Joe Torre Continues to Mess with the Red Sox from On High

You know what they say: once a Yankee, always a Yankee.

If any member of Red Sox Nation ever thought that Torre leaving the Yankees in 2007 would mean we were free of him, they should have their head examined, because his promotion from Head of the Evil Empire to Chief Baseball Officer of all MLB has only made him more powerful and awful.

In a ridiculous decision by Torre and Co, Joe Kelly’s suspension was upheld and stays at six games, while Tyler Austin’s was upheld but downgraded from five games to four.

A former Yankee choosing to help the Yankees and screw over the Red Sox? I’m shocked. SHOCKED.

https://twitter.com/JosephKellyJr/status/989614070109122560

Setting aside the rivalry and its history for a second – bear with me – and looking at the plain old facts, this is ridiculous. Austin spikes Brock Holt, so Kelly beans him with a 97 mph pitch, as is his right. (Shoutout to Heath Hembree for not doing it Austin’s first time up like he was supposed to.) And instead of taking his base like a good little boy, Austin slams his bat down like he’s trying to ring a bell at a carnival, and makes a beeline for the mound. He and Kelly then engage in fisticuffs, and as both teams join the ensuing brawl, Austin also punches one of the Red Sox coaches in the head. It is also to be noted that Austin was going so Hulk-Smash on the reliever that his teammate Aaron Judge actually separated Kelly from him to protect him from Austin. That’s right: a Yankee chose a Red Sock over a fellow Yankee.

But now back to the rivalry, because, well, of course. Can Joe Torre really be unbiased, either in favor of his former team or against their eternal rivals? Holt did not deserve to get spiked. Austin deserved to get hit. And if someone comes for me with a psycho look in their eye, I’m defending myself, too.

So give both Kelly and Austin four games, or admit you’re a tool, Torre. The choice is yours.

Photo: Bronx Banter