Last Night Began Infamous Julio Teheran/Darin Ruf Rivalry

OMFG CAREFUL WITH THAT FINGER YOUNG MAN. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Julio Teheran is a young Braves pitcher, looking to make a name for himself.

This past week, he was a key player in an almost-brawl that had Bryce Harper shouting threats on his way down to first following a beanball.  Can you imagine the consequences had this escalated further?  Harper could have lost his voice slightly, or a trainer could have sprained their ankle, rushing out of the dugout to protect Harper from getting his feelings hurt.

So clearly, Teheran is a reckless pitcher with No Respect For The Game.

Last night, the Phillies had the MISfortune (see what I did there) of facing Teheran in game one of what is for us a meaningless August series and what is the for the Braves pretty much also meaningless at this point but in a better way.  Teheran seemed to be successfully quelling the demons within, but suddenly, Darin Ruf stepped up to the plate and he was no longer able to control his insatiable thirst for blood.

[This is where the video/.gif would go if I could be bothered to go find one]

Teheran, staring into Darin Ruf’s meaty eyes, became immediately incensed, and chucked a pitch so high and so in, Darin had little choice but to take it off his left shoulder.

The thinly veiled murder attempt caught the eye of many baseball fans in Twitter.

And then there were other tweets, too, I assure you.

Aug 6, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Darin Ruf (18) hits a home run during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Cubs 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

What we’re left with this morning is an untested rivalry between two NL East monsters, simmering with youth.

“Wait, I thought the Phillies were old!  Also, Darin Ruf is 27, he just looks like a paper boy from the 1950s!”

Anyone ever tell you to shut the hell up?  Consider it.

Anyway, this was the most intentional example of assault I had ever seen three beers deep.  This may not be the Phillies’ year to win it all – and let’s face it, that’s a cute record and all, but it’s most likely not the Braves’ year either – but we are watching prospects get up dance from either side of the hall.

And last night, Teheran wanted to boogie.  The next batter, 23-year-old third baseMAN Cody Asche, obliged him.

Again, the tweets came pouring in.

[Just imagine hundreds of other tweets like this one and you’ll see what it was really like, really.]