MLB discipline czar Bob Watson has issued his ruling stemming from the bean ball war between the Yankees and Rangers this week. Let's just say it wasn't Watson's finest work.

To recap: Ranger starter Vicente Padilla drilled the Yankees' Mark Teixeira -- twice. The reason? Padilla hasn't had much luck getting the Yankee slugger out. Apparently he's too lazy to throw four balls and pitch around him the traditional way.

Yankee starter A.J. Burnett retaliated by throwing a pitch over the head of the Rangers' Nelson Cruz. Well over his head. If the Durham Bull was working the stands behind home plate, he might have been in trouble.

All the Baseball Tonight types agreed that the umpires handled things well... they held off on issuing warnings until after Burnett buzzed Cruz, and things never escalated beyond that. Neither Burnett nor Padilla was ejected from the game.  That should have been the end of it, but Watson's office re-ignited the discussion today by suspending Burnett for six games. Padilla was fined, but not suspended.

Sort of an interesting message Watson is sending here. Throwing at the opposition's best hitter -- for no reason other than a general inability to get that hitter out -- that merits a fine, but not no missed time. Protecting one's teammates by throwing a message pitch -- even one that doesn't connect -- well, that puts you on the bench for your next turn in the rotation.

Not cool, Bob.

Oh, as for Watson's finest work? That's easy -- it was his cameo in The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.