Kyle Farnsworth - Incidents

Incidents

Farnsworth was involved in a brawl that occurred in the 2003 season when his former team, the Chicago Cubs, were playing the Cincinnati Reds. Reds pitcher Paul Wilson stepped out of the batter's box after an inside pitch, and started to yell at Farnsworth. Farnsworth then met Wilson a short distance from home plate, and speared him to the ground. He was suspended three games for his actions, but MLB reduced the suspension to two games.

In the 2004 season, Farnsworth angrily kicked an electric fan in the Cubs' dugout after an outing in which he gave up six runs in one inning to the Houston Astros. Farnsworth ended up severely bruising and spraining his knee in the process, and was placed on the disabled list as a result.

Farnsworth was involved in a bench-clearing fight in the 2005 season while playing for the Detroit Tigers, against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. After order appeared to have been restored, Farnsworth tackled Royals pitcher Jeremy Affeldt. Farnsworth was ejected from the game.

On April 17, 2008, Farnsworth threw behind Boston Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez. While Farnsworth claimed that the ball slipped out of his hand as a result of trying to throw the ball as hard as possible, Ramirez was skeptical and surmised that the pitch was retaliation for Alex Rodriguez being plunked the prior night after hitting a home run in the game. Following Farnsworth's pitch, the umpire issued warnings to both dugouts that any ill-intentions from that point forward would result in ejections.

On June 17, 2009, Farnsworth's left, non-pitching hand was bitten while he was breaking up a fight between two of his American bulldogs—Strike and Rambo. The cuts were deep enough to reach, but not cut, a tendon. Farnsworth later taped his finger, tucked it into his glove, and went to practice telling manager Trey Hillman that he could pitch. When asked which of his dogs bit him, Farnsworth replied: "I don't know. I reached in there and started grabbing dogs and throwing dogs. And one of them got me. One of those things that happens. It's never pretty. I've had to do it a few times, and it's ugly."