Jim Lefebvre Can Suck It
Posted Aug. 19 at 12:43 pm by Mike Seely
Remember Jim Lefebvre? Of course you do; he managed the Mariners way back when. Well, late last night, whenever the Olympics would go to a commercial break (too often), I flipped to PBS, which was showing a very sweet documentary about Jim Lefebvre's experience managing the Chinese national team during the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Uncannily, at one such remote control juncture, the Olympics feed was showing highlights of the U.S. baseball team's 9-1 victory over China. While the game was a route, it was not short on fireworks. Two of the U.S. runs came when its baserunners, Matt LaPorta among them, intentionall collided with the Chinese catchers on plays at the plate. Both plays — perfectly legal, although one knocked China's first-string catcher out of the game — proved successful.
That's baseball, right? Well, not to Lefebvre's squad, which beaned LaPorta in the seventh inning (the fact that Lefebvre was ejected in the inning prior doesn't absolve him of responsibility here). LaPorta suffered a mild concussion and is questionable for the U.S.'s next game. The Chinese team sucks, so it doesn't really matter who's healthy for their next game. You don't respond to hard, physical plays with beanballs — you respond to beanballs with beanballs. Lefebvre ought to be ashamed of himself, and any team thinking of hiring him to coach stateside should remember this bit of Beijing bullshit.
Topics: Mariners
Comments
What the hell is he doing coaching Team China? He couldn't get a gig coaching the Iranians?
It is time to peel the "I'm a Lefebvre Belebvre" bumpersticker from off the back of the farm truck.
Posted Aug. 19 at 2:11 pm by Don Ward