--Kudos to A.J. Pierzynski. I don't care if you have the ball or not. If you block home plate, as a catcher, and the ball is on its way, you better prepare to get hit. If you can't take a hit, get off the tracks, baby, because the train's coming through.

The sad thing is, I believe I saw Pierzynski basically scurry to the dugout after reeling from Barrett's punch, but I bet he gets suspended, even though he did nothing in the fight, really. It's the "dennis rodman syndrome." :) And slapping the plate is not wrong. But Barrett should have just had ol' Rich Hill plunk him in the head next time up instead of punching him. Not wise on his part.

Even Barrett's own coach, Dusty Baker, said it was a clean play, and Barrett said so in postgame interviews too. But hey...made for more excitement. Though I wonder how many brawls happened in the stands or postgame? If I were a Cubs fan in that park, I would have left immediately after that inning. Immediately. For fear of my life.