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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > August > 04 > Entry
For Julio Castillo — baseball or ball…and chain?
If, for just a second, you set aside that much-talked-about Rawlings baseball from a year ago, picked up a crystal ball and looked inside, what would you see?
What’s going to happen to Julio Castillo this afternoon in the courtroom of Judge Connie S. Price?
The Montgomery County Common Pleas judge will render her verdict on the former Peoria Chiefs pitcher who — in the early stages of a bench-clearing brawl with the Dayton Dragons 13 months ago — threw a baseball into the stands at Fifth Third Field and injured a fan.
Castillo was arrested and charged with two counts of felonious assault, each punishable by eight years in prison. The fan, 45-year old Chris McCarthy of Middletown, suffered a concussion, was treated at Miami Valley Hospital, released a few hours later and said he suffered headaches at home for the next nine days.
Since then, he has received a cash settlement from the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds, the parent clubs of the two minor league teams who were involved in the melee.
The three-day trail of the 22-year-old pitcher from the Dominican Republic was last month. Since Castillo waived the right to a jury trial, his fate is in the hands of Price.
In the days since the trial, everybody seems to have an opinion. I’ve talked to two local judges in the past few days who had very different ideas about what should happen to Castillo. One thought Castillo committed a felony, the other thought it was a misdemeanor — at best.
This afternoon Castillo can, among other things, be:
A. — convicted of one, or both, of the felonies.
B. — see the charge reduced and be convicted of a misdemeanor.
C. — be found not guilty of both charges.
My guess is B and I think that would be a reasonable compromise. If he were found guilty of say misdemeanor reckless assault, he could get a maximum 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. And if I were the judge I’d add a couple of other stipulations, as well.
But I don’t think he deserves eight years in prison, which would almost certainly follow with deportation, the end of his baseball career and what could still be a productive life.
And yet neither do I think he should not be made to shoulder responsibility for his actions, though everyone agrees he wasn’t trying to hit the fan and there is debate — the crux of the case — whether he was trying to hit a Dragons player or send a warning pitch to tell the on-charging Dayton players to get back into their dugout.
Castillo has paid some price already. He’s not been allowed to pitch for over a year and he paid some of McCarthy’s settlement out of his own shallow pockets.
Judge Price was going to issue a written verdict, then changed her mind and said she would announce her decision in court, with Castillo — who has been staying at the Cubs spring training complex in Arizona because he had to surrender his passport — present.
Her decision to have the pitcher here might well mean she’s going to find him guilty — of something. An innocent verdict — and his release — could have been handled in written form.
Regardless in a case has drawn such national interest, it’s probably better to do the whole thing face to face.
While McCarthy’s medical bills supposedly have been paid, Price should insist on a few other things from Castillo: A non-wiggle room probation, some kind of gratis work with people who have suffered head traumas, so he would learn, first hand, what can happen. And I’d make the Cubs — his employers the last five years since they signed him as an uneducated teen out of the Dominican — get him tutors or put him him in classes so he learns to read and write.
Right now, he can do neither — in Spanish or English. That’s inexcusable.
The Cubs certainly aren’t the only big league organization where this happens. You find guys like Castillo sprinkled all though the minor leagues, including over the years, the Dayton Dragon, who now, through the Reds. provide an English-as-a-second-language teacher for some bare-bones instruction, That’s a necessity because Major League teams sign young talent cheaply in the Caribbean and those kids give up on school, often to try to get their families out of poverty and always to chase that elusive dream.
Today Julio Castillo finds out where that dream is headed.
Will it include a baseball or a different ball? The one affixed to a chain.
Permalink | Comments (29) | Post your comment |
Comments
By larry
August 5, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this
*years is a joke considering that oj simpson and ray lewis got away with murder.By Pete
August 5, 2009 8:06 AM | Link to this
Arch, maybe you should stand next to this loser @ the CF wall & see how a 90MPH fastball feels up side the head. Think it would be a misdemeanor then? You’re a fool!By Pete
August 5, 2009 8:02 AM | Link to this
Let’s see… 5/3 field holds about what… 8-10K fans? Here’s a thought & a really good way to ensure this clown nevers does anything like this again & sends a very strong message to those who’ve ever considered doing something like this. Castillo gets to stand against the CF wall & take a fastball from each & every one of the fans in attendance that nite. Let’s see the next Nolan Ryan from the DR pull some crap like that again.By Andy
August 5, 2009 7:57 AM | Link to this
If he can’t hit what he was aiming at then he doesn’t have much of a future in baseball. I think he got what he deserved but, to be fair, in 1958 the great Ted Williams threw his bat in to the stands after being called out on strikes and hit an old lady in the head. As far as I know he was never punished for that unforgivable act.By Scott
August 5, 2009 7:51 AM | Link to this
…and another thing… The more I hear anti-Liberal / anti-Conservative comments makes me wonder if this “democratic” system we have even works at all. Obviously none of us can get a long if a simple case like this gets anti-(insert name of political view here) comments.By Scott
August 5, 2009 7:43 AM | Link to this
I hate to go hypothetical, but what if he got free with the bat in hand and went into the stands. It would have been a Malice at the Palace situation all over again. The punishment fits the intenet. The guy was running hot from the first pitch of the game, and he let it all show with the thrown ball, and added on to it by coming back onto the field with a bat in hand.By red
August 5, 2009 7:39 AM | Link to this
Typical comments from a liberal in Arch…..don’t like his writing 80% of the time. I agree with the prior poster…no way this new judge, who’s a liberal is going to throw the book at him. She’ll probably make him give private lessons to her grandchildren as punishment. Or, maybe Obama can say that the courts acted ‘stupidly’ and cause another national uproar.By Tom Remaklus
August 5, 2009 7:38 AM | Link to this
Hasn’t this man lost enough. He had a chance to make it in the big leagues. One moment, while helping out his team (who deserted him) has already cost him his job, a chance at a decent life and I’m sure he’ll be sent back to his homeland.By Katmandu
August 5, 2009 6:03 AM | Link to this
If the ball that hit the man in the head was a FRACTION of an inch over it may have KILLED HIM !! Then we’d be discussing a MURDER case here!By Johnson
August 4, 2009 7:46 PM | Link to this
If he had hit one of my kids or my wife they would have certainly charged me with assault as I would have returned the favor to this idiot. In this country 5 years and too stupid to learn the language? Kick his hind end out of the country, there are plenty kids with good arms who grew up here and are dying for a chance to play at any level. Pieces of crap like this guy don’t deserve to be here. Tom if that had been your family would you be so forgiving? Screw him, lock him up and then deport him. When he’s sitting in a hovel in the DR maybe he’ll realize how stupid he is.By Ang
August 4, 2009 2:21 PM | Link to this
I agree with socal buckeye…he was given an opportunity and totally blew it, put him in jail and send him back. He is a danger to society. Could of been a kid, a kid would of been killed by the magnitude from that ball. Think about that one!By MB
August 4, 2009 2:18 PM | Link to this
We live in a great country. But—all the more reason if you want to come her to the USA, you better speak the language and understand our laws!By CommonSense
August 4, 2009 2:14 PM | Link to this
GUILTYBy jpierson
August 4, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
He should be deported and charged with a felony assault with a deadly weapon.By Deb
August 4, 2009 2:08 PM | Link to this
He deserves to spend about 6 full months in jail to think about how stupid his actions were. Yes also on anger management and learning to speak and read English (which should have been stipuated before he set foot in this country. But then again he is with the Cubs and we know they are sad). He definitely intended to hurt someone by throwing that ball and it is unacceptable. Also a big fine and long suspension from baseball. Athletes must know they cannot act like selfish children and the courts must not let them get away with that behavior.By Keith
August 4, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry, with the LIBERAL Judges in Montgomery County this jerk will walk free and clear with a grin on his face. Vote out the LIBERAL Judges in Montgomery County and maybe the police adgencys will have a better chance of not seeing these jerks a second and third time.By Mark
August 4, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this
In case anybody’s wondering, it seems nearly all those following this story in the Peoria neck of the woods who are willing to speak up agree that Castillo deserves to be held accountable for not respecting the US laws aimed at punishing assailants. Just look up “Julio Castillo” on the Peoria Journal Star site www.pjstar.com and read the comments following their stories. This isn’t just a bunch of Ohioans getting mad at an “outsider”.By myownthought
August 4, 2009 12:40 PM | Link to this
I would lay money on the misdemeanor conviction with 6 months jail time (all but 60 days suspended) and court costs with, of course 12 months supervised probation and verified employment. Throw in a GED stipulation and some anger management and there you have it, your verdict and sentenceBy Justin
August 4, 2009 12:38 PM | Link to this
Arch- What if the ball had struck your child and critically injured or even killed them? Would you still feel the same way?By Bill
August 4, 2009 12:29 PM | Link to this
To Tom Archdeacon: Stop the alarmist reporting. Even if convicted of a felony, that doesn’t mean 8 years in prison—he is eligible for probation OR prison for 2-8 years. The “prices” he’s already paid are irrelevant and should NOT be considered by the judge. Only Castillo is responsible for his actions that day—not the cubs, not his upbringing, not MLB. Stop making excuses for him. You are a fool to believe he did not appreciate hitting someone, anyone, was likely when he threw that ball. THAT’S WHY HE THREW IT!By Thumper
August 4, 2009 12:29 PM | Link to this
Michael Vick was sentanced to 23 months in prision. Lost millions upon millions of dollars. Is on supervised probation till 2012. Julio Castillo, that gangster is a baseball uniform. Is getting off e-z.By SoCal Buckey
August 4, 2009 12:25 PM | Link to this
He was a guest in this country given an opportunity to make millions if his talent could get him to the big leagues. He showed his appreciation, maturity and respect for our laws by committing battery. Convict him of a felony, sentence him to a year in prison (suspended) and immediately deport him back to his own country for commission of a serious offense with a lifetime ban on re-entry.By joe
August 4, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this
Looks to me like another problem child in pro sports!By Bob
August 4, 2009 11:57 AM | Link to this
I say lock him away. He knew exactly what he was trying to do when he hurled that baseball: Hurt someone. It doesn’t matter if it was meant for a player instead of a fan. And forget his would be baseball career. If he’s launching 90+ mph balls into the stands in Class A, he’s too much of a hothead to make it to the bigs anyway.By Rick
August 4, 2009 11:53 AM | Link to this
I would like to see a misdemeanor conviction. Suspend the prison term or maybe 30 days. His act was reckless and without thought… there should be consequences! Accountability and responsibility are lost on today’s society. People need to think before acting!By The Hon
August 4, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this
Tom…If he drove drunk and hit your wife by accident and did severe bodily injury and you received a settlement from his employer, would that excuse him from being tried in court? Stop babying those you rely on for your livelihood! Or change jobs.By L
August 4, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this
D, you are exactly right. Well put!!!By flipper
August 4, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
Judge Price, revive the spaghetti western and “hang em high”By D
August 4, 2009 11:29 AM | Link to this
Had he not hit a fan, there would be no case. There may have been fines and suspensions handed out by the league and that would be the end. If we are going to hold players to this level of scrutiny, fans need to be held to it as well. Next time a fan throws something into the field of play and hits a player, let’s see where that goes.