That didn't take long. Opening Day is still 2 1/2 weeks away, and the Yankees have already engaged in a bench-clearing brawl with the Devil Rays. The blood began to boil Saturday, when Tampa Bay's Elliot Johnson ran over Yankees minor-league catcher Franciso Cervelli in a collision at home plate. Cervelli got the worst of it and suffered a broken wrist. Both managers -- Joe Girardi for the Yankees and Joe Maddon for the Rays -- defended their players. Girardi said such a collision shouldn't have occurred in a spring training game. Maddon said it was "hardball" and a clean play, and that Cervelli shouldn't have blocked the plate if he didn't want to get run over.

When the teams took the field Wednesday, the umpires were ready. Heath Phillips was ejected for throwing a pitch that grazed the jersey of Rays top prospect Evan Longoria, even though it didn't appear if the "beaning" was intentional. Then Shelley Duncan, not known for hiding his emotions, slid spikes-up into second base, gashing Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura. That understandably didn't go over too well with the Rays, and everyone came out to defend his manhood.

All of this is unnecessary. Girardi, who has a reputation for a temper, doesn't need to start griping about a play that is really about bad luck. No one would have said anything if Cervelli hadn't broken his wrist. Shelley Duncan should keep his spikes on the ground and pretend he's been in the majors for more than the last third of 2007. Jonny Gomes, the Rays right fielder who perpetuated the hostilities by pushing Duncan, should also calm down. If this blows over to the regular season, it will get ugly. Duncan should expect a suspension, and anyone who does anything to further this will also get one. Don't baseball players have more important things to worry about in March?

Photo of Shelly Duncan sliding into Akinori Iwamuri by AP/Tom E. Puskar