Old-time unwritten rules in baseball

**The Miz** · 06-05-2006, 05:24 PM

This is inspired by the Orioles/Yankees game yesterday. With the Orioles up 6 runs, Corey Patterson steals second and then third. Yankee's third base coach Larry Bowa screams at him something to the effect of "Play the game the right way". Now to me, this kind of shit is so stupid. Does Bowa think a 6-run game is unwinnable? Has no major league team ever come back from that kind of deficit? Bowa must have a pretty short-term memory, because I recall just a few weeks ago his Yankees coming back from 9-0 to beat the Rangers. Now if it's 18-0, stealing 2nd and 3rd is clearly stat-padding. But in today's game, Patterson deciding to get himself into scoring position instead of staying put to obey baseball's outdated unwritten rules could be the difference in the game.

Another example came yesterday with Lastings Milledge offending the old-school guys by give high-fives to the fans as he went back to his position after hitting a 10th inning, 2 out, game-tying home run for the first of his career. Guys on his own team called him out saying that kind of thing has consequences. Why? He wasn't showing up the Giants, he wasn't disrupting play, he was simply acknowledging the fans in between innings. Football players jump into the stands and do dances or whatever after TDs, how is this any different? Because guys like Larry Bowa think because they played in the 70's that they are the authority on what young guys can and cannot do, and that "the game is supposed to be played a certain way".

Basically, I'm tired of outdated unwritten rules of baseball dictating everything. I know several people who don't like baseball who describe the players as robots. I think it'd be great for the game if there was more fan interaction, there are plenty of things you can do to get the fans excited without showing up the other team. You don't have to pull a TO and grab the ball and run to the mound and pose but it wouldn't hurt if these guys showed more personality.

And I'm tired of guys being afraid to keep trying to win at the risk of being beaned next at-bat. As a Mariners fan I know all too well, the Indians proved 5 years ago that even a 12-run lead is not safe.

Fuck old baseball geezers who preach "playing the game it was meant to be played", and fuck Larry Bowa. Its time to move on

06-05-2006, 05:24 PM	#1
The Miz Clutch Poster Posts: 11,997	Old-time unwritten rules in baseball This is inspired by the Orioles/Yankees game yesterday. With the Orioles up 6 runs, Corey Patterson steals second and then third. Yankee's third base coach Larry Bowa screams at him something to the effect of "Play the game the right way". Now to me, this kind of shit is so stupid. Does Bowa think a 6-run game is unwinnable? Has no major league team ever come back from that kind of deficit? Bowa must have a pretty short-term memory, because I recall just a few weeks ago his Yankees coming back from 9-0 to beat the Rangers. Now if it's 18-0, stealing 2nd and 3rd is clearly stat-padding. But in today's game, Patterson deciding to get himself into scoring position instead of staying put to obey baseball's outdated unwritten rules could be the difference in the game. Another example came yesterday with Lastings Milledge offending the old-school guys by give high-fives to the fans as he went back to his position after hitting a 10th inning, 2 out, game-tying home run for the first of his career. Guys on his own team called him out saying that kind of thing has consequences. Why? He wasn't showing up the Giants, he wasn't disrupting play, he was simply acknowledging the fans in between innings. Football players jump into the stands and do dances or whatever after TDs, how is this any different? Because guys like Larry Bowa think because they played in the 70's that they are the authority on what young guys can and cannot do, and that "the game is supposed to be played a certain way". Basically, I'm tired of outdated unwritten rules of baseball dictating everything. I know several people who don't like baseball who describe the players as robots. I think it'd be great for the game if there was more fan interaction, there are plenty of things you can do to get the fans excited without showing up the other team. You don't have to pull a TO and grab the ball and run to the mound and pose but it wouldn't hurt if these guys showed more personality. And I'm tired of guys being afraid to keep trying to win at the risk of being beaned next at-bat. As a Mariners fan I know all too well, the Indians proved 5 years ago that even a 12-run lead is not safe. Fuck old baseball geezers who preach "playing the game it was meant to be played", and fuck Larry Bowa. Its time to move on p Last edited by The Miz; 06-05-2006 at 06:28 PM.