Frank Francisco might sue the fans

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Don't feel sorry for that woman, she won herself a mil or so. While I agree that some fans cross the line with their "heckling" I just don't understand what the hell was going through FF's mind when he THREW A FUCKING CHAIR into the crowd. That just doesn't compute..

[2GOLD 0]

I heckle the minor leagues, but I don't get personal and when they come through I give them a hand. It's fun and it's not crossing a line. I've heard hecklers who pull that stuff about family members, thinking it's cool to insult someone they don't know. They are usually drunk off their ass by that point.

 

If anyone grabbed Fran, then they crossed the playing field border and should get their teeth knocked in. Not with a chair, that is just brainless.

 

And don't give me this "I just said they were going to lose" crap because bullpen players hear that weak ass heckle all the time. For a heckler to be so bad that secruity is called tells me that they had crossed a major line.

 

And Doug Brocail has been in the majors awhile so someone must have said something pretty damn steep.

[geniusMoment 0]

I play college baseball for UC and I have heard just about every insult from the classic you suck or variations on your gay or fuck you. I have heard that people hope my family dies, that my girlfriend has aids and gives it to me and just about everything else. I never considered hitting a fan, I consider it their right to talk shit to me.

[Guest Staravenger]

I play college baseball for UC and I have heard just about every insult from the classic you suck or variations on your gay or fuck you. I have heard that people hope my family dies, that my girlfriend has aids and gives it to me and just about everything else. I never considered hitting a fan, I consider it their right to talk shit to me.

You have thick skin, which is good. Some people don't ignore heckling for god knows how long it was going on the night in question.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Tom, fans cross the line. Hell, David Wells tells a story of being in Cleveland right after his mother died and the fans started making fun of his late mom.

I'm aware. And yes, I think that was getting way personal and going too far. But you'll never convince me that the fans don't have a right to say that kind of stuff. When you buy a ticket, you can heckle the players to your heart's content. Obviously, fans who throw things onto to field should be ejected and prosecuted, and any fan stupid enough to get on the field deserves the beating he has coming to him. If a fan is particularly vulgar, I'm sure people around him will complain and have him removed. A lot of people bring their kids to games and don't want them to hear a bunch of four-letter words directed at the other team.

 

If he left the bullpen and beat the shit out of them, I'd applaud him.

Not me. I'd fine him into a trailer park and suspend him for a good long time.

 

If a fan lacks the balls to say it to a guy one-on-one, they shouldn't say it in a crowd, either.

Rubbish. It's part of going to a game. You're going to cheer for your team and boo and deride the other team. All their players suck, all their moms give head, all their wives are ugly whores, etc. Players are used to it from college and the minors (I think hardcore heckling is wrong in high school and below, obv), and if you can't tune out one guy yelling garbage at you, how do you tune out 40,000 people yelling when you're in the game and it's do or die?

 

The same principle applies to internet "flaming." I'm sure most people who habitually flame others wouldn't walk up to random strangers and talk shit in their faces, but it's done online all the time. I can't tell you how many times I've been "flamed," both here and at many other boards. I tune it out. It's sticks and stones, words on a screen, the faceless rantings of someone I'll never have a need to give a shit about... whatever you want to call it. Professional athletes can do the same. Hell, if I made $5 million a year and some drunk yahoo started heckling me, I'd just remind him that my next paycheck would be for more than he'll make all year. Shrug.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I wish congress would pass my idea for a bill that would allow a one-on-one unsanctioned fist fight between two willing parties. So many problems would be solved.

[nl5xsk1 0]

It's a shame that Francisco can't hire Lionel Hutz as his attorney, as he'd certainly reference the famous case where the player was accused of being a 'belly itcher'. A slanderous accusation like that shouldn't be tolerated.

[Guest MikeSC]

The same principle applies to internet "flaming." I'm sure most people who habitually flame others wouldn't walk up to random strangers and talk shit in their faces, but it's done online all the time. I can't tell you how many times I've been "flamed," both here and at many other boards. I tune it out. It's sticks and stones, words on a screen, the faceless rantings of someone I'll never have a need to give a shit about... whatever you want to call it. Professional athletes can do the same. Hell, if I made $5 million a year and some drunk yahoo started heckling me, I'd just remind him that my next paycheck would be for more than he'll make all year. Shrug.

Sad thing is -- I actually would.

 

I've said far worse to people I actively dislike.

-=Mike

[Scroby 0]

I'm curious how the fan grabbed Francisco when he was 3 rows in and had people all around him when the chair flew in. From the looks of it, the fan didn't have enough time to run back to his seat with all the people around him. Truth is, his wife can sue but he can't and that's excatly what is happening. As far as anyone knows his wife was just there and got smacked with the chair. Now thats outta the way I'm going to say what I think about this....Francisco has no right to do what he did. Heckling and Taunting is apart of EVERY sport today and I'm sure its worse in other sports. There is a line between the fan and the player and that line is the guardrail. If the fan crosses it, he's fair game for a beating, same goes with the player, but Francisco didn't cross the line instead he was a pussy and grabbed a chair and threw into a group of people, most likely with more than half of them having nothing to do with the heckling. What if he hit a kid with the chair, or a baby, or a elderly person? He should not be allowed to play anymore after what he pulled. He almost caused a riot and could have caused other people to get hurt or worse, he should be banned from playing in the majors.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Texas Rangers pitcher Frank Francisco was suspended for the rest of the season and two teammates and a coach were suspended Friday after he threw a chair that hit a woman and broke her nose during a game against the Oakland Athletics earlier this week.

 

Pitcher Doug Brocail was suspended for seven games and reliever Carlos Almanzar and hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo were suspended for five games. Jaramillo's suspension is scheduled to begin Friday night against the Anaheim Angels.

 

Unless appealed, the suspensions for Francisco and Brocail were scheduled to begin Friday, while the suspension for Almanzar is scheduled to begin Saturday. All four were fined.

 

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Francisco's suspension will be for no less than 16 regular season games in the event of an appeal, said baseball vice president Bob Watson.

 

Francisco threw the chair into the right-field box seats and hit two spectators in the head on Monday night during Texas' 7-6, 10-inning loss. With two outs in the ninth inning, the Rangers' Alfonso Soriano tied the game 5-5 with his second homer of the night. Moments later, with Hank Blalock at the plate, the Texas bench and bullpen cleared.

 

Francisco was arrested and taken from the stadium to jail, where he was booked and his mug shot was taken. He was released about two hours later on $15,000 bail.

 

Jennifer Bueno, whose nose was broken, said Wednesday she plans to seek compensation for her injuries once prosecutors and baseball officials complete their investigation.

 

Earlier this week, Francisco's attorney, Rick Minkoff, said the player rushed out of the dugout to defend his teammates, and was pushed up against a fence in the crush of fans and players.

 

Francisco, 25, was the American League rookie of the month for August, when he was 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylc=X3oD...ov=ap&type=lgns

 

So Francisco gets 16 days. Obviously that is a light suspension, but I don't agree with the full season crowd either. I've looked up prior examples. Cesar Cedeno got no suspension and a $5,000 fine for attacking a fan in 1985. Pete Rose drew a 30 day suspension for nearly inciting a riot at Riverfront Stadium.