KC Royals: Yordano Ventura Needs To Grow Up

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Apr 23, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija (left) fights with Kansas City Royals players in the seventh inning at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Yordano Ventura told ESPN.com reporter Doug Padilla after the game:

"“[Eaton] said something to me. I responded back to him,” he said. “It wasn’t my intention, but maybe he interpreted it from the way I fielded the ball. But it was a hard comebacker, kind of put me off-balance, at which point I took those steps that incited him and he responded back, clearly emotional. If there wasn’t the yelling between us, it would have resolved much more favorably, and not the way that it did.”"

The video seems to back up this version of events. Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija escalated things by bull-rushing KC Royals coach Mike Jirschele, causing Lorenzo Cain and Edinson Volquez to stand up for their coach.

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Unlike most bench clearing incidents, people threw actual punches. In the end, five players got ejected: Lorenzo Cain, Edinson Volquez, and Yordano Ventura from the Kansas City Royals, and Jeff Samardzija and Chris Sale of the White Sox.

Samardzija was the clear instigator of actual punching, when he tackled Mike Jirschele. Even Ned Yost ended up in the pile.

White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton took the high road after the game, telling Padilla:

"“What happened, two competitive teams scratching for the same goal,” Eaton said. “Ventura is a heck of a competitor. I respect the heck out of him and everyone behind him. I’m a competitor as well. Sometimes boys will be boys, and I think that was a situation where we had some excitement.” “They are a young group of guys who go about their business in an exciting and aggressive way,” Eaton said of the Royals’ recent run-ins. “And that’s why we have the utmost respect for them. They’ve earned everything they’ve gotten and now they want to keep it. You don’t expect anything less. With the other beef with other teams, I’m not sure.”"

Oakland’s Brett Lawrie should take notes. Eaton is smart enough to cool off a bad situation rather than whine about it for days afterward.

Though, these incidents are probably good for the KC Royals TV ratings. I can’t help but wonder if something is going to explode between these two teams over then next three days as they complete their four-game series.

I’m sure that will cause same kind of fans that watch hockey for the fights to tune in.

But that leads to a problem:

Next: Yordano Ventura Is Getting A Reputation

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