Old tensions rise as Greinke, Quentin set off melee

SAN DIEGO -- As far as he can remember, Padres left fielder Carlos Quentin had never rushed the mound in a big league game, even though he had been hit 115 times with a pitch heading into Thursday's game against the Dodgers at Petco Park.
"I've never reacted that way," he said.
But No. 116 resonated much deeper with Quentin, who was plunked on the left arm with a pitch in the sixth inning by Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke, a pitcher with whom he has a history.
That set off two incidents that ended with much more than hurt feelings on either side, as Greinke suffered a broken left collarbone in the scrum near the mound.
Four players were ejected  -- Quentin, Greinke, Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp and infielder Jerry Hairston Jr. The Dodgers went on to win the game, 3-2.
"It's unfortunate about the situation," Quentin said. "But it could have been avoided."
With the Dodgers leading 2-1, Greinke ran the count full on Quentin before hitting him with a fastball in the upper part of his left arm. Quentin took a few steps toward the mound and then charged, he said, after Greinke apparently said something to him.
This marked the third time Quentin has been hit by a Greinke pitch in his career, but the first time since 2009.
Quentin and Greinke collided hard and the two initially bounced off each other, with Greinke -- who, at a listed 195 pounds, is 45 pounds lighter than Quentin -- absorbing the biggest blow before players from each team joined in the scrum.
"That was the final straw," Quentin said of Greinke's words. "Look at his body language and look at the video. It's clear as day."
Afterward, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was not only upset about the Greinke injury but why the incident occurred in the first place.
"Were in a 2-1 game and on a 3-2 pitch  to a guy that I see on the board set a record for the Padres by getting hit, a guy who basically dives into the plate," Mattingly said. "In a 2-1 game we're trying to hit him 3-2? It's just stupid is what it is. He should not play a game until Greinke can pitch.
"If he plays before Greinke pitches, something is wrong."
As it stands, Quentin could be facing a suspension or fine while the Dodgers will be without Greinke for an indefinite period of time.
"The process will take place. I guess [the Commissioner's Office in New York] will figure it out if there's any suspension," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I suspect something, a fine … I'm not sure. I think there's a protocol in place for this."
Quentin was also hit on the right wrist in Tuesday's game against the Dodgers and didn't play Wednesday because of it. He returned to the starting lineup Thursday.
"Myself and Greinke have a history. It dates back a few years. It's documented," Quentin said. "There is a reason I reacted the way I did."
Quentin went into the game having been hit by pitches twice in his career by Greinke. Both occurred in the American League when Quentin played for the White Sox and Greinke pitched for the Royals. The first hit-by-pitch occurred in July 2008, the second in April 2009.
In that 2009 game, Quentin was brushed back by a pitch that, according to reports, came close to hitting him in the head. Later in the game, Greinke hit him squarely in the back with a pitch.
"I've never hit him on purpose," Greinke said. "I never thought of hitting him on purpose. He always seems to think that I'm hitting him on purpose, but, I mean, that's not the case.
"I actually thought it was just a ploy to get people to not throw inside to him. I just feel like he's trying to intimidate people to throw away. But I don't know anyone who has hit him on purpose."
Quentin has a long history of getting hit by pitches. While with the White Sox in 2011, he led the league when he was hit 23 times. Last season with the Padres, he led the National League with 17.
Quentin was asked if he expects any repercussions from Thursday's incident. After all, the Padres face the Dodgers 16 more times this season, including a game Monday at Dodger Stadium in the opener of a three-game series.
"We'll see what happens. Obviously they're not happy losing one of their starting pitchers," Quentin said. "That's unfortunate for their organization. Like I said, this didn't start off as just two teams out on this field. There was a history there."
Quentin and Kemp had to be separated in the area of the ballpark that leads to the Padres garage, as Padres pitcher Clayton Richard and ballpark security intervened.
"It's part of the game, it's happened for 100 years," said Padres pitcher Jason Marquis, who started the game. "It's unfortunate guys get hurt. I'm going to protect my teammates in any which way. But you don't want to see guys hurt in that situation. You don't wish injury on anyone."