Thursday, May 18, 2017

Baseball's unwritten rules

Image result for unwritten rules of baseball
Not sure if this is true for all the unwritten rules but baseball is an analogy for life



Things got a little bit testy in yesterday's Jays game. Whether it was a result of hit batters on the Atlanta side or a frustration with losing on the Toronto side, things got a bit heated.

While my lack of lip reading skills don't allow me to tell you what Pillar said, after he felt disrespected by being quick pitched. Others have speculated on the content. As Joanna commented in the game thread. "Allegedly, the f word that isn't fuck"
Post game, Pillar realized he fucked up.

The second incident involved Bautista and another bat flip. After hitting a dinger and flipping his bat, first baseman, Jace Peterson, decided to chirp JB as he was rounding the bases. Jose slowed down, appeared to be ready to turn around, thought better of it and continued on. When he reached home, he and Atlanta catcher Suzuki had a few words. It seemed cordial but both benches emptied, in support of their respective players. Cooler heads prevailed and it was over.

People wonder why baseball players get so upset at certain indiscretions. The short answer is respect. If you feel you or your club has been disrespected, THE CODE, says you must react. Other sports deal with it differently because of their nature. In hockey, there's fights. Football? You're double teamed or given a dirty hit when nobody's looking. Basketball? A well placed elbow while you feign to go after the ball. In baseball, there's very little contact, so other methods are used. And a lot of them don't make a lot of sense, especially to those of us who aren't between the white lines. There's are a lot of unwritten rules.

Baseball Digest wrote the general unwritten rules in 1986.

One of the best books written on the subject is The Baseball Code by Jason Turbow.
He wrote an article in which explains some of the more obscure ones. The one I'm most familiar with? When hit by a pitch, never rub the spot where the ball hit you. Another? While the pitcher is warming up on the mound, don't stand at the dirt cutout at home plate. Go to the on deck circle.

The Bleacher Report has a list of 25 unwritten rules. Some of them, we all know about.
Never talk about a no hitter in progress.
Never cross the pitchers mound on the way back to the dugout.
Don't bunt to break up a no hitter.
If a pitcher gets pulled, he must stay in the dugout until the inning ends.
A pitcher should never show up his fielders

There are many more unwritten rules. They mostly deal with respect or machismo.
Not all the rules that highly competitive athletes play by, are found in the games official rule book.
What are some of the ones you like the most?
What are some of the ones you hate the most?