Tigers manager Jim Leyland believes the five-game suspension that Cole Hamels received yesterday was not nearly enough punishment to fit the apparent crime committed by the Phillies pitcher. Fifteen games, however, would have appeased Jimmy.

“I think five games is way too light,” Leyland said. “Personally, if I was making that vote, it would be a 15-game suspension — at least … If my pitcher went out and, almost in a braggadocios way, talked about hitting a guy and that ‘I did it on purpose.’ (a five-game suspension) is not enough. There’s no way. You know, we’re always talking about our game being cleaned up and doing the right things for our game in all areas,” said Leyland, “and I’m 100 percent for that. But this is a perfect time to show that we mean business.”

So MLB should go ahead and triple the suspension simply because Hamels admitted to doing what pitchers are doing the majority of the time a batter gets plunked? I suppose had he said it “slipped,” much like pitches often “slipped” when Joba Chamberlain faced Kevin Youkilis a few years back, we would be all squared away at five games. Give me a break.

It’s not as though Hamels stood there with a group of reporters after the game and proceeded to celebrate what he did, he was just honest with his intent which, frankly, is a hell of a lot more refreshing than a pitcher feeding us a blatant line of bullshit when the intent was glaringly obvious to anyone watching the game. Get over it. This holier than thou uproar over this “incident” is more disheartening than Bird Selig’s Khaki-infested wardrobe.

[via DetNews]

Previously: Blown Call Cost the Tigers a Game, But Jim Leyland Still Doesn’t Want Instant Replay
Previously: Jim Leyland’s Smoking Habit Now Being Celebrated on T-shirts