This is where sport goes wrong. How can the powers that be in the Major League Baseball executive offices look at replay after replay and give the superstar pitcher only a slap on the wrist? A $50,000 fine to him is like a $50 parking ticket to the average person.
OK, so it's the postseason, but should that mean players and coaches are exempt from suspension for inappropriate actions? In this case, Martinez and Zimmer both qualify. If this were the regular season, both men would have been suspended. Out on the street, of course, Martinez probably would have been arrested.
What ever happened to respecting your elders? That didn't come into play on Saturday. The failure to adequately punish Martinez -- and other star athletes who act out as he did -- is the very reason some players think they're invincible. The Red Sox organization should take action, becausetheir pitcher embarrassed not only himself but the team, and I'm sure it never entered his mind to follow Zimmer's example and make a public apology.
Meanwhile, on the football field this weekend, Jets coach Herman Edwards benched defensive lineman John Abraham after he pled guilty to driving while impaired last week. If only more teams would follow Edwards' lead. The Jet coach held his all-pro player accountable for an irresponsible act.
If more teams and coaches took matters into their own hands, we wouldn't see athletes in the news each week, arrested for random acts of violence or on drug charges.
Any baseball fan knows that Martinez thinks very highly of himself. Who can forget his comments about Babe Ruth? "Wake the fat bastard up, I'll throw one right at his head," Pedro said a few years ago. Putting aside last Saturday's incident, Martinez is known for his outlandish comments, cocky attitude and careless actions. This is how a player gets to thinking he's untouchable.
Earlier this year the Yankees traded right fielder Raul Mondesi because he was basically a cancer in the clubhouse. The organization took a stand, put its collective foot down and pretty much told the baseball world that Mondesi's attitude would not be accepted.
Sure, these athletes make millions of dollars and mean everything to the success of a team, but they are still employees of a company, and when they act the way Martinez did last weekend, they should be dealt with appropriately.
There comes a time when sports executives must say enough is enough, and make a player accountable for disgracing the team. Without being more stiffly disciplined, you can be sure Martinez will embarrass the Sox again sometime soon.
