Gary Sheffield Involved In Incident With Fan At Fenway Park

Brush Back: Sheffield Gets In Altercation With Red Sox Fan

Yankees RF Gary Sheffield during the eighth inning of Thursday night’s Yankees-Red Sox game “pushed at a spectator who leaned over the front row in an apparent attempt to grab at a ball hit into the right-field corner,” according to Gordon Edes of the BOSTON GLOBE. Security “quickly intervened before the incident escalated” and the spectator was escorted from the premises. Sheffield: “I just felt something hit me in the mouth. ... It could have been worse if I didn’t hold my composure.” Sheffield added that he expected to “speak with police at some point, but said he was not concerned that his actions would precipitate a fine or suspension” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/15). The BOSTON HERALD identified the spectator as Chris House. House’s fiancée, Jodi Ingerbritson, said that House indicated he “never made contact with Sheffield” (BOSTON HERALD, 4/15). An MLB spokesperson said that the incident “will be reviewed” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/15). In St. Petersburg, Marc Topkin notes it is “likely security will be heightened” for this weekend’s D’Rays-Red Sox series (ST. PETE TIMES, 4/15).

TEAM REAX: Yankees manager Joe Torre, on fans that cause disturbances at games: “These people shouldn’t be allowed to walk the streets, much less come to a ballgame. The sad part about it is it’s a handful of people screw it up for the people who just come to watch a ballgame” (Mult., 4/15). Red Sox P Keith Foulke, on Sheffield’s reaction: “Can I fault him? No. He’s a competitor. ... We’re doing a job. Maybe I would’ve done the same thing” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/15). Red Sox CF Johnny Damon: “I can understand why he got mad. He did a good job of restraining himself” (N.Y. TIMES, 4/15). Red Sox RF Trot Nixon: “That’s why they need to stop selling beer in the third inning. I’m sure the beer companies won’t like that, but I could care less” (N.Y. POST, 4/15). Red Sox P Curt Schilling: “I wouldn’t want to play right field for us the next time we go to Yankee Stadium” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/15).

BLAME GAME: In N.Y., John Harper writes if Sheffield “was wrong, just to a lesser degree than [Pacers F Ron] Artest, the fan was just as wrong, and so too are the Red Sox in this latest mess. ... That right-field corner has been an incident waiting to happen” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/15). On Long Island, Jon Heyman writes Sheffield “should be suspended for actions unbecoming a big-league ballplayer. Sheffield’s violent response was a stark overreaction to a fan’s clumsiness” (NEWSDAY, 4/15). Sporting News’ Ken Rosenthal: “I think fans are feeling increasingly embolden. There is a sense of entitlement people feel when they buy a ticket, ‘Hey, I'm paying good money — these guys are making all this money — I can do whatever I want’” (“Cold Pizza, ESPN2, 4/15).