ImageAccording to the Baseball Gods; you can steal bases, you can throw junk pitches, you can even slide hard - but, Alex Rodriguez, you can't knock the ball out of the other guys glove hoping the umpire doesn't see it.
That's cheating.
Tonight at Rogers Centre with a Blue Full Moon overhead (infoplease.com), Howie Clark is camped under a easy pop-up to end the eighth, in a one run game. Alex Rodriguez is sauntering by, on his way to third - going through the motions. Howie Clark knows shortstop John McDonald is right behind him - and he knows it's the shortstops ball if he calls it.
All of a sudden Clark dives out of the way, the ball drops, a run scores...
Then John McDonald goes ballistic on Alex Rodriguez who's now standing on third.
You don't do that in baseball - because two players running to a high struck ball, blind with their eyes on the ball, are in a MOST perilous position. A system of protocols is in place, on every play, so that nobody is injured in a collision.
So... no one on the field of play crosses that line; you don't trick the other guy by saying 'I got it' as you run by - it’s DANGEROUS.
That's cheating - twice.
Alex Rodriguez Is A Cheater.
mh
There's no honor in baseball, it's not Cricket for Chrissake! All's fair. Baseball's all about "cheating". They've made rules against some of it: vaseline or spit on the ball as a pitcher, for example. But for the most part, you can do whatever it takes to win. (and I'm not talkin' steroids) A firstbaseman hides the ball in his glove after a conference on the mound and picks a guy off... that's clever. But A-Rod is a cheater for yelling something? Come off it! I hate A-Rod and the Yanks more than most, but really... put some perspective on it. If it was some scrub that did it? No airplay. period.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThe reason I started with the earlier cheat, in the American League Series a couple of years back, is because it establishes a pattern.
I haven't said A-Rod is a cheater since the incident in Boston, where he clearly did cheat.
I repeat it now because now he's got a history.
mh
This is a tough one. But baseball has always seen this sort of stuff. What about players who secretly keep the ball in their gloves pretending to throw it to the pitcher? The unsuspecting base runner (or sucker in this case) thnks he's in the clear, takes his lead and gets tagged out. Bad News Bears or not, we see this in the pros. In baseball (and life) you need to be attentive.
ReplyDeleteEven in soccer and hockey we see it. The opposing, trailing player will clap his hands or shout out 'man-on' in soccer to try and fool the bal carrier in front. In hockey they tap the stick on the ice.
But what a sweet swing A-Rod has.
Commentator: thanks for the post, interesting.
ReplyDelete"WKRP's Les Nessman" offered the postulate,
"What about players who secretly keep the ball in their gloves pretending to throw it to the pitcher? The unsuspecting base runner (or sucker in this case) thinks he's in the clear, takes his lead and gets tagged out."
But don't forget the 'yang' of that rule - the pitcher can't step on the rubber with out the ball in his glove. If he does, it's a balk, and the umpire sends the base runner to second base.
Good base-runners (not, The Bad News Bears) know not to step off the bag until the pitcher steps on the rubber.
What's the yang rule that protects outfielders from hurting each other in collision?
Back to my original point?
mh
How can somebody cheat in baseball? wouldnt the umpire see it? even if they do cheat who cares. just leave them alone. they get picked on and humiliated enough from the crowd and news reporters. what u guys are doing isnt helping.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am a news reporter, I am also a player.
ReplyDeleteIn both cases what Rodriguez did wouldn't stand in the co-ed slow pitch leagues I play in. The league I play in police themselves, we don't hire umpires and the commissioners doesn't make rulings unless they have to... With plays like that, Rodrequez would probably not have been invited back by his team mates the next year.
What is, or is not seen as acceptable baseball etiquette is flexible I'll give you that - but that's the way I see it anyway. :)
mh