In 2005, Jose Offerman was a Met for about 15 minutes. In 72 at-bats for New York, Offerman hit .250, with one HR and 10 RBI. Since his cup of coffee with the Mets, the 41-year old Offerman has been fighting to get back into the major leagues. Unfortunately, he taken the fighting part a little too literally.
After playing 15 years in the major leagues, beginning with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1990 and ending his career with the New York Mets in 2005, Jose Offerman is currently the manager of the Licey Tigers in the Dominican League.
Last night, during a Dominican League playoff game, Offerman came out of the dugout to argue a call with umpire Daniel Rayburn. A typical heated discussion ensued. Perhaps Rayburn used an ill-timed “yo mama’s so fat” joke. Perhaps he had garlic in his pre-game meal. Whatever the case, he must have said something offensive to Offerman because he got a right cross to the face from the former Met (see video below):
The shocking behavior is not the first time we’ve seen an episode of “Offerman Gone Wild” on the field. As a member of the Long Island Ducks in 2007, Offerman charged the mound with his bat after he was hit by a pitch thrown by Bridgeport Bluefish pitcher Matt Beech. The catcher of the Bluefish, John Nathans, was struck in the head by the bat and suffered a concussion, effectively ending his playing career. (see video below):
Offerman was arrested by the Bridgeport Police for going batty on the field and was charged with two counts of second degree assault. In October 2007, he was given two years probation for his crime. Since then, John Nathans has filed a $4.8 million civil suit against Offerman, claiming that he still suffers from post-concussion syndrome and that Offerman’s bat caused his playing career to end. That suit has not yet been resolved.
For all the Mets fans who say the Mets lack fire on the field, be careful what you wish for. You might end up with Jose Offerman on your team.
