That Stinks

My favorite sport is baseball. I love it all the way from T-ball to the Big Leagues. Baseball has a pretty thick rulebook and almost as many unwritten rules. For example, if a team hits back-to-back-to-back home runs and you are the next batter, you can expect to have the pitcher throw at you even if your average is .212 and you haven't hit 10 home runs in your 10-year career.

The unwritten rules came into play last night as the Blue Jays faced the Rangers. You may need a little context. In last year's Postseason, these teams met and the Blue Jays walked off with the series on a home run by Jose Bautista. After his monster swing that launched the ball into the stands, Bautista did a humongous bat flip as he watched the ball sail away to victory.

The Rangers didn't like it. I didn't either, actually. I'm a purist. I'm old fashioned. Play the game hard and right and leave the grandstanding in, well, in the grandstands.

Typically, Bautista could expect a pitch somewhere north of his shoulders on his next at bat the next night. The only trouble is that the season was over for the Rangers so they didn't have a chance to follow the unwritten rule of settling the score. This past weekend was the first time the teams squared off since "The Bat Flip." Everyone expected something but nothing happened. Nothing happened until Bautista's last at bat against the Rangers in Arlington for the weekend series.

Here comes the pitch. High and tight. He gets hit in the ribs and takes first base. The next batter flies out to left field. Then the unwritten rules come into play again. A new pitcher faces the next batter with Bautista on first. Ground ball to third for an apparent routine 5-4-3 double play. Except Bautista, running from first and irritated by being hit by the pitch, slides hard into second. He's out but he probably didn't really care. He was sending a message to the Rangers because they had sent a message to him because of "The Bat Flip." The unwritten rules are supposed to provide a way to even the score with one team feels disrespected or something. The problem is that neither team ever feels like the issue is settled.

Rangers second basemen Rougned Odor and Bautista get in each others faces. Push. Push. Then punch! Odor landed a solid right on Bautista that knocked the helmet and sunglasses right off "The Bat Flip"-er's face. Find the video if you haven't seen it. It's pretty funny.

What I found most funny (funniest…) is the was Mr. Bat Flip began to backpedal when Odor flipped his hat and glasses to the dirt. Watch the video of "The Bat Flip" and you'll notice a definite difference in the facial expression from then and last night.

Anyway, the unwritten rules - aren't rules supposed to regulate play? - seem to have disrupted good baseball.

One, Bautista was out of line, in my opinion, with the demonstrative bat flip.

Two, the Rangers probably should not have beaned Bautista seven months after "The Bat Flip."

Third, Bautista should not have slid into second quite like he did. It looks like he's more interested in retribution that breaking up a double play.

Fourth, Odor should have been the mature one and smiled as he walked off the field. Double play, inning over.

Fifth, 50 players, two coaching staffs, and 40,000 fans should have let it end without the melee.

Sixth, Bautista should thank Beltre for pulling him out of harms way.

Sixth, play hard and play right. Anything else stinks.