to get drunk because there isn't anywhere else to go, where Saul Bellow lost his hat in 1962.

29. Gary Geiger Counter and the Malaska Pipeline Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:31 PM (#2739533)

Art Shires.

Dolph Camilli's brother was killed by Max Baer in the ring.

30. Wakefieldfan Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:31 PM (#2739534)

Another gem from the Scott Spezio school of event planning

31. Sane Joe Bivens Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:34 PM (#2739535)

Yeah, that was more of a professional wrestling beatdown... all Ryan needed was a turnbuckle to smack Robin's head into.

That fight was fixed.

32. Sane Joe Bivens Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:35 PM (#2739538)

Funny, I have Reyes on my Lounge League team, and there's no alert next to his name.

33. Moe Greene Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:44 PM (#2739545)

I've heard positive reports regarding the fighting abilities of Wil Cordero and Elijah Dukes.

To be even-handed, I guess I should follow-up and say that I've heard Chuck Finley isn't much of a fighter.

34. Uncle Willy Posted: April 11, 2008 at 01:55 PM (#2739558)

Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said this morning:

"Reyes hates to be shut out at hotels and restaurant-type places"

I saw Rick Vaughn's name in the intro, and planned to make a joke, but this was better than whatever I would have come up with.

35. Bob Dernier Mauvais Gout Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:19 PM (#2739580)

36. Cooperstown Shtick Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:21 PM (#2739581)

Just goes to show the similiarities in places named "Hyde Park." From the description of events this could just as easily have been Chicago as Tampa.

Or the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Poughkeepsie Journal archives are chock full of stories of drunk athletes being dragged out of that place spitting blood and shouting about what they will and will not fear.

37. Rusty Priske Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:22 PM (#2739584)

Who the hell is Jessica Sierra?

38. kevin Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:28 PM (#2739585)

The Poughkeepsie Journal archives are chock full of stories of drunk athletes being dragged out of that place spitting blood and shouting about what they will and will not fear.

You got to watch out for those paraplegic-in-wheelchair types. They can lull you into a sense of false security.

39. Sane Joe Bivens Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:30 PM (#2739586)

Ah, yes. There's the alert.

40. Greg K Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:32 PM (#2739587)

I googled Jessica Sierra

Apparently she finished 10th in the 4th season of American Idol.

At this rate, by 2015 there will be more "celebrities" than normals.

41. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:34 PM (#2739590)

Like Guy Caballero, FDR didn't need that wheelchair, he used that wheelchair for respect. For respect, and also somewhat for the polio.

42. kevin Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:39 PM (#2739593)

Wait, check that. I made the obvious mistake in assuming FDR was the one doing the ass-kicking.

Of course, it almost had to be Eleanor. By all reliable accounts, she was a total badass.

43. Greg K Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:41 PM (#2739594)

That's what's missing from today's politics

Respect

and maybe just a pinch of polio

44. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:51 PM (#2739605)

that's what's missing from today's politics

Respect

and maybe just a pinch of polio

friggin Jonas Salk ruined everything

45. depletion Posted: April 11, 2008 at 02:56 PM (#2739611)

George Magerkurth.
Ray Knight (ask Eric Davis).

46. Met Fan Charlie Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:07 PM (#2739624)

Don't tase me bro!

Don't Rays me bro!

Fixed.

47. aleskel Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:17 PM (#2739634)

jeez, 38?! Seems a little late in life to get in mischegas like this. At least Scott Olsen was just a scrappy 20-something.

48. Cooperstown Shtick Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:23 PM (#2739640)

friggin Jonas Salk ruined everything

The boosters stormed the field and tore the Polio Grounds to shreds.

(crickets)

(crickets)

I'll let myself out.

49. 44magnum Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:32 PM (#2739648)

Man, every time I think of that Knight cheap shot, my blood boils. Knight also tried to de-rail Davis awesome '96 comeback in Spring Training.

Celebrating ($6M contract) in Tampa didn't go so well for Robert "Hog Tied" Person either.

50. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:47 PM (#2739670)

Just goes to show the similiarities in places named "Hyde Park." From the description of events this could just as easily have been Chicago as Tampa.

The U. of Chicago is in Hyde Park. Those nutso treehuggers and feminazis would go down if you "tased" them with a bar of soap, or perhaps an insert from the Sunday Trib.

51. Every tall catcher is the next Joe Mauer. Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:47 PM (#2739671)

jeez, 38?! Seems a little late in life to get in mischegas like this. At least Scott Olsen was just a scrappy 20-something.

At least it wasn't Cole Hamels again.

52. Every tall catcher is the next Joe Mauer. Posted: April 11, 2008 at 03:50 PM (#2739675)

in places named "Hyde Park."

So Dr Jeckll came out to play on his birthday?

53. Voros Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:17 PM (#2739706)

Anybody have an info on Derek Lowe's fighting prowess?

54. Alex Perros Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:27 PM (#2739718)

Proof that Reyes is actually two years older than his reported age.

55. Judges 20:16 (the Lord's bullpen) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:31 PM (#2739723)

The U. of Chicago is in Hyde Park. Those nutso treehuggers and feminazis would go down if you "tased" them with a bar of soap, or perhaps an insert from the Sunday Trib.

You mean the nutso treehugger followers of Milton Friedman in the University of Chicago school of economics? Or maybe the Straussian feminazis in the Committee for Social Thought?

Before I lived in Hyde Park I lived in Cambridge, MA. I know treehuggers. We don't have treehuggers here in the HP. We have libertarians, NIMBYs, gargoyles, and the occasional drive-by shooting.

EDIT: The NIMBYs simulate treehuggers, because they don't want you to cut down their trees. But if there were only stumps they wouldn't want you to plant trees there. And they generally resent the trees for growing, but their letters to the Hyde Park Herald have thus far produced no results.

56. Jack Cressend Fresh (Dan Lee) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:52 PM (#2739745)

"That's enough about me. Tell me how you got down here into Ybor City."

He said, "I got through the part about the exodus. Up to then, I only knew it was a movement of the people."

Edit: Yes, I know Hyde Park is a few miles from Ybor City. Close enough.

57. RMc is the President of the United States Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2739749)

For 37 points and control of the board...what do the initials in TASER (yes, it's an acronym) stand for?

58. Kirby Kyle Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2739751)

Art Shires, very cool – thanks, GGC. Find-A-Grave has a story of Judge Landis telling Shires to choose between baseball and boxing, and Shires choosing baseball; his major-league career was pretty short, though. He seems to have been a character.

Shires figures prominently in one chapter of The Catcher Was a Spy. "The Great Shires" was a nickname he gave himself, and how he preferred to be addressed. In his rookie year, he was suspended by the White Sox for getting drunk on gin and beating up his manager.

59. Jack Cressend Fresh (Dan Lee) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 04:57 PM (#2739759)

what do the initials in TASER (yes, it's an acronym) stand for?

The Anti-Sh!thead Electronic Ray?

60. aleskel Posted: April 11, 2008 at 05:01 PM (#2739764)

what do the initials in TASER (yes, it's an acronym) stand for?

well, I recuse myself since I just looked it up on wikipedia, but damn, that is not even close to what I would think. I was expecting it to be something akin to "laser"

61. Ron Johnson Posted: April 11, 2008 at 05:07 PM (#2739773)

Are there any historical examples of pro baseball players who were also prizefighters?

As far as I know he never fought professionally, but Boss Schmidt did fight exhibitions with Jack Johnson (as well as spar with him)

Ty Cobb fought him a couple of times and lost badly every time.

62. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: April 11, 2008 at 05:11 PM (#2739778)

"Dolph Camilli's brother was killed by Max Baer in the ring."

He wasn't the only one, either. Baer was hella tough.

63. Boots Day Posted: April 11, 2008 at 05:12 PM (#2739779)

Ty Cobb fought him a couple of times and lost badly every time.

And here I thought Jack Johnson was like the mellowest dude on earth.

64. Never eat the calamari at a bris Posted: April 11, 2008 at 05:24 PM (#2739788)

Dolph Camilli's brother was killed by Max Baer in the ring.

How rude.

Didn't Baer's kid play Jethro on The Beverly Hillbillies?

Best Regards

John

65. Booey Posted: April 11, 2008 at 07:13 PM (#2739895)

Wasn't Sammy Sosa into boxing in high school? Pretty sure I read that somewhere, and that it was his future wife or some other family member that convinced him to quit and focus solely on baseball. Maybe my memory is just going south as I near 30...

His face always LOOKED like it's taken a few punches anyway...

66. Eraser-X is dominating this site! Posted: April 11, 2008 at 07:43 PM (#2739997)

At this rate, by 2015 there will be more "celebrities" than normals.

This reminds me of the old Martin Gardner paradox about the "most boring person in the world".

And no, U of C is not a bastion for crazy treehuggers, they are actually the shitheads who came up with the gentrification campaign that we are currently getting our asses kicked by.

67. cardsfanboy Posted: April 12, 2008 at 12:28 PM (#2740637)

jeez, 38?! Seems a little late in life to get in mischegas like this. At least Scott Olsen was just a scrappy 20-something.

at first I thought the same thing, then realized "Hey I'm 37 and I come close to getting into similar trouble on a twice annual basis so I guess I can't judge too harshly"

Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Friday, April 11, 2008

Rays pitcher Al Reyes slugged, Tased, arrested at Tampa bar

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

My Bookmarks

Hot Topics