b) these guys are a team and aren’t robots so they are going to react. I don’t believe in meaningless violence – and I don’t believe in STARTING anything. I also don’t believe we should just take the bait, hook, line & sinker, if another team tries to egg us on. I think there is a point where it’s pushed way too far and our management does a very good job of being grownups for the most part. Gardy’s “showtime” is used to advantage almost always – he goes out there and does whatever ‘expressing’ is necessary so the guys don’t feel the need to take matters into their own hands.

c) there is a lot to be said for the unwritten rules including that there is an excepted formula and a way to do it that all players understand. When they break those unwritten rules, there are consequences that go way beyond what we as fans see or understand. And Shannon, yes, I am pretty sure that book is one KL is reading to do a review here sometime. It sounds really interesting!

But if we don’t retaliate when we feel our guys are being targeted, other teams are going to continue to push the issue because they think they can. Warnings from umps are generally a.) ineffective and b.) temporary. After that game or series, the ump is different and no longer watching for specific things. And there are many ways the opposing team can find to get to our guys. So I think it’s important that we protect our players. We don’t need to be harmful about it, aiming for the head or knees should never be okay, but we do need to make sure that other teams don’t run roughshod over our guys.

If the Twins think that Thome was intentionally hit by a pitch, they can certainly turn around and try to hit someone like Vladimir Guerrero or Josh Hamilton. Likewise, Matt Thornton could try and send a pitch into Delmon Young’s left kidney as retaliation for him plowing into AJ Pierzynski last week.

Most of the scariest HBP that I’ve seen (Sosa hit in the head, various other folks hit in the head) have seemed to be accidents by pitchers who were having trouble finding the strike zone before it happened . . . . I’d like to believe no one would intentionally aim at a guy’s head, but maybe I’m being naive??

But now, let’s assume that’s exactly what Feliz did. If the Twins take the high road and let it go without any form of retaliation, then what disincentive is there for Feliz to decide to do the exact same thing if a similar situation comes up tonight?

If the Twins don’t send a message that intentionally throwing at Jim Thome will not be tolerated and, as a result, he gets thrown at AGAIN and this time the damage done is more serious… then was the Twins’ pacifism in part responsible for that injury?

I just don’t think it’s as simple as, “it’s never OK.”