The ghost of Larry Johnson

In the 1998 NBA playoffs, in the Eastern Conference Championship game 4, Larry Johnson of the Knicks started a brawl with Alonzo Mourning- both players got ejected. Johnson at that time was a role player, while Mourning was the star of the Heat. Mourning's loss ripped the heart out of the favored Heat, while Johnson ploy, while getting him ejected, was ultimately no big deal for the Knicks, and won them that playoff series. That was how the Eastern Conference was in those days.

Carlos Quentin of the lowly San Diego Padres ripped a page out of that book yesterday. Zack Grienke threw hit him on the arm and he charged the mound starting one of the most entertaining brawls in recent baseball history. At first it was great to see the Dodgers and Padres get feisty- they are two of the most laid-back teams in history, and it was great to see passion in that rivalry. The frightening part, however, was the aftermath, with Greinke getting a broken collarbone and Matt Kemp probably getting ejected for several games. There his no doubt who really won here. The Dodgers won the battle, with Juan Uribe's homer, but the Padres won the war.

Quentin is laughing his ASS off right now. He is a mediocre power hitter on the downside of his career, whom in his best years, sits out a quarter of the games. Greinke is the #2 starter of the Dodgers whom the they paid big money for, and Matt Kemp is well, Matt Kemp. Larry Johnson is smiling somewhere, his protege was obviously taking notes.

Greinke and Quentin have a history, dating back to when they were on the Royals and White Sox, respectively. Quentin won this latest chapter, he will get to rest for a few days, while the Padres plug in some journeymen like Jesus Guzman and Alexi Amarista and otherwise do not notice. The Dodgers, on the other hand, will have a hole in their lineup for the next week or so, and more importantly, a huge hole in their rotation until at least June. While they do have some depth, it is still a big loss.

Quentin and the Padres know if you can't do it on the field, you have to resort to other means. They started it, and they finished it. Can't wait 'til next week.