LAUREANO: BLOWUP WAS ‘WASTE OF TIME’
A’s outfielder says he now regrets going after Houston coach Cintrón
Even though he heard Alex Cintrón make vile remarks about his mother, A’s outfielder Ramón Laureano said Monday he regrets charging at the Houston Astros hitting coach and now seems prepared to face whatever punishment may be forthcoming from Major League Baseball.
“It was a waste of time,” Laureano said of the incident to local reporters.
A day after the bench-clearing melee between the A’s and Astros, Laureano was back in Oakland’s lineup for Monday’s road game with the Los Angeles Angels, hitting second in the order and playing center field. A’s manager Bob Melvin said he spoke to MLB officials Sunday night but wasn’t sure when a decision to suspend Laureano would be made, although it could come today.
“That’s all out of my control. I’ve already moved on,” Laure
ano said Monday of a possible suspension. “I’m just thinking about today’s game right away since I woke up today. Obviously whenever the decision comes, it comes. Hopefully it’s not as many games as people think.”
Laureano was hit by a Humberto Castellanos pitch in the seventh inning of Sunday’s game, a 7-2 A’s win. But instead of charging the mound, Laureano motioned to the Astros pitcher the proper hand action needed to throw an effective slider.
Laureano was standing beside A’s first base coach Mike Aldrete when he started to hear Cintrón from the Astros dugout.
Cintrón then waved at Laureano to come toward him, seemingly challenging him to a fight. Laureano waved back with a dismissive hand motion before Cintrón moved onto the top step of the dugout and walked toward the A’s outfielder. That’s when Laureano threw down his helmet
and went right at Cintrón, although he was tackled before he could reach him.
“He was (like) come get it, and then I’m like, ‘Get out of here,’ ” Laureano said. “And then he said it again, and that’s what happened.”
Laureano, 26, said he should have kept his cool even after he heard Cintrón’s comments. He told ESPN on Monday afternoon that Cintrón, “said in Spanish something you don’t say about my mother.”
Laureano, a native of the Dominican Republic, is the only child of Nina and Ramon. In the same article, Laureano said, “So for (Cintrón) to say that to me about my mom, it doesn’t sit well. I’ve got a fire inside me right away in that second.”
Through an Astros spokesman, Cintrón denied talking about Laureano’s mother, ESPN reported. Astros manager Dusty Baker said Monday that Cintrón regretted what took place.
“He was remorseful that the whole thing happened, and we hope it doesn’t happen again,” Baker said.
“Just a tough situation,” Laureano said. “I reacted that way. When it comes to social distancing during a
pandemic I look like not a very smart guy, but you’re emotional, especially when it’s about your mother.”
Laureano’s teammates on Monday defended the outfielder’s actions.
“Unfortunately, some things were said about Laureano’s mom in that instance,” utility player Tony Kemp told MLB Network before Monday’s game. “I think if somebody had talked about my mom like that, I don’t think I would hold back, either. So, can’t blame him.”
Last month, Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for eight games by MLB for throwing at Alex Bregman and taunting Carlos Correa during a game between Los Angeles and Houston at Minute Maid Park. Kelly is appealing the suspension.
MLB could choose to drop the hammer on Laureano and make an example out of him to try and eradicate these types of incidents while the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Losing Laureano for an extended period of time would no doubt affect the AL West-leading A’s, who had won nine straight heading into Monday’s game.
In 185 career major league games, Laureano has established himself as one of baseball’s top center fielders with a .287 batting average, 96 RBIs and 116 runs scored. He has 18 assists from center field, including eight last season, which ranked second in the American League.
Since his major league debut on Aug. 3, 2018, the A’s have a record of 117-70 with Laureano in the lineup, and are 24-18 without him.
Laureano has played every game for the A’s this season, hitting .278 with a .924 OPS. His wins above replacement mark of 1.1 through 16 games is tied for first in the AL with Seattle’s J.P. Crawford, New York’s Aaron Judge and Texas’ Lance Lynn.
HONOR FOR MONTAS >> Starting pitcher Frankie Montas was named the American League Player of the Week after he helped the red-hot A’s win two games last week. In his past two starts, Montas went 2-0 and allowed just one run, six hits and four walks over 14 innings in victories over Seattle and Houston.