Asdrúbal Cabrera’s Assault of Opponent Shocks Winter League Fans
15-year MLB veteran infielder and World Series champion Asdrúbal Cabrera stunned fans of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (Liga Venezola de Béisbol Profesional or LVBP, in Spanish) on Saturday by punching opponent Carlos Castro after a home run celebration.
In the 8th inning, Castro hit his third home run of the game for the Tiburones de La Guaira, giving the visitors a 4-3 lead over the Caribes de Anzoátegui (box score). Castro remained at the plate admiring his drive as it left the stadium. He flipped his bat with his left hand and looked toward the Caribes dugout before beginning to trot around the bases. While making the turn around first base, he was intercepted by Caribes first baseman Cabrera, who clotheslined his Tiburones counterpart, sending him to the ground and prompting the benches to clear.
Castro’s agent Lisette Carnet has expressed concerns about the potential for serious injury and suggests the attack was retaliation for Castro hitting a third home run off Caribes pitching.
Carlos Castro is represented by me and this is horrendous! He could have been seriously injured as he fell and hit his head. BTW, Asdrubal didn’t deck him because he “pimped” his HR. He got mad cause it was Castro’s THIRD home run of the game. He needs to get a grip.
— MLB Player Agent Lisette Carnet (@lisettecarnet) November 20, 2022
Carnet has issued the following statement:
— MLB Player Agent Lisette Carnet (@lisettecarnet) November 20, 2022
Castro has expressed a desire to take the high road on his social media. In the post below screenshotted by Dominican MLB insider Héctor Gómez, Castro stated that his team winning is the best revenge and the attack is a terrible way for the career of a 15-year major-leaguer to end. The Tiburones did in fact win the game by a score of 6-4.
Las palabras del dominicano Carlos Castro con relación a la actitud antideportiva y cobarde que cometió Asdrúbal Cabrera contra él luego de conectar su tercer cuadrangular del partido entre los Tiburones de la Guaira y los Caribes de Anzoátegui, en la Liga Venezolana de Béisbol. pic.twitter.com/VvjnntYiJd
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) November 20, 2022
Cabrera last played big-league ball with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021 but has yet to retire from MLB. Castro’s comments suggest that retirement may be imminent for the two-time All-Star.
Fans familiar with Cabera’s MLB exploits suggest that his reaction to Castro’s home run celebration was hypocritical.
Asdrubal Cabrera would hate this guy if he has a problem with bat flips. https://t.co/yoTgT2pA0a pic.twitter.com/nN516L3daY
— Vas Drimalitis (@vasdrimalitis) November 20, 2022
The incident has angered LVBP fans, who are calling for Cabrera to receive stiff penalties for his actions.
Fans have pointed out that Tiburones pitcher Edubray Ramos should also be punished. Ramos has been identified attacking Caribes pitcher Liarvis Breto with a thrown baseball.
Esta agresión es peor que la de Asdrúbal Cabrera, porque Edrubray Ramos es lanzador, le tira a traicion al rostro de Liarvis Breto, una acción además de cobarde, criminal. Ojalá la @LVBP_Oficial dicte sanciones ejemplares para que no ocurra más estos tipos de agresiones cobardes https://t.co/9VMtj3grVa
— David Lam Li (@lamlidav) November 20, 2022
This was not the only brawl in the LVBP on Saturday. In response, the league issued a statement on Sunday condemning “violence and unsportsmanlike conduct on the field” and confirming that punishments are under consideration.
Featured Image: Asdrubal Cabrera, 2nd baseman for the New York Mets, batting at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, USA on June 17,2018 by Keeton Gale / Shutterstock.com.
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