Former Boston Red Sox infielder and major league all-star Jose Offerman went absolutely bat shit crazy in an independant Atlantic League game last night in Bridgeport CT. Offerman, playing for the Long Island Ducks, was hit by a pitch in the calf in his 
second at bat of the night and charged the mound wildly swinging his bat. According to Bridgeport Bluefish manager Tommy John, “He took at least two, maybe even three [swings].”
Offerman, who had homered in his first at bat, charged the mound and hit Bluefish pitcher Matt Beech on the hand and catcher John Nathans on the back of the head. Beech broke is right middle finger and Nathans suffered a concussion.
The game was delayed 20 minutes after the melee and when order was restored Offerman, Beech and John were all ejected. Offerman was greeted in the clubhouse by Bridgeport police who arrested and charged him with two counts of second degree assault. He was released on $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on August 23rd.
Bluefish CEO Mary-Jane Foster, called the Atlantic League office and requesed that Offerman be suspended for life. He has also been officially nominated for Carl Everett’s Crazy Hall of Fame.
Offerman, who played for Bridgeport in 2003, batted .273 during his 15 seasons in the majors. He last played in the majors in 2005 with Philadelphia and the New York Mets. He was an All-Star in 1995 with the Dodgers and 1999 with Boston.
Offerman was suspended indefinitely today by the league commish. He must have been back on the smack or something. He absolutely lost his mind.
Good job by Bridgeport’s finest to arrest him right at the game.
Well he wasn’t hard to find he was naked in the locker room lol.
The hitting coach needs to tell Jose he isn’t gonna generate any power taking his hand off the bat like that.
I decided to visit the LI Ducks website tonight. On the main page is a blurb about their upcoming homestand promotions. The descriptive words they use are disturbinly funny, after Jose Offerman’s meltdown.
from LIDucks.com:
Central Islip, N.Y., Aug. 14, 2007 – Fans, the Long Island Ducks have truly saved the best for last. With the team storming through the competition in the second half, the organization now kicks it into another gear in the stands as well. Fans can anticipate a can’t-miss week of giveaways and promotions next week when the Ducks return to Citibank Park for a six-game homestand August 20-25.
Did you see their roster? Pete Rose, Jr. playing infield.
Carl Everett in the outfield who was actually the one who took the bat out of Offerman’s hands.
I wonder how Pete Jr likes playing for Bud Harrelson seeing as in the 1973 playoffs his dad and Bud beat the hell out of each other at second base in Shea Stadium.
Offerman has been suspended until the legal portion of the incident is resolved. The catcher is probably out for the rest of the year and has retained legal counsel.