Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

[Speedy]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

So he should run around the catcher?

Did you watch the game when he separated the shoulder of the Marlins' catcher? Did you watch the game where he hit the Cardinals' catcher (I don't think it was Yadier...can't remember)?

Both instances were idiocy. Regardless of whether it's an "unwritten rule", he cost his team runs and in one case, a win.

[Blzer]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

Did you watch the game when he separated the shoulder of the Marlins' catcher?

Wow, just watched it right now. He would have been safe if he slid, too.

In fact, re-watching it he actually was safe, but I don't expect the umpire to see his foot go down before he actually makes contact with the catcher.

[GreenReign86]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

One time when I was playing highschool ball, a pitcher threw high and inside knocking me down. Then when I got up I grabbed a handfull of dirt and threw it on and rubbed it into my uniform, while stearing at the pitcher as I was doing it. Always wondered after the fact if I had commited an unwriten rule violation, or if I was lucky to of not had my head taken off the very next pitch.

[Blzer]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

One time when I was playing highschool ball, a pitcher threw high and inside knocking me down. Then when I got up I grabbed a handfull of dirt and threw it on and rubbed it into my uniform, while stearing at the pitcher as I was doing it. Always wondered after the fact if I had commited an unwriten rule violation, or if I was lucky to of not had my head taken off the very next pitch.

Reminds me of a time a hot-headed reliever came in to face me. I was up to bat with a runner on third and less than two outs when he was called in. I'm a switch-hitter and they wanted to put me on the left side of the plate for this situation. My coach thought of this as a good opportunity to call a squeeze play, and as everyone well knows in baseball you have enough time to see, process, and call out that a runner is going home for a squeeze play (the third baseman will more than likely yell "SQUEEZE!").

So he did, and upon showing bunt I made my dreadful attempt on a well low and outside pitch and just got it foul. My coach was disgusted and opted to go for the squeeze play again. Well apparently this pitcher then decided to engrave it in his mind that if we went for a squeeze attempt once more, he would be giving me a ****-shot. So as I squared up, the runner went, and the third baseman yelled "SQUEEZE!", the pitcher had enough time to decide he was going to go right at where I had no possible way to bunt at it and I had to regard my own well-being.

This ball clearly had nowhere else to go but to remove any possibility of me having children in the future, and I had no other direction to go but up. I flew over the ball, legs split, and went horizontal as I belly-flopped on the ground, bat out in front of me. Thankfully the ball went by the catcher and the runner was able to score, and I was still fully-functional as well. Unfortunately for myself, the pitcher still didn't like that I didn't get hit and struck me in my back the next pitch. A scuffle ensued (one which I did not start, but the benches rather) and apparently it was all a result of my coach violating an unwritten rule about not making two consecutive squeeze play attempts.

[Speedy]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

I shouldn't have posted my previous post, thanks for deleting it Ryan.

Blzr, that's an awesome story actually (at least details wise). I find it extremely rude and immature for the opposing pitcher as to where he was trying to throw at...did you talk to the guy afterwards?

[NDAlum]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

One time when I was playing highschool ball, a pitcher threw high and inside knocking me down. Then when I got up I grabbed a handfull of dirt and threw it on and rubbed it into my uniform, while stearing at the pitcher as I was doing it. Always wondered after the fact if I had commited an unwriten rule violation, or if I was lucky to of not had my head taken off the very next pitch.

It's not an unwritten rule but you clearly showed up the pitcher. I would hit you if you did that to me and I didn't mean to throw at you.

It's also and unwritten rule that you don't get pissed off when you get hit by a breaking ball.

Let me repeat, no pitcher on earth ever hits somebody on purpose with a breaking ball.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

Let me repeat, no pitcher on earth ever hits somebody on purpose with a breaking ball.

NDAlum, please meet Adam Eaton. He purposely hit Pujols with a curveball.

[NDAlum]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

He's doing it wrong then lol

[Watson]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

The one that irks me the most is when a pitcher gives up back-to-back homers and then the next batter swings at the first pitch.

[Blzer]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

The one that irks me the most is when a pitcher gives up back-to-back homers and then the next batter swings at the first pitch.

See, this was one of the "Ten Unwritten Rules of Baseball" from that article and is something I very much disagree with. Maybe it's because I'm not a pitcher (though like everyone here I have had my innings), but here was at least my commentary on that:

[That rule] is nonexistent. You have momentum on your side and if a pitcher hangs another pitch, the one thing that you want to do is go back-to-back-to-back. That's not lack of respect, that's trying to win a ballgame. What if you're losing in the game by a run and that's the one pitch you think you'll get? If I take a pitch, it's not out of respect. Likewise, if I swing at it, it's not out of disrespect. That rule doesn't make any sense. If he wants me to take a pitch, he should throw it out of the zone. Then he'll get his "respect".

Four years ago the Dodgers hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs (that's four in succession if you got lost lol) and they did so on five pitches. I don't remember which player it was that saw two pitches in the at-bat, but whether they took it or swung at it, somewhere in that mess there were at least three home runs on three pitches. That was in the ninth inning and tied the game at 9, and in extras the very next inning they walked off with yet another home run. They would not have won this game had it not been for their "disrespect" for the Padres' pitcher.

Again, this unwritten rule is nonexistent.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

Four years ago the Dodgers hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs (that's four in succession if you got lost lol) and they did so on five pitches. I don't remember which player it was that saw two pitches in the at-bat, but whether they took it or swung at it, somewhere in that mess there were at least three home runs on three pitches. That was in the ninth inning and tied the game at 9, and in extras the very next inning they walked off with yet another home run. They would not have won this game had it not been for their "disrespect" for the Padres' pitcher.

Again, this unwritten rule is nonexistent.

I remember that game and the home runs were hit by Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew, Russell Martin, and Marlon Anderson in that order in the inning. I don't think this rule applies because Jon Adkins gave up the two home runs to Kent and Drew, making it a 9-7 ball game. When Hoffman came in, Russell took a pitch before hitting the next one out of the park, then Anderson (the Padre-killer). The Padres went ahead and scored at the top of the tenth to take the lead after that inning was over. It was ridiculous, but no one made any mention of any disrespect by the Dodgers if there was any at all. You play to win the game and you play until the last out.

[Blzer]

Re: Baseball's Unwritten Rules & Why?

I remember that game and the home runs were hit by Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew, Russell Martin, and Marlon Anderson in that order in the inning. I don't think this rule applies because Jon Adkins gave up the two home runs to Kent and Drew, making it a 9-7 ball game. When Hoffman came in, Russell took a pitch before hitting the next one out of the park, then Anderson (the Padre-killer). The Padres went ahead and scored at the top of the tenth to take the lead after that inning was over. It was ridiculous, but no one made any mention of any disrespect by the Dodgers if there was any at all. You play to win the game and you play until the last out.

Thanks for clearing that up, I didn't remember exactly. Either way though, even if it was the same pitcher and it was four home runs on four pitches, do you really call that "showing disrespect"? I tend to call it "gaining momentum", especially if you're the home team. The crowd gets into it, the players get more spirited, and these things just tend to happen as a result.

It's like if an NBA team made two unanswered three point shots, and then a player full-courts the other team, snatches an inbounded ball, and slams it home for another two points. Even if they are playing the New Jersey Nets, I see no disrespect in this no matter what the score is.

But if you're down, this unwritten rule is completely nonexistent. You do what you can to score and win.