That picture you see is Richie Sexson ducking out of the way of a fastball. (Sorry that it looks like it’s a YouTube video; I took the screenshot while watching a YouTube video.) You might notice, of course, that the pitch is, as the French say, over le plate. But did that stop Sexson from charging the mound, throwing his helmet at the pitcher, and tackling him to the ground? Of course not. In Richie Sexson’s mind, the pitcher was throwing at him, and the fact that he missed by three feet isn’t enough to make it okay.
I’d say more, but I think in this case, a picture really is worth a thousand words.
I liked Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe’s comment that Sexson threw his helmet at the pitcher because he’d apparently left his purse in the dugout.