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Ben Davis: Uneducated?

© Bryan Walker

One of the more bizzare events of the season was made this weekend during a Diamondbacks/Padres game. In a 2-0 ballgame against the Padres, Curt Schilling carried a perfect game into the eighth inning. In the eighth, Padres catcher Ben Davis bunted a blooper past Schilling and in front of second bagger Jay Bell. Bell was unable to field the ball quickly enough, so the perfect game bid was over.

When reaching first base, Davis was reportedly verbally assaulted on the field by D'back players for his "cheap" hit. After the game, several notable quotes were made by people in the game.

"I don't know what the school of thought is. I've seen a lot of games go late, and I've always heard that after the fifth and sixth you earn your way on. It's a 2-0 game, so I can't really be out there being [mad] about that, because the tying run is at the plate from that point on, and you've got to get outs. But I was a little surprised, yeah." -- Curt Schilling, Diamondbacks pitcher

"Ben Davis is young and has a lot to learn. That was just uncalled for." -- Bob Brenly, Diamondbacks manager

"I would understand where they're coming from if it's six-nothing, but I brought the tying run to the plate and Bubba can go deep at any time. If he goes deep right there, it's a tie ball game." -- Ben Davis, Padres catcher

"I don't care what they think. We are trying to beat these guys." -- Ryan Klesko, Padres infielder

Brenly thinks that Davis has a lot to learn about how to play the game?! The D'backs reaction to the hit mystified me. How can a group of pro baseball players expect another team to lie down and let a guy throw a perfect game? I wouldn't even tell my Little League team to roll over for an opponent like that.

Brenly should know that a team plays to win. Down 2-0, Davis brought the tying run to the plate in an attempt to win a game. That's his job. No excuses. No explanation necessary.

But maybe that's the difference between a veteran team like the D'backs and a young team like the Padres. One team is hungry for records, the other is hungry for wins.

Davis and the Padres may have a lot to learn, but it seems that Brenly and Arizona have a lot to remember about why they play the game.

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