November 23rd, 2014 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It may have gone unnoticed by many Dodger fans but there was a rather unusual brawl this past season between the Dodgers’ and Diamondbacks’ organizations. No, it didn’t happen at Dodger Stadium or even at Chase Field. In fact, it didn’t even involve either organization’s big league teams at all. It involved their respective Triple-A teams – the Dodgers’ Albuquerque Isotopes and the Dbacks’ Reno Aces. But make no mistake about it, it was a brawl of epic proportions.
It all started when Isotopes shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena (yes, that Erisbel Arruebarrena – the one that the Dodgers had signed for $25 million after he defected from Cuba) took a wee bit too long to round the bases after hitting a three-run home run off of Aces right-hander Kameron Loe on July 25. Okay… maybe it was a wee bit longer than a wee bit too long – like maybe 30 seconds too long. Regardless, it became very obvious very quickly that the Reno Aces were extremely upset at the way that Arruebarrena had pimped his home run and left zero doubt that something was going to happen as a result – especially after the Isotopes went on to annihilate the Aces by a score of 16-7 in front of their home town fans.
Surprisingly (or perhaps not), it didn’t happen until the following night – but when it happened, it really happened.
When Arruebarrena came to the plate in the top of the second inning, Aces right-hander Mike Bolsinger threw behind Arruebarrena’s head. Although Arruebarrena was not hit by the pitch, his bat was for a foul ball – about as foul as you can get. Bolsinger ended up striking out Arruebarrena looking and when Aces catcher Blake Lalli threw down to third base, he and Arruebarrena got into a shouting match since it was obviously Lalli who had ‘ordered the Code Red.’ The argument immediately escalated, and when Arruebarrena shoved Lalli, it was on.
When the dust had settled, and it didn’t settle quickly, ten players had been ejected. When fines and suspensions were handed out, six Isotopes and six Aces received suspensions, including Arruebarrena for six games and Lalli for three. Arruebarrena, who is on the Dodgers 40-man roster, was subsequently optioned back to Rancho Cucamonga – not necessarily as punishment but perhaps more so as part of the witness protection program. Ironically, the guy who lit the fuse to this melee by throwing behind Arruebarrena’s head, Aces pitcher Mike Bolsinger, was neither ejected nor suspended.
Fast forward to Saturday night, November 22, 2014, when the Dodgers released this media advisory:
DODGERS ACQUIRE PITCHER MIKE BOLSINGER FROM ARIZONA
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired right-handed pitcher Mike Bolsinger from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations. Dodger President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman made the announcement. Bolsinger will be added to the 40-man roster.
Maybe it’s just me, but do you see a potential problem when the Dodgers arrive for spring training in February?
…just sayin’.
Posted in 
RT @Think_BlueLA: New: Things just got interesting in Dodgertown – http://t.co/BjxCqANBPX #Dodgers
The Dodgers-DBacks rivalry and the #Dodgers new pitcher. http://t.co/I9fvXtwLLq
Although I abhor these incidents in baseball, I really enjoyed your portrayal of the melee.
I don’t think there will be any issues when Bolsinger shows up in Dodger Blue. Many times adversaries have become teammates.
I also think team management sees more in Bolsinger than I do but he is only twenty-six and cost no players.
From the players they are signing I would say Andrew Friedman has two targets on his radar. The most important is the Dodgers and he may be simply trying to collect pieces and hold them in reserve when the inevitable injuries occur or player simply tank.
However, i suspect he is also trying to build a strong team in the PCL with the OKC RedHawks. In addition to that it might mean some players moving up from AA will be traded – Sweeney, Dickson, Schebler, O’Brien.
When I heard about this signing the first thing that came to mind was the old saying “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
I suspect that Dodgers management, probably Don Mattingly, will have a sit down meeting with both of these guys well before spring training begins, but there is no way that they will ever be friends.
I don’t condone what Arruebarrena did when he hit his home run but Dbacks (former) brass encouraged and expected its pitchers to retaliate whenever they felt they were wronged. In fact, former Dbacks GM Kevin Towers threatened to punish his players who did not. This is a big reason why he and manager Kirk Gibson were fired.
I don’t believe they will never be friends. If two grown men can’t have a dispute, even a physical one, and not get over it nor become friends then they aren’t much for men and both should be with the Diamonbacks. I expect both will play together in the minors in 2015.
I agree that Arruebarrena and Bolsinger will get along professionally – simply because they must for the good of the team, but to expect them to be friends is a reach – and it has nothing to do with them being men.
Must have been the year of the brawl – Ogden Raptor brawl.
RT @AJHenryBaseball: The Dodgers-DBacks rivalry and the #Dodgers new pitcher. http://t.co/I9fvXtwLLq