Why Hitting A-Rod Was The Dumbest Thing The Red Sox Could Have Done

After last night's game, Joe Girardi did a great job explaining why Ryan Dempster hitting Alex Rodriguez on purpose was wrong. But more importantly, for the Red Sox it was an incredibly dumb thing to do.

Hitting A-Rod hurt the Red Sox's own playoff hopes

When Dempster hit A-Rod, it wasn't in the sixth inning of a 7-0 game. Instead, he plunked Rodriguez leading off the second inning with a 2-run lead. The Yankees would tie the game that inning.

Later in the game, Rodriguez, who was clearly angered and seemed to have more zip in his swing, hit a long home run to center field that started a 4-run rally giving the Yankees the lead for good.

With the loss, the Red Sox lead in the A.L. East was cut to just one game over the Rays.

Hitting A-Rod on purpose makes the Red Sox look like hypocrites

The Red Sox have had their own players linked to performance-enhancing drugs, including current player, David Ortiz, and ex-player, Manny Ramirez. Both of those players were key members of the World Series winning clubs of 2004 and 2007.

The Red Sox are one of the last teams that should be trying to dole out punishments for PED usage.

The Red Sox are making A-Rod look more like the victim

Not only did hitting Rodriguez awaken a sleeping giant, but it also works to make him look more like a sympathetic figure who is unfairly being excessively punished. As Girardi explained after the game, Dempster didn't target other players that have been suspended for their role in the Biogenesis scandal. He only hit A-Rod.

Major League Baseball wants to make an example of Alex Rodriguez and make him out to be the ultimate bad guy. The Red Sox may have undermined that effort by circumventing the rules and taking justice in their own hands.