Bush League in MLB

[Jason Harris 31]

Do we know for fact that it is an "unwritten rule" in baseball? I think your quote below from Ozzie Guillen tells us that the managers/players don't even know.

Another interesting blurb from today's Boston Globe, showing both sides of the issue, the legal versus the strategic:

That play on which Alex Rodriguez, while running the bases, said something that caused Toronto third baseman Howie Clark to back away from a popup, believing he'd heard his teammate calling for the ball? A similar play recently happened between college powerhouses Missouri and Texas, Missouri sports information director Josh Murray confirmed yesterday. Missouri catcher Trevor Coleman, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, was preparing to catch a popup when Texas base runner Nick Peoples yelled, "I got it," as he came down the line. Coleman, with his back to third, backed away, and the ball fell to the ground and bounced foul. There was a different outcome, however, than what took place in Toronto. Peoples was called out for interference by plate umpire Ken Eldridge.

"It's a good trick," Texas coach Augie Garrido later told the San Antonio Express-News. "But it's been used a lot. In the pros, they'll bean you if you try that."

[mik3 1]

Did anybody see the ESPN poll?

The ENTIRE USA voted it was acceptable, except new england.

And, how is yelling "I got it" similar to shouting HAH?

Media, care for some more straws to grasp at?

Oh, nevermind, the Boston Glove found that oh so important tidbit of information.

You'd think ARod played up there the amount of media coverage he gets.

[mack 44]

Wow, the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry used to have meaning and now it's just pathetic.

[Jason Harris 31]

Did anybody see the ESPN poll?

The ENTIRE USA voted it was acceptable, except new england.

And, how is yelling "I got it" similar to shouting HAH?

Media, care for some more straws to grasp at?

Oh, nevermind, the Boston Glove found that oh so important tidbit of information.

You'd think ARod played up there the amount of media coverage he gets.

First, you have to get beyond the fact he didn't say "Hah." It doesn't matter that he told the media that's what he said, just like it probably doesn't matter what he told his wife about the blonde. It only matters what he said at the time, and if he said "Hah", based on the formation of his lips, it was in a different language than English

Now, onto a discussion purely for intellectual debate. There is a problem with creating blue and red states, because it doesn't show the relationship within a state. After the last election, a professor blended the votes and found that virtually every state was purple, versus the Blur or Red they had been decreed. In other words, if ESPN's poll was 51%/49%, they're giving it a blue color, although admittedly the overall vote has been 57/43, so not quite half-and-half.

However, on the surface, it makes it seem New Englanders are knee jerk against A-Rod because he's on the Yankees.

(This assumes that we wouldn't have a problem with him doing this as a Mariner or a Ranger, but only as a Yankee. For some New Englanders, I can easily see this, but I didn't waste thirty minutes of my life arguing against a borderline action solely because I don't like the Spankees.)

Anyway, let's turn this around. In terms of baseball knowledge, it's generally considered that New Yorkers, Bostonians and St. Louisians (what's the right word for natives of St Louis?) are the smartest. So, if that's true, then isn't it possible that New Englanders showed superior baseball knowledge in this regard, while New Yorkers WOULD HAVE shown superior knowledge, but knee jerked because A-Rod is one of their own? ;)

The whole point is it doesn't matter what others think, or what player was involved. The question is what does one think of one player yelling to distract another player from catching the ball? For the record, I wouldn't be proud if Varitek did it.

Regarding the Globe, the only mention I saw of the incident, besides a predictable Shaughnessy article, was what I posted about the coillege game. The Denver Post was where I saw the quotes.

[mik3 1]

Too bad the video got pulled off youtube, the one from rogers sportsnet, you can clearly HEAR him just shout HAH. It was actually more of a bark. But hey, keep on those red sox beer goggles.

It's funny that the only people I've seen have a REAL problem with this more than the day after, has been red sox fans.

[Jason Harris 31]

You may be right about the Sox fans. I have no idea, because my friends and I haven't traded any emails on it.

For my part, I'm just addressing posts on a message board.

[TBLfan 25]

you know what's funny? Everyone remembers stuff like the alcs(he should have run the bitch down instead of slapping the ball) and A-Rod's play against the Sox, among other negative things. But no one ever remembers that during a series with the red sox, A-Rod was walking around in downtown and saw a boy about to get hit by a car and saved his life... It's always got to be negative.

In the meanwhile; everyone remembers King Curt and his bloody sock but no one remembers that he whines and bitches to the media all the time.

I'm not saying that A-Rod is a god sent or anything, he certainly isn't but no one ever gives him a break. Even Barry Bonds has die hard fans, while A-Rod is getting the Albert Belle treatment.

[mack 44]

I can see why they make so much about stuff like this when their actual game is forced on me by FOX. This is just painful stuff to watch. lol Bobby Abreu.

[trevor13478 1]

you know what's funny? Everyone remembers stuff like the alcs(he should have run the bitch down instead of slapping the ball) and A-Rod's play against the Sox, among other negative things. But no one ever remembers that during a series with the red sox, A-Rod was walking around in downtown and saw a boy about to get hit by a car and saved his life... It's always got to be negative.

so we should all praise the asshole millionare profesional athelete for doing something that anybody with a soul who saw this happening would (should) have done. What you do on and off the field should be kept separate, sure curt will whine off the field, but when game time rolls around he's all business, he gets his ankle stitched up and pitches. A-rod on the other hand, i will ignore his off field antics and simply speak of his on-field bitchyness, there was the ball slap and now the shout. I do not believe curt schilling has ever had an incident like this on the field. if i am wrong please remind me

[D-MaN88 0]

O'well, as another big time Red Sox fan, it doesn't really bother me one way or the other. I too did this when I played little league some years ago but I mean we're talking about A-Rod here. With Roger Clemens, "the so called Yankees Miracle" out another two weeks with a groin injury. The Yankees who are already what, 10.5 games back will just keep slipping and slipping. Let A-Rod do this, us Red Sox fans that are I guess bitching about this so much should just move forward, 10.5 games+ forward.

(Correction, 13.5 games)

[trevor13478 1]

amen

[TBLfan 25]

you know what's funny? Everyone remembers stuff like the alcs(he should have run the bitch down instead of slapping the ball) and A-Rod's play against the Sox, among other negative things. But no one ever remembers that during a series with the red sox, A-Rod was walking around in downtown and saw a boy about to get hit by a car and saved his life... It's always got to be negative.

so we should all praise the asshole millionare profesional athelete for doing something that anybody with a soul who saw this happening would (should) have done. What you do on and off the field should be kept separate, sure curt will whine off the field, but when game time rolls around he's all business, he gets his ankle stitched up and pitches. A-rod on the other hand, i will ignore his off field antics and simply speak of his on-field bitchyness, there was the ball slap and now the shout. I do not believe curt schilling has ever had an incident like this on the field. if i am wrong please remind me

Yeah, I'm sure anyone would risk their life for someone they don't know. Sure you should but people, especially "asshole millionaire professional athletes" are generally selfish and wouldn't waste their time. If it was Tito Ortiz running his fat ass in front of a truck you'd never hear the end of it.

So how would you have felt if A-Rod did what he should have done and nailed him instead, he had every right to... He decided not to and honestly, in the moment, a lot of people might have done the same thing. It was a lapse in judgement, it wasn't premeditated. And from what I heard of his scream it sounded like he said "Auuuuugh." Which you can't determine as an attempt of distraction or a scream out of frustration, personally I think he was trying to distract him. Do I agree with either of those plays? No, have most of us done something stupid in the moment? Yes.

The only reason why everything he does gets blown out of porportion is because of the Boston media(and the "we need a story" New York media) and the fact that they are sore because he's in New York and Boston didn't get the deal done before the Yankees.

[mack 44]

lol Bobby Abreu.

[mik3 1]

Bang all the strippers you want if you're going to just power that ball the other way against a decent closer in the rain.

It's going to be fun when the sox bullpen comes back to earth 'cause the Yankees own their starters.

Oh and Roger's pitching Saturday.

[Jason Harris 31]

I won't count the Yankees out, not with their resources and especially not after living through 1978, but it seems they've lacked intensity against the rest of the league this season. I understand there have been injuries, but if they don't figure how to motivate against the other teams, I don't see them making a race out of this.

The only reason why everything he does gets blown out of porportion is because of the Boston media(and the "we need a story" New York media) and the fact that they are sore because he's in New York and Boston didn't get the deal done before the Yankees.

The first place I read about the story was on MLB's website the night of the game. I read about it the next day in the Denver Post. I didn't see much about it on the Globe's website until Friday morning, which was the start of this series.

The reason everything gets blown out of proportion is A-Rod is easily the highest paid player, while playing in what is probably the largest market. ESPN talked about this ad nauseum tonight. That's not a Boston or New York slant, that's national media.

[AnthonyJTa 0]

Wow, the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry used to have meaning and now it's just pathetic.

haha... Mack, come to Boston and take a walk with me, and I'll show you how pathetic it is. Nothing like coming off an MBTA (Public Subway) stop and seeing a sea of pink Red Sox hats. Hating the Yankees is the coolest fad the Northeast has ever had. I can't even go to an AHL hockey game, or an outdoor concert without hearing a "Yankees Suck" chant... it's pathetic.

My grandfather, a Red Sox fan, and baseball purist who passed away about 8 years ago- had the utmost respect for the New York organization, and loved every game they played against one another. All sour grapes, and gimmicks nowadays if you ask my opinion....oh, and let's not forget Dropkick Murphy's songs that they didn't even write themselves.

[Thockey17 1]

With Roger Clemens, "the so called Yankees Miracle" out another two weeks with a groin injury. The Yankees who are already what, 10.5 games back will just keep slipping and slipping. Let A-Rod do this, us Red Sox fans that are I guess bitching about this so much should just move forward, 10.5 games+ forward.

Nobody is claiming Roger to be a miracle for the Yankees, sorry. However, i dont know any team that wouldnt want his help.

They certainly have to ground to make up, but they will. Im not saying they'll catch Boston, but they wont be anywhere near last place

Go ahead, get on with the Yankees bashing while you can, because everyone knows that they'll be near the top again in the near future.

[mik3 1]

With Roger Clemens, "the so called Yankees Miracle" out another two weeks with a groin injury. The Yankees who are already what, 10.5 games back will just keep slipping and slipping. Let A-Rod do this, us Red Sox fans that are I guess bitching about this so much should just move forward, 10.5 games+ forward.

Nobody is claiming Roger to be a miracle for the Yankees, sorry. However, i dont know any team that wouldnt want his help.

They certainly have to ground to make up, but they will. Im not saying they'll catch Boston, but they wont be anywhere near last place

Go ahead, get on with the Yankees bashing while you can, because everyone knows that they'll be near the top again in the near future.

Even if this year isn't a playoff year, and it's way to early to even think it won't be, then it'll help that the team has a top 5 ranked organization prospects-wise.

It won't even really go down my just based on Hughes being a major leaguer 'cause there's still about four arms that project as #1 starters.