No shocker here but the Big 12 informed Texas Tech this morning they would not reduce the 4-game suspension of Texas Tech pitcher Chad Bettis handed out after umpire Ken McQueen went judge and jury once again in a Big 12 baseball game last Sunday when he ejected Bettis without warning and claimed he knew Bettis had intentionally thrown at a Baylor hitter, thus triggering the 4-game suspension.
The Big 12 had overturned such suspensions in the past resulting from umpires being too aggressive and overstepping their bounds, but they had no interest in doing it this time. McQueen has been a problem in the Big 12 all year. Ask several other teams, (just not Texas, he doesn’t get to work their games anymore) and hopefully this will be a step in getting him out of the league. Of course it is too late for Bettis who gets a punishment that is four times as harsh as what a starter gets (the rule is poorly written and designed for starters to miss A game and not relieves and is such punitive beyond measure for Bettis in this case. For that reason alone the Big 12 should have reduced it to two games but again they abandon their duties.
Here’s the statement from Tech today:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2010
Statement from Texas Tech University regarding the suspension of baseball student-athlete Chad Bettis
Texas Tech has been given notice by the Big 12 Conference that the league plans to uphold an NCAA mandated four-game suspension of junior relief pitcher Chad Bettis that was a result of a hit-by-pitch in Sunday’s game against Baylor.
Texas Tech petitioned the Big 12 Conference for a formal review of the situation. The Big 12 Conference completed the review and ruled that there was no evidence to overturn the call made on the field.
Now, if I were Dan Spencer I’d pitch him anyways and dare the league to do anything other than force Tech to forfeit a game they’ll probably have to tank anyways to save pitching. Beyond that I wish the Bettis family would file an injuction and seek relief through the courts. I’m tired of seeing the Big 12 office refuse to do their job unless it involves certain teams in this dying league.
Bettis could rightfully claim the Big 12 is illegally hurting his earning potential in the upcoming draft by not letting him showcase is skills. It is just a thought.
By the way, if you didn’t read George Watson‘s column in the A-J yesterday you need to. He sums it up quite well.
Even though we don’t have show today I’d love to get your thoughts on how the Big 12 handled this situation and what you think you’d do if you were Dan Spencer or Chad Bettis. Even if you disagree with us. . .
Just like I told an employee of a certain now defunct credit-card bank after they screwed me over a couple of years ago: ….And this is just one more reason your butt is going be in the unemployment line soon.”
Ditto for the Big 12 when it comes to handling cases like this one with Bettis – and the Griner case. These are just a couple more nails in the coffin of the Big 12. When the Big 12 dies and is buried, its employees, the ones who fail repeatedly in cases like this, will be the ones in the unemployment line.
There won’t be any tears shed by me over their demise.
I wonder why Ken McQueen never umpires Texas Longhorn games?