Did Borucki make the right move?: Blue Jays-Rays feud the talk of baseball

Sportsnet Staff @SportsnetSeptember 23, 2021 - 2:35pm

Ben Nicholson-Smith and Ken Reid discuss whether or not drilling Kiermaier was the right move for the Blue Jays, the reason behind Pete Walker's frustration, the brewing rivalry between Toronto and Tampa Bay and how the Rays are the team to beat.

After an explosive series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays, the baseball world is buzzing.

Opinions are all over the map in the aftermath of two controversial plays.

Blue Jays reliever Ryan Borucki hit Kevin Kiermaier with a fastball right in the numbers in the eighth inning of a Tampa blowout on Wednesday, two days after the Rays centre fielder raised eyebrows by grabbing a data card jarred loose from catcher Alejandro Kirk’s wristband.

Borucki claimed the ball slipped out of his hand on Wednesday, but the Rays weren’t buying it.

Sportsnet analyst and former Blue Jays manager Buck Martinez also wasn’t impressed, saying on the live broadcast: “That’s not a good look on the Blue Jays for me.”

Fellow Sportsnet analyst and former major-league infielder Kevin Barker saw things differently, saying Borucki’s pitch was needed.

“That was something that I thought had to be done,” Barker said on Lead Off with Ziggy and Scotty Mac on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Thursday morning. “It’s just one of those things where the Kiermaier comments, basically saying to a reporter (covering) the Toronto Blue Jays that … ‘yeah I did it (took the date card). There’s not really anything you’re going to do about it.’ That’s basically what he said without saying that.

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Sportsnet play-by-play man Dan Shulman also was asked about the incident he called on the Good Show on The Fan on Thursday.

“I will tell you I generally am not a fan of throwing baseballs at people to seek out justice,” he said.

But Shulman understands why the Blue Jays may have felt it was the right thing to do.

“If this is something the Blue Jays felt they had to do to galvanize the team, to exact revenge, then fine. … In the moment I understand why it’s the biggest story around.”

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Some of the top American baseball analysts also had different opinions on the sequence of events.

The Blue Jays' retaliation was really dumb. Doesn't take a lot of guts to throw a baseball into the back of a prone target. Takes more to call over an opposing/offending player behind a batting cage and say 'We need to talk about this.' Just stupid.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) September 22, 2021

Annnnnd the Jays just hit Kevin Kiermaier. Bush league retribution. Suspend the pitcher and the manager.

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) September 22, 2021

A worthy take-one-for-the-team plunk, in my judgment. Kiermaier was out of line.

— Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan) September 22, 2021

While Wednesday marked the final regular-season game between the two teams, the Jays and Rays could square off in the playoffs if Toronto qualifies and wins the wild-card game.

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