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Thursday, July 26, 2007

Piazza hit in head by water bottle thrown from stands

The Agua Vida Blues?

Mike Piazza was steaming after Wednesday’s game after being struck in the back of the head by a half-filled water bottle thrown by a fan at Angel Stadium.

“I’m pressing charges,’’ Piazza said. “He’s going to spend the night in jail. He hit me right in the helmet. ... It’s just inexcusable at a baseball game to throw a bottle at someone. Just a joke.’’

After speaking to reporters, Piazza was taken to another area of the stadium to identify the suspect, Roland Flores, 22 of La Puente (Los Angeles County). Flores is being held for assault and battery at the Anaheim Detention Facility.

...“It startled the heck out of me, a thump to the back of my head,’’ he said. “I turned around and was like, ‘Was it you? Or you or you?’ Everyone pointed at the guy and I said, ‘You’re gutless,’ and he started walking out. There he goes, the bravest guy in the world. That’s a complete lower level of stupidity.’‘

Repoz Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:10 AM | 53 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: angels, athletics

Reader Comments and Retorts

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1. Howie Menckel Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:24 AM (#2455588)

Roger Clemens' whereabouts are uncertain at this time.

2. Phil Coorey. Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:36 AM (#2455639)

Man some fans are idiots. Don't they know the consequences???

3. Rich Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:38 AM (#2455643)

Roger Clemens' whereabouts are uncertain at this time.

Clemens only uses deadly weapons.

4. scareduck Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:40 AM (#2455650)

What jackasstry. You expect that at Yankee Stadium.

5. baudib Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:56 AM (#2455699)

This thread would have been 400% better at old primer.

6. jamcadbury Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:04 AM (#2455710)

Stay classy, Anaheim!

7. Rich Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:05 AM (#2455712)

What jackasstry. You expect that at Yankee Stadium.

########.

8. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:12 AM (#2455718)

Stay classy, Anaheim!

This isn't fair. Sure, there are a couple of posters here who if this had happened to Vlad in Oakland would use the opportunity to make stupid, blanket statements about A's fans, but that doesn't make it right to make blanket statements about Angels fans. Anywhere you go there are people getting drunk and doing stupid, cowardly things. What can you do? Ban alcohol? I say no, because if you do, I will hunt you down. It's time to ban stupid cowards. It really would solve a lot of our problems in sports and life.

9. TakeandRake Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:14 AM (#2455724)

Anaheim = Classiest fans in MLB.....psh.

10. VoodooR Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:20 AM (#2455732)

Reggie Sanders doesn't think so.

11. Flynn Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:23 AM (#2455734)

A's fans lecturing other fans about class is rich.

12. Howie Menckel Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:24 AM (#2455736)

"This thread would have been 400% better at old primer."

Yeah, I played the one bow I had in the quiver...

13. phredbird

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:28 AM (#2455741)

go figure. the guy is from la puente, a town that doesn't even know how to name itself correctly. it should be el puente.

14. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:28 AM (#2455743)

A's fans lecturing other fans about class is rich.

Howso? I'm an A's fan, but I was just taking a shot at a couple of posters who like to snark on the A's. I've got no beef with Angels fans. There are jackasses everywhere. Especially Texas. (Kidding! I like Texas, actually. I can't wait to get to South Texas sometime after New Year's.)

15. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:31 AM (#2455745)

I am not sure how they can enforce this, but I do think that if you toss something at a player, you should be banned from the stadium for life.

Imagine if this was condoned behavior in all walks of life.
I would think the country would have a hard time trying to find people to work the drive thru at your local Mickey D's.

16. baudib Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:33 AM (#2455749)

I thought most stadiums have various policies where you can get banned for life. For instance, the guy who jumped on the net at Yankee Stadium is now banned for life.

17. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:33 AM (#2455750)

Howso? I'm an A's fan, but I was just taking a shot at a couple of posters who like to snark on the A's

18. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:37 AM (#2455753)

I thought most stadiums have various policies where you can get banned for life. For instance, the guy who jumped on the net at Yankee Stadium is now banned for life.

as well he should be.
But I imagine enforcement would be quite hard.
I guess maybe the Yankees could issue a deck of playing cards with pictures to their stadium crew or something ;). Of course they would then run the risk of people lobbying (ie:doing stupid stuff) to become the Ace of spades.

19. Srul Itza Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:38 AM (#2455754)

I doubt this ever happens at an A's game.
I could be wrong, but I do believe you actually have to show up to a game to be in close enough proximity to toss a water bottle at somebody.

It sometimes happens late in the season, when drunken Raiders fans finally regain consciousness on the following Monday -- or Tuesday -- or Wednesday . . .

20. David Wrightwing obstructionist Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:42 AM (#2455759)

He should have his gay lover taken away.

Mike Piazza plays for Billy Beane, coincidence?

Thats all I got.

I kid Mike you know your one of my all time favs.

21. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:43 AM (#2455761)

I doubt this ever happens at an A's game.
I could be wrong, but I do believe you actually have to show up to a game to be in close enough proximity to toss a water bottle at somebody. Tossing it at the TV does not count

:) Yes, you root for the right team and I am your moral and spiritual inferior. Why won't I see the light? Why do I continue on this road to perdition? Surely I should pick a team which has more fans than my current team and root for them. Then everything will make sense.

22. Phil Coorey. Posted: July 26, 2007 at 02:58 AM (#2455776)

Why turn this into a your fans give my fans the shits more, thread??

There are wankers everywhere, get used to it.

23. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:03 AM (#2455781)

"The Sports Team From My Area Is Superior To The Sports Team From Your Area"

24. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:04 AM (#2455783)

There are wankers everywhere, get used to it.

That's all I was trying to say.

Except for Tottenham fans.

25. Danny Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:09 AM (#2455792)

A's fans lecturing other fans about class is rich.

Ah, the boy who was there (as a visiting Red Sox fan).

I doubt this ever happens at an A's game.

No, A's fans prefer throwing cell phones at creationists.

26. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:11 AM (#2455796)

A full bottle thrown from that trajectory is a potentially deadly weapon, too.

27. McCoy Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:15 AM (#2455801)

Get Hit Tracker on it!

28. Phil Coorey. Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:15 AM (#2455802)

That's all I was trying to say.

Except for Tottenham fans.

I know and agee with the Spurs point!!!

I just like to use the word wanker a lot and make my move where possible...

Go Hammers

29. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:18 AM (#2455805)

No, A's fans prefer throwing cell phones at creationists.

Just be happy that those Motorola 'Brick Phones' are a thing of the past.

30. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 03:20 AM (#2455812)

Just be happy that those Motorola 'Brick Phones' are a thing of the past.

I through a therizinosaur claw at Carl Everett but he didn't believe in it and it turned to dust in mid-flight. He is one bad mammajamma, that Carl Everett!

31. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 04:23 AM (#2455890)

In 2002, when Angels-DRays was the last game on the schedule before a possible baseball strike, fans in Anaheim were regularly throwing stuff on the field and being generally hostile. Beach balls, water bottles, baseballs ... stuff just kept pouring over the fences. Kevin Appier started that game, and I remember that a ball thrown from the stands came within a few feet of actually hitting him.

I was at the game, decked out in my usual home town gear, and it was weird being in a crowd that just seemed to be begging for a reason to start a riot. I've no doubt if I had been wearing my D-Rays jersey, someone would have taken a swing at me.

32. McCoy Posted: July 26, 2007 at 04:27 AM (#2455894)

I think somebody should take a swing at somebody who owns a DRay jersey.

33. Shock Posted: July 26, 2007 at 04:37 AM (#2455900)

I thought this was going to be a fun thread and it turned into the worst thread ever. Damn.

34. Los Angeles Waterloo of Black Hawk Posted: July 26, 2007 at 05:09 AM (#2455926)

What jackasstry. You expect that at Yankee Stadium.

No no no no no. They throw knives at players, not half-empty plastic water bottles.

35. Squash Posted: July 26, 2007 at 05:19 AM (#2455933)

I find it extremely odd how people can get so worked up by opposing athletes. For frig's sake, it's a baseball player. The wind twists in another direction and he's playing for your team instead of the other guys. And then presumably you'd love him.

36. McCoy Posted: July 26, 2007 at 05:30 AM (#2455947)

That would be the Dennis Rodman Syndrome.

I remember a ton of Bulls fans who absolutely hated that Dennis Rodman was coming to the Bulls. Cries for Horace Grant, remember what he did to Pippen, and so forth. A couple of months later and Chicago had Rodmania.

37. baudib Posted: July 26, 2007 at 05:30 AM (#2455948)

Um, you follow sports much?

38. Halofan Posted: July 26, 2007 at 06:03 AM (#2455960)

Stereotype of Angels fans as not passionate and pasty white both die with one story. Gracias, Señor Flores.

39. Squash Posted: July 26, 2007 at 06:10 AM (#2455964)

No no no no no. They throw knives at players, not half-empty plastic water bottles.

And in Denver it's beer and batteries, and in Oakland it's rolls of quarters. Every region has their flavor.

40. Iwakuma Chameleon (jonathan) Posted: July 26, 2007 at 07:37 AM (#2455988)

Mike Piazza has hit all three of his home runs as an Athletic against the Angels, two of which came in games we won. And to top it off he inspired one particular Angel fan to make an idiot of himself and throw a water bottle at him. God bless Mike Piazza. I hope he enjoys wherever he's playing after the trade deadline.

41. pthomas Posted: July 26, 2007 at 01:15 PM (#2456049)

I don't know why Piazza got such a strange reaction at Anaheim this year. When Piazza goes to Dodger Stadium the fan reaction is better, because the Dodger fans who actually saw him play as a Dodger still remember how good he was (and the women still slide off the seats when they see him). There are the scattered boos from the bozos that forget he was traded, and didn't leave as a free agent.

But why he got harassed so much at Anaheim this year is a mystery to me.

The other thing about fan incidents like this is the lack of follow up on the story. The teams should make sure that sportswriters or team websites cover the story completely: how much legal trouble the fan is in for going on the field, throwing things at players, etc.......

42. galaxieboi Posted: July 26, 2007 at 04:31 PM (#2456310)

And in Denver it's beer and batteries, and in Oakland it's rolls of quarters. Every region has their flavor.

Here in Seattle I'm not sure what we throw, but it's biodegradable and enviromentaly friendly, that's for sure.

43. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: July 26, 2007 at 04:41 PM (#2456327)

I think somebody should take a swing at somebody who owns a DRay jersey.

I attended Opening Day at Yankee Stadium with a friend wearing a D-Rays shirt this year in the bleachers. (He's a Met fan, thus a Kazmir fan, which explains the shirt, if you're curious.) He did manage at one point to wander out in the wrong section and spin around about three times while getting the \"#######\" chant, but other than that no one hassled him. And really, why would you? How can you feel anything but pity for their fans?

Edit: The censored word there is a mild profanity, rhyming with "GasBowl"

44. Random Transaction Generator Posted: July 26, 2007 at 04:54 PM (#2456356)

If Piazza threw a water bottle into the stands and hit a fan, he'd probably get sued for a couple hundred thousand.
Piazza should file an $300 lawsuit against the fan.

45. scareduck Posted: July 26, 2007 at 06:44 PM (#2456552)

Dodger fans who actually saw him play as a Dodger still remember how good he was (and the women still slide off the seats when they see him).

Still laughing.

46. Kendry Wood Posted: July 26, 2007 at 06:44 PM (#2456553)

But why he got harassed so much at Anaheim this year is a mystery to me.

Because most Angel fans either used to be or still are Dodger fans.

47. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: July 26, 2007 at 07:05 PM (#2456594)

Mike Piazza has hit all three of his home runs as an Athletic against the Angels, two of which came in games we won.

Piazza made no secret of his desire to play for the Angels in 2006, but they blew him off. This is him showing Bill Stoneman wassap. Gods, but I would have loved to see Piazza in an Angel uni. Until Vlad came along, I never got to watch anyone on a regular basis who could approach Piazza's greatness.

48. Greg Franklin Posted: July 26, 2007 at 07:16 PM (#2456604)

Here in Seattle I'm not sure what we throw, but it's biodegradable and enviromentaly friendly, that's for sure.

Fries (garlic or regular).

49. Guy LeDouche Posted: July 27, 2007 at 12:23 AM (#2457079)

Dan Issel!

50. Obo Posted: July 27, 2007 at 12:28 AM (#2457085)

Here in Seattle I'm not sure what we throw, but it's biodegradable and enviromentaly friendly, that's for sure.

You throw hippies.

51. Crispix Attacks Posted: July 27, 2007 at 12:33 AM (#2457091)

And in Denver it's beer and batteries, and in Oakland it's rolls of quarters.

They throw rolls of quarters? Damn, that's an expensive hobby. I wish my enemies would throw rolls of quarters at me.

The people in Oakland should try putting that money in the bank instead. Maybe the city wouldn't be in such an economic stupor.

52. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: July 27, 2007 at 01:01 AM (#2457159)

Mike Piazza hasn't been hit in the back of the head with that much liquid from a strange man since...

(Trying to bring this thread back to something that makes sense, dammit.)

53. Jay Z Posted: July 27, 2007 at 08:11 AM (#2457614)

If a player was trying to burn an American flag on the field, can we throw water at him?

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Piazza hit in head by water bottle thrown from stands

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