Photo: Bleacher Report
The dumbest rules ever developed by man – or woman – are the so-called ‘Unwritten Rules of Baseball,’ and there’s not much nice that can be said for those who abide by them, either.
It’s mind boggling that any adult can defend these nonsensical unwritten rules, and it’s time to let them go, and discipline those who ‘enforce’ them. Pitchers who throw a ball at a batter because the batter stood too long at home plate to watch their home run – or for a litany of dumb reasons – are the worst culprits, especially American League pitchers.
You can check the Google Machine to find some of these ridiculous ‘rules.’ Everything from running too slowly around the bases after hitting a home run to celebrating at home plate after hitting a home run, or how about swinging at a 3-0 pitch when winning the game by 5 or more runs in the late innings.
Pretty much any juvenile situation that you can think of can be an Unwritten Rule of Baseball.
When you read about these asinine rules you realize most of them revolve around butt hurt pitchers and them not liking getting beat around. The other ‘rules’ you’ll find will make you wonder if they deal with grown men or nursery school kids.
Those who display fealty to these absurd rules should not be taken seriously.
Just this week a story was told how Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly was furious that an opposing batter swung at a 3-0 pitch in the eighth inning when the team was winning 5-0. Mattingly should be more concerned about keeping his job.
It bears repeating that American League pitchers who throw at batters are uniquely cowardly, in that they can do so without fear of facing the same fate, thanks to the Designated Hitter. American League pitchers can take their cushy seat in the dugout, or head back into the clubhouse, or wherever else they go when their team is batting, and never have to worry that they’ll be the target of retaliation. Their teammates will get drilled for them.
Like the guy who starts a bar fight because he knows his bigger, stronger friends will take care of business, the American League pitcher hits and runs…and hides.
This is similar to the garbage we see at the end of NHL games – regular season and playoffs – where the Goon Squad comes out for the final shift of the game and starts fights to ‘send a message’ or ‘set the tone’ for the next game. Since the team can’t set the tone or send the message by playing well – and winning – they start a brawl instead.
Which is the same mentality on display with baseball’s nonsense.
A team’s pitching staff is getting tattooed, so they live by the old, ‘If you can’t beat ’em, or get ’em out, hit ’em.’ A pitcher feels disrespected because an opponent celebrated for hitting a home run and stopping to watch it, bean him. Makes total sense, doesn’t it?
The Unwritten Rules of Baseball are an embarrassment to the game and need to be retired.
