Astros Upset With Angels Over Way They Went After Jake Marisnick

The moment everyone was expecting came with a grimace on Tuesday when Angels reliever Noe Ramirez plunked Jake Marisnick, who obliterated Jonathan Lucroy at home plate a week earlier, near the head.

The Houston Astros didn't take offense too much offense to the retaliation, but they certainly were alarmed and upset at the location of the pitch that drilled Marisnick.

"This was not a surprise," said manager AJ Hinch following the game. But he also added that "If they're gonna hit guys, they need to hit guys the right way."

Retaliatory pitches, which are more or less a fact of life in the MLB, usually strike near the thigh or back. The intent isn't to injure so much as it is to send a message not to mess with the team.

Ramirez's pitch ran high and in on Marisnick, however, breaking from the traditional bean ball. Though Marisnick simply put his head down and walked away unscathed, things could have ended a lot worse.

If retaliation is to remain a part of the baseball world, then throwing the ball at body parts that if injured could have career-altering implications cannot be allowed.

That's when things can get nasty. It's understandable to be upset and it's understandable to want to strike back, but it should never come at the cost of another player's safety and potentially career.