As bad as the Bengals' reputation has become for acquiring and tolerating bad character players, there's one level they've never gone to: teammate-on-teammate violence.  Lucky for them, they've got (now former) Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Olivo Astacio to look down upon.

The Pirates released the prospect after he attacked another teammate in extended spring training with a bat.  According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Astacio and the other player were having an argument, the sources said, and Astacio struck the player's leg with a swing of his bat. He swung again and missed before the incident was broken up."  The other player was not identified.

This isn't Astacio's first bout with behavioral issues.  As a prospect in the Red Sox organization, he was suspended for the entire 2005 season for unspecified disciplinary reasons.  He also broke his hand last season in a fight, just after being promoted to AA. 

As a prospect who has struggled past high-A ball, it isn't likely that another team will take a chance on Astacio.  The only question is whether this bat swinging incident is crazier than Jose Offerman's outburst last season.  Offerman charged the mound with his bat last season after being hit by a pitch in an independent league game, swinging and hitting both the pitcher and catcher. 

Offerman was arrested for his incident, however, so I guess that's a leg up for him, but given Astacio's history that may balance the scales.