Bert's comments/ Unwritten rules.

[Mr. Brooks]

I guess I don't understand the logic behind throwing at someone for stealing a base in a 7-1 game, especially when you are not even holding them on.

It's not like it was a 15 run lead. After all, the Twins did leave the bases loaded twice after that inning, including once with 0 outs, so it could have quite easily still ended up a very close game.

Where does this attitude come from that a player should stop doing his job because they are winning?

Speed and base-running is a big part of Rajai Davis' game. It seems hypocritical to me to say that he should abandon a large part of his game because of the score.

Would Bert ever stop throwing his curveball, just because he's up by 6 runs? Of course not. He's going to do whatever he can to the best of his abilities to get the hitter out, regardless of the score, because that is his job.

Just as it is Rajai Davis' job to do whatever he can to the best of his abilities to get on base, and find a way to come around and score.

 

I guess I just don't understand the "old school", dumb "unwritten rules" of baseball.

I lost a lot of respect for Bert last night. Something tells me that if it were Mastrionni or Florimon or some other Twins player that had done the same thing, Dick and Bert would have been applauding him for making a "heads up" "hustle" play with the defense not holding the runner.

[Mike Sixel]

Agreed, they are stupid rules. If they don't want to keep playing the game, walk off the field. Otherwise, everything is in play.

[TheLeviathan]

Unwritten rules are absolutely the worst thing about baseball.

[Winston Smith]

The 5 worst unwritten rules IMO:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

[Mike Sixel]

The 5 worst unwritten rules IMO:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

Today's winner of the internet!

[Brock Beauchamp]

The 5 worst unwritten rules IMO:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

Fantastic.

[IdahoPilgrim]

I can't speak for what happened last night as I wasn't watching the Twins - I was at the East Idaho State Fair watching a demolition derby (which come to think of it sounds similar to what happened last night with the Twins) - but here's my take on this whole topic of unwritten rules, for what it's worth.

 

For me it all boils down to sportsmanship. Yes, we always play hard, but when the game is out of reach and pretty much guaranteed there's no need to kick the other team when they're down. One of the classiest moves I saw in sports was at a hockey game. The home team was ahead by 5 goals with about 4 minutes left in the game. Yes, a comeback is still theoretically possible but in practice it wasn't going to happen. One of our guys intercepted a pass and had a clear breakaway on the away team goal. Instead of taking it down and trying to score, he dumped it off into the far corner and got back on defense. In my mind it was classy because the goal would have been completely meaningless and would only have served to embarrass the other team.

 

It's the same idea that you don't go for two in football when you're already up by 35. And you don't keep bombing 3-pointers in basketball when you're up by thirty late in the 4th quarter.

 

To me, that's what any "unwritten rules" are all about - class and sportsmanship. Winning is one thing. Pushing someone's face in the dirt and grinding it around is another.

 

Again, I don't know the situation last night, but if it was a case where Toronto was comfortably ahead and the game was out of hand and somebody saw the need to steal a base anyway, then, as much as it might be technically right, it's not a very classy move.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Brad Swanson]

Personally, I don't think baseball can be compared to other sports that use time as an endpoint. In baseball, it's about outs and not making outs. If the Twins didn't want Davis to steal, they should have held him on at first to give them a better chance to throw him out if he did try to steal.

 

The Yankees were up 8-3 in the 7th on the Red Sox the prior evening and they lost 12-8. If you stop trying to score runs when ahead, what happens when you need runs later?

 

I also dislike the concept of the unwritten rules because a violation is basically always "punished" with someone throwing a really hard, dangerous object at another human being. It's hard for me to rally around sportsmanship when that act is the penalty.

[TheLeviathan]

These are professionals, if you don't want someone to steal a base on you - throw them out. You don't solve that by beaning someone in the hip.

 

The truly classless part is the bad sportsmanship in being beat. Get better and stop the other team, stop whining about it and using a truly classless move (beaning someone) to change it.

[Guest USAFChief]

Unwritten rules have existed in every job or organization I've ever been part of. They exist in my church, my bowling league, and in my household. In most cases, they help maintain an environment that functions better over the long haul, even if sometimes their application results in short term disagreements.

 

i don't know for sure, of course, but instinct tells me pro baseball is no different.

[TheLeviathan]

Unwritten rules have existed in every job or organization I've ever been part of. They exist in my church, my bowling league, and in my household. In most cases, they help maintain an environment that functions better over the long haul, even if sometimes their application results in short term disagreements.

 

i don't know for sure, of course, but instinct tells me pro baseball is no different.

 

That's true Chief, but I think baseball players take enforcement of them and offense to them far more seriously than we see in other settings.

[Mike Sixel]

We do not throw weapons at each other at my work......

[Guest USAFChief]

That's true Chief, but I think baseball players take enforcement of them and offense to them far more seriously than we see in other settings.

And that's true as well. It's also true I didn't see yesterday's game so I'm not in any position to comment on the specifics in this case.

We do not throw weapons at each other at my work......

True as well, although in the case of my household, a few frying pans may or may not have been launched over the decades...

[TheLeviathan]

True as well, although in the case of my household, a few frying pans may or may not have been launched over the decades...

 

I believe all of us married guys have been there before.....

 

The parallels to other work places gets pretty comical if you approach the same way baseball players do. Hurl a stapler at someone for not replacing the paper in the copy machine. You put your paperwork in the wrong order so someone dumps the water cooler on you. Etc.

 

I'd have a lot more respect for unwritten rules if the fury players felt over it reflected in defeating the other team on the scoreboard rather than giving them a few bruises because they're a bunch of meanies.

[h2oface]

Buying into unwritten rules is a coward's lament. This magnifies if one is dealing with a position of trust, such as the church or law enforcement or has a fiduciary responsibility .......... or in baseball. There is nothing more cowardly in baseball than intentionally trying to hit a batter, except maybe Juan Marichal hitting Johnny Roseboro in the head with his bat, or Delmon Young hitting the umpire with his bat.

[stringer bell]

The Toronto manager is giving Bert cover by saying he shouldn't have run. I want to know why the Twins weren't holding him. It was 7-1, not 14-3, and it was only the 7th (8th?) inning. Plenty of time for the Twins to rally, if they were so inclined.

[diehardtwinsfan]

At 7-1, the game is pretty much out of reach. That said, as long as the losing team is playing hard, I have nothing against the winning team from playing hard too. If they've given up, fine. But I don't see how any unwritten rule comes into play when the losing team is still trying to win.

 

And baseball isn't the only place this happens. A few years back a couple of Cowboys were whining when Farve shoved a late game TD pass through their defense. Of course, they were still trying to win, so quite frankly, I had no problems with him slamming the door on them.

[twinsnorth49]

For me it all boils down to sportsmanship. Yes, we always play hard, but when the game is out of reach and pretty much guaranteed there's no need to kick the other team when they're down. One of the classiest moves I saw in sports was at a hockey game. The home team was ahead by 5 goals with about 4 minutes left in the game. Yes, a comeback is still theoretically possible but in practice it wasn't going to happen. One of our guys intercepted a pass and had a clear breakaway on the away team goal. Instead of taking it down and trying to score, he dumped it off into the far corner and got back on defense. In my mind it was classy because the goal would have been completely meaningless and would only have served to embarrass the other team.

 

It's the same idea that you don't go for two in football when you're already up by 35. And you don't keep bombing 3-pointers in basketball when you're up by thirty late in the 4th quarter.

 

To me, that's what any "unwritten rules" are all about - class and sportsmanship. Winning is one thing. Pushing someone's face in the dirt and grinding it around is another.

 

Again, I don't know the situation last night, but if it was a case where Toronto was comfortably ahead and the game was out of hand and somebody saw the need to steal a base anyway, then, as much as it might be technically right, it's not a very classy move.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Brett Beliema missed that class.

 

[video=youtube;NFlRIBlyIrw]

[twinsnorth49]

You guys shoud read this book, fascinating and head shakingly senseless at the same time. Not flattering to the overall IQ of baseball.

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BOb3%2B3hNL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg

[Roaddog]

It comes down to sportsmanship. If your up by 7 in the eighth and you're stealing bases, that is poor sportsmanship. That is what gets other players hurt, and why take a chance when you are up.

[Marta Shearing]

Im an old school baseball guy and I love the unwritten rules. Why? For one thing, the game was better in the 70's and 80's than it is now.

[Boom Boom]

I find it ironic that, in baseball, sportsmanship is maintained by throwing at batters.

[mnfireman]

This argument right here is what is wrong with baseball today. Unwritten rules are the glue of this game. Hit a homerun, get some chin music your next at bat. Hit our guy, your guy gets hit next inning. Showboat a HR, here comes some chin music. Up by 4 or 5 late, no stolen bases, no trying for first to third or scoring from second on a single, no hard slides. Today's game is all about "me" and trying to get paid. I'll take 70's & 80's baseball any day.

[ThePuck]

This argument right here is what is wrong with baseball today. Unwritten rules are the glue of this game. Hit a homerun, get some chin music your next at bat. Hit our guy, your guy gets hit next inning. Showboat a HR, here comes some chin music. Up by 4 or 5 late, no stolen bases, no trying for first to third or scoring from second on a single, no hard slides. Today's game is all about "me" and trying to get paid. I'll take 70's & 80's baseball any day.

 

All that stuff you mentioned has been happening in the game for a very long time...even the glory days of the 70s and 80s.

[mnfireman]

All that stuff you mentioned has been happening in the game for a very long time...even the glory days of the 70s and 80s.

 

Yeah but Reggie Jackson just made it seem like everyone was doing it>

[Seth Stohs]

I don't think I'll ever agree with going up and in on a hitter for any reason. I don't like that. Pitchers have to throw inside, but around the head is never necessary.

 

I 100% agree with Blue Jays manager John Gibbons ripping into Rajai Davis for taking 2nd base there, with a 6-7 run lead in the late innings. There are many unwritten rules and some of them are dumb, but others do make sense. Not running when you're up by a huge amount in the late innings is one I agree with.

 

And, yes, if it had been reversed and Florimon or some Twins player would have done the same thing, Blyleven would have been all over him too. No question about it.

[TheLeviathan]

I find it ironic that, in baseball, sportsmanship is maintained by throwing at batters.

 

I also find it ironic that being a "good sport" is defined as basically treating the other team as a bunch of pathetic no-talents and ceasing to play the game.

[Major League Ready]

I also find it ironic that being a "good sport" is defined as basically treating the other team as a bunch of pathetic no-talents and ceasing to play the game.

 

Now you are just ignoring logic and the arguments made by the other side of this debate . If the worst team in baseball was up 7-1 on the best team the Yankees ever assembled, they would show the same courtesy. I find it ironic that anyone would find fault in showing respect for your opponent but times have changed. We are now a me instead of we oriented society.

[Mike Sixel]

Even though the Yankees lost when up by 6 late in teh game? The game is still being played, keep playing the game.

 

Throwing a weapon at someone because they hit a HR? that's immature and pathetic. The guy did his job, you did not, so your idea is to throw a ball at him? Ridiculous.

[twinsnorth49]

Now you are just ignoring logic and the arguments made by the other side of this debate . If the worst team in baseball was up 7-1 on the best team the Yankees ever assembled, they would show the same courtesy. I find it ironic that anyone would find fault in showing respect for your opponent but times have changed. We are now a me instead of we oriented society.

 

We're talking about professional sports, there is no, nor should there be, some kind of mercy rule or some unwritten "sportsmanship" rule.

 

Seriously? If you're getting beat that bad at this level, take your lumps, get your act together and come back at them the next time, or quit.

 

Throwing a 5 1/4 ounce rock hard ball at someone travelling 90mph makes you look like even more of a loser.