![]() Yordano Ventura hits Manny Machado…and Machado charges the mound swinging. ![]() Which is also to say that whereas Nolan Ryan’s opponents knew enough to avoid angering him, when two hotheads stare each other down, it’s all too likely that neither of them have the best interests of their respective teams in mind. And that was all within a month of each other, last April. Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, meanwhile, has beefed with Adam Eaton. Hell, the guy went so far as to take a bat to the head of an opposing catcher. Manny Machado has gotten into it with Jonathan Papelbon (spurring the closer’s infamous choke hold on Bryce Harper last year). Which is to say, the two guys at the center of yesterday’s Throwdown in B-Town bear some reputations of their own, and consideration of this point could have served both of them well. Ryan’s red-ass reputation preceded him, and hitters were (usually) smart enough to avoid ticking the guy off. Those who chose to ignore him knew all too well what kind of response they’d receive. When Nolan Ryan was busy scaring the hell out of American League hitters, he made a habit of tamping down the grass in front of home plate before games with his cleat, taking care to stare down the opposing dugout all the while.
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