Skin strapped on steel. ESPN recently took a poll from various major leaguers on topics ranging from owning a gun (44% do) to the most overrated stat in baseball (BA followed by ERA). The best topic covered was the one that got the longest story - "Who's the last guy you'd want to run into during a bench-clearing brawl?" 23% of respondents say Kyle Farnsworth. Here's a guy who form-tackled Jeremy Affeldt after a HBP that he didn't even have anything to do with; a man who speared Cincinnati Reds pitcher Paul Wilson after he muttered something to him for throwing an inside fastball on a bunt attempt.
He probably could play linebacker in the NFL - he's a pretty imposing figure: 6'4" tall, 233 lbs., legs like telephone polls and he's all inked up. He's got a mean streak, but you must have some set of cojones to test him out. Ask Affeldt and Wilson. If you never saw either fight, here it is:
He's a guy who has some pent up aggression, I mean he's started his playing career calling Wrigley Field his home for 6 years - he also has suited up for the Tigers, Braves, Yankees, Tigers, and now the Royals. He played for Bartman's Cubs. A perennial loser. The Royals are garbage. The Yankees didn't win a thing when he was there. The Braves have been impotent in the postseason.
He's from Witchita, which also happened to be home to the infamous BTK strangler Dennis Rader. Read a book on the BTK - scary dude, I tell you what. I'm not implying that everyone from Witchita is a stranger, but Kyle Farnsworth is a bad mother trucker.
Statistically for his career, he has over a K/IP - 784.1 IP and 790 K. I mean the guy gets the job done in the middle innings - he throws in the mid- to upper-90's - and again, he's got that mean streak. I've seen let up some bolts, some dribblers, some solid singles, but there aren't too many guys who are going to approach him after a purpose pitch. I suggest you read the article - it's a great piece of writing by ESPN Senior Writer and Colorado Buffalo Luke Cyphers.
Watching the highlights - Yankees won today, the Pirates (voted the worst franchise in the MLB in the aforementioned poll) beat the Cubs too.
Steel
