By now every baseball fan and sports fan in general has seen the highlights involving Jered Weaver, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen.  Many Tigers fans were upset about Weaver throwing at Avila and many were upset about E. Aybar “breaking baseball etiquette” by dropping a bunt down in the top of the 8th inning.  However, if somebody didn’t actually watch the game — and they’re basing their opinion on highlights alone, forming an opinion on what truly happened is difficult to do.

Whether or not Magglio Ordonez wasn’t trying to show up Weaver is debatable.  However, that was just water under the bridge.  Ordonez and Weaver faced each other a few innings later and things were over with… that is until Carlos Guillen did a lot more than “break baseball etiquette” with his showboating and standing in the box (for his 2nd HR of the year).  Did I expect Weaver to throw at Avila immediately following? Absolutely.  If you watched the game and saw what Guillen did, it would be hard not to expect Weaver to make a statement with a high and tight pitch. After all, Weaver has the same competitiveness as guys like Bob Gibson and Nolan Ryan who would have done the same thing.

There have been several Tigers fans on twitter talking about how it was out of control to throw at Avila.  But let me say this:  Justin Verlander wants to plunk Aybar for dropping down a bunt — what do you think he’d do if a 2-HR guy stood in the box, flipped his bat, taunted and ran parallel to him on his way to 1st base?  Call me bias, But a 100 mph Verlander fastball up and in seems likely.  That is how the game is played, and that is definitely going to happen with true competitors on the bump.

As far as Aybar’s bunt:  I understand the “baseball etiquette” of not breaking up a no-hitter (or attempting to) by squaring around.  However, why should the Angels show “baseball etiquette” when the Tigers weren’t showing baseball etiquette on numerous occasions?  I don’t even think Aybar would have squared around if Carlos Guillen didn’t do what he did.

We are all certainly entitled to our own opinions.  We can judge or have  feelings on a player based on what happened — but I think somebody who feels strongly about the situation should have watched the game, rather than depend on the highlights to paint a picture on what truly transpired on that Sunday afternoon.