The St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets gave us the first brouhaha of the 2022 MLB season on Wednesday when a slightly high-and-tight pitch to Nolan Arenado led to benches clearing at Busch Stadium.
The Mets were frustrated about repeatedly getting hit by the pitch in the series, and the Cardinals were probably a bit too sensitive about a pitch that really wasn’t that close to hitting Arenado. Yet, amid all the shouting at home plate, there was some actual contact between the two teams.
It just didn’t go how anyone would have expected.
Footage showed that Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp — a 5-foot-8, 175-pound 49-year-old — actually tackled Mets star Pete Alonso to the ground.
Pete Alonso was pulled to the ground by the Cardinals during the incident: pic.twitter.com/RtlmJRk7x1
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2022
Now, Alonso is one of the more physically imposing players in baseball. He’s 6-foot-3, 245 pounds and known for his tape-measure power at the plate. To get tackled by a middle-aged dude named Stubby — well, he wasn’t too pleased about it. Alonso spoke after the game to give his perspective on the altercation.
"I'm a big, strong guy. If I wanted to put someone in the hospital, I easily could, but I was just out there trying to protect my guys."
Pete Alonso on Cardinals coach Stubby Clapp taking him down during the incident: pic.twitter.com/JxpcvaaTX6
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2022
He said:
“I’m a big, strong guy. They don’t know my temper. They don’t know what I can do. If I wanted to put someone in the hospital, I easily could, but I was just out there trying to protect my guys.”
Have to give Pete credit there: That was a phenomenal line. Thankfully, no players or coaches were put in the hospital. MLB fans still made jokes about the tackle on Alonso, though.