An "ugly and lengthy brawl" broke out during the eighth
inning of the Orioles-Yankees game last night, "spilling
into the visitors' dugout" at Yankee Stadium, according to
Buster Olney of the N.Y. TIMES. Afterward, Yankees Owner
George Steinbrenner said, "I haven't seen anything like it
in 25 years." The fight started when Orioles P Armando
Benitez hit Yankees 1B Tino Martinez in the back, one pitch
after surrendering a three-run home run to Bernie Williams
that put the Yankees up 7-5. The fighting lasted "perhaps
ten minutes" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/20). On "Baseball Tonight,"
ESPN's Peter Gammons: "Benitez is going to get at least a
five- to ten-game suspension for that. It was pathetic"
(ESPN, 5/19). Steinbrenner, on Benitez: "He ought to be
suspended for a month. He could really kill a guy, the way
he threw that ball." Steinbrenner, on how his team
responded: "I feel very proud of them. ... I guess if you
can't win ballgames (the O's are 20-24), you have to try to
win fights, I guess that's what it is." Steinbrenner, on
fallout for the remainder of the series: "I hope nothing
happens. I just hope we keep kicking the hell out of them."
On any action from AL President Gene Budig: "Hopefully, he
will react. Now he may react by saying he wants [Orioles
Owner] Peter Angelos and I to go three rounds and settle it.
And I'm ready. I'm working out three days a week"
("SportsCenter," ESPN, 5/19).
