KC Royals: Yordano Ventura Up To Old Tricks in Baltimore

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Jun 7, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura (30) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

The KC Royals are wallowing after volatile pitcher Yordano Ventura pegged Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado with a 99-mph fastball Tuesday night. The Royals ended up losing 9-1.

Dear Diary, it’s been four days since I last weighed in. Just a week ago, the Kansas City Royals were the hottest team in baseball, winning six-straight to climb back to the top of the American League Central. Since then, Kansas City has lost its last six games. Even worse, the KC Royals have been outscored 38-8 in that stretch. Four of those runs came in the 5-4 loss to Cleveland that jump-started this skid.

So this was supposed to be a story about trends: how it’s difficult to read into trends with the KC Royals because they tend to be red hot or ice cold. The previous 15 or 30 games give little to no indication what the team will do over the next 15 games.

Then Yordano Ventura threw a 99-mile an hour fastball into Manny Machado’s ribs and the ensuing brawl darkened the shadow that has been hanging over the Kansas City Royals.

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My take on this is simple: I can be a fan of Ventura, and the KC Royals, and still admit Ventura was in the wrong. Unfortunately, it’s not his first incident and that’s what makes this easy.

Last year, Ventura riled up Mike Trout, one of the most pristine and loved players in the game. He was also involved in the skirmish with the Athletics (that one was expected), and got the benches cleared against Chicago. The Chicago incident netted Ventura a seven-game suspension.

Of those incidents, the most questionable was Yordano Ventura’s tiff with Mike Trout. Trout had just scored a run against Ventura to make the score 7-2 after the two exchanged words when Trout singled. Ventura said something to Trout after he crossed home plate (Ventura was backing up a throw home on the play) to start a bench clearing brawl.

Against the A’s, Brett Lawrie started the trouble by spiking Alcides Escobar at a play at second base. In that case, Ventura was protecting a teammate. The White Sox clearly were throwing at Kansas City Royals hitters early in the season to establish they weren’t afraid of the defending AL champs.

Next: Ventura Isn't The Only One At Fault

Ventura Isn’t The Only One At Fault

After those incidents last season and into this year, we’ve seen a much cooler Ventura with the KC Royals. That all seemed to go out the window Tuesday night with a pair of inside pitches against Machado in the second inning, then the ball right at Machado in the fifth. It was Ventura’s hardest and most accurate pitch of the night.

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To be clear, Manny Machado’s reputation is anything but sterling. In 2014, he objected to a tag applied by then-Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson. He reacted by hitting Oakland catcher Derek Norris in the head on a backswing. After a subsequent brush-back pitch, Machado let his bat fly towards Donaldson at third. He was suspended five games for the incident.

As easy as it may be to dislike Machado, or for KC Royals fans to dislike players like Jose Bautista, it is not okay for pitchers to throw at stars of the game. Anyone can talk on the field. Many players do it.

Only a pitcher has the opportunity to hurl a baseball upwards of 100 miles an hour at a player standing a mere 60 feet, six inches away. An American League pitcher can do so without the worries of getting into the batter’s box himself.

A pitcher should throw at a hitter unless he has done something that needs to be rectified. He should be doing such things just because he’s annoyed at a poor performance or he’s angry at the opposing player.

You can review the incident yourself by playing the video below:

Next: Ventura Was In The Wrong

Ventura Was In The Wrong

So enough with the defense of Ventura just because he plays for your favorite team. He was wrong Tuesday night. Period.

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While Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost typically and adamantly declined to talk about Ventura’s maturity or lack thereof after the game, Fox Sports Kansas City’s Ryan Lefevbre was more than willing to share his thoughts during and after the game.

The goal, Lefebvre said after the game, is to get Machado out, not fight him. By throwing inside in the second inning, Ventura did his job of getting inside Machado’s head and getting him out.

Giving up a free base-runner while firing up a team that you’re trailing 5-1 is a bad idea. When you team is mired in a five-game losing streak, you can’t afford to squander chances. To then go after a player you’re mad at for barking at you on the first pitch in the fifth only adds to an already suspect reputation.

“Whatever Yordano Ventura says, whatever Ned Yost tries to say to defend him, whatever his teammates try to say to defend him, the other 29 teams and the league office are going to say, ‘There goes Yordano Ventura again,’” Lefebvre said. “Those things start to add up.”

Suspensions are likely on the way and that’s the last thing a stretched KC Royals team needed in the middle of a skid. Then again, maybe a bench-clearing blowout will light a fire under these Kansas City Royals. One could try to find some numbers on how the team has reacted after previous bench clears, but this is Kansas City.

Next: Five Starting Pitching Trade Targets For Royals

Throw trends out the window. When they’re hot, they’re unbeatable. When they’re cold, KC Royals fans can expect to find more offense in a Copa America match.

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The KC Royals are wallowing after volatile pitcher Yordano Ventura pegged Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado with a 99-mph fastball Tuesday night. The Royals ended up losing 9-1.

More from Kings of Kauffman

Ventura Isn’t The Only One At Fault

Ventura Was In The Wrong

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