Brawl Highlights Week in Pacific Coast League

It may be trade season, but there are plenty of other story lines across Minor League Baseball, the biggest comes out of the Pacific Coast League, where it was announced Wednesday that 11 players have been suspended after an all out brawl Saturday night.

The Reno Aces were not very happy with the amount of time it took Erisbel Arruebarrena to round the bases after hitting his first Triple-A home run Friday night. Arruebarrena took exception after he struck out looking in the top of the second and catcher Blake Lalli ever so gently bumped him as he threw the ball around the diamond. Arruebarrena threw a punchy at Lalli, then his helmet at first baseman Mike Jacobs, and the melee was on.

In all, ten were ejected on Saturday night, but 11 received suspensions. Arruebarrena was not officially suspended given he was on a rehab assignment, and any discipline would have to come straight from the commissioner’s office, but he was sent down to High-A Rancho Cucamonga by the Dodgers.

The players of the week in the PCL were Justin Germano and Matt McBride. McBride played a rare eight game week, and got a hit in all eight games in the week. His nine-game hitting streak finally cmae to an end after he went 0-4 against Round Rock on Monday , but he is hitting .327 in the minors this season.

Germano pitched a complete game in Oklahoma City and only gave up a single run and three hits to earn him the player of the week honors, but he faced that same club at home on Tuesday and only survived 6.1 innings and gave up four runs on 11 hits.