Unwritten Rules, Joe West, Tim Anderson, etc. Thread

[thezing1 1,813]

Hey all, 

I know the Anderson suspension is going to get a lot of emotion and reaction. Let's keep the discussion here about all things related to it and keep the Anderson thread about Anderson and his fantasy stuff this season. I know this isn't a fantasy related thread, so it might just be a short term vent thread...or it might just get deleted in a minute. 

[The 7th Beatles 15,747]

[abachar 114]

I'm all for allowing players to have more fun, but screaming that much and a Jose Bautista bat-flip in a situation that is not a late-inning, deciding HR in an elimination game, but a mid-inning HR during an afternoon game against the Royals in April deserves a beaning

[jfazz23 2,530]

anyone got a video? i missed it

[Flyman75 5,076]

I’m not mad at Anderson flipping his bat like that. But, if I were Keller, I would have planted one in his ribs, too...as would most of the competitive, prideful guys on this forum. Flipping to his dugout or not, he blatantly showed up Keller. So I don’t blame Keller at all. 

I did notice that at least Mr. Anderson was smart enough not to charge the mound, you know, with 6’5”, 230 Keller there waiting on him and all. Haha!! 

[The 7th Beatles 15,747]

Edited April 19, 2019 by The 7th Beatles

[Cmilne23 10,559]

1 minute ago, Flyman75 said:

I’m not mad at Anderson flipping his bat like that. But, if I were Keller, I would have planted one in his ribs, too...as would most of the competitive, prideful guys on this forum. Flipping to his dugout or not, he blatantly showed up Keller. So I don’t blame Keller at all. 

I did notice that at least Mr. Anderson was smart enough not to charge the mound, you know, with 6’5”, 230 Keller there waiting on him and all. Haha!! 

Keller showed himself up when he piped the juiciest center cut meatball he had in his arsenal.  He wasn’t mad at the bat flip, he was mad some dude deposited it 400+ feet on his awful pitch.  Pitch better and guys won’t bat flip ya.

[Flyman75 5,076]

1 minute ago, Cmilne23 said:

Keller showed himself up when he piped the juiciest center cut meatball he had in his arsenal.  He wasn’t mad at the bat flip, he was mad some dude deposited it 400+ feet on his awful pitch.  Pitch better and guys won’t bat flip ya.

 

Easy to say but but completely impractical. Every pitcher gives up homers, no matter how elite they are. 

[ToO_BaD 2,203]

10 minutes ago, jfazz23 said:

anyone got a video? i missed it

 

[FantasyGeek2018 461]

Hit Anderson in the face next time he is up and he won't be bat flipping ya also.

[Theoneupper 1,873]

Just now, ToO_BaD said:

 

I think this ones a bit watered down. 

[taobball 7,483]

1 minute ago, abachar said:

I'm all for allowing players to have more fun, but screaming that much and a Jose Bautista bat-flip in a situation that is not a late-inning, deciding HR in an elimination game, but a mid-inning HR during an afternoon game against the Royals in April deserves a beaning

Just... no. That's freaking nonsense.

 

This thread shouldn't exist. I'm going to get too angry with bad opinions. Because the idea that "beaning" should be acceptable in any sport is asinine.

 

People ask me why I take this seriously and I'll be upfront here since this thread exists and then I'll probably dip out: Because I'm 23. And I love baseball. And I want to lvoe baseball for the next fifty years. But you know what? This sport needs to make sure that it isn't dwindling even more than it is now. People have more alternatives than they ever have before. ESPORTS. You don't ahve to like them, but that alone should shoot fear into the veins of any long-term baseball fan. "Old School" people, I love ya, but you aren't creating NEW fans. NEW fans are all that matters. And the sport is less-approachable when it has horrendous attitudes like this one. Throwing projectiles at humans on purpose is assault. I don't care if anyone wants to try and drag me into an argument about that. I really don't.  It's ******** assault. Plain and simple. No doubt. 

 

And Bat-Flips! Oh my god. how did we EVER vilify something so harshly? The Bat-Flip is the most innocuous ******** celebration in pro sports. It's a wrist flick! WHO. THE HELL. CARES? We've perverted the concept of bat flips into something that, any observer OUTSIDE of baseball, would go... "Wait... that? People are mad at that?" My roommate is a huge football and sports fan but not a baseball fan, and I love using him as a jump-off as a non-baseball fan. He cannot even comprehend the concept of this issue. It is simple to virtually everyone outside of the sport: Beaning is stupid, Bat-Flips are innocuous and... kinda cool.

 

Amir Garrett put it the best: 

So anyone who faces me and hits a bomb. I expect you to admire your work lol.. but just remember when I get you back I will admire mine as well...

 

YES! SO MUCH FREAKING YES! THIS. THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS. 

 

Like who actually likes the concept of "acting like you've been there before." That's nonsense. I want people to act like what they did was epic and fun. Did anyone pay attention to the NFL last year? Called the "No-Fun-League" for years? Finally decides to allow celebrations and guess what? IT WAS ******** AWESOME. Team celebrations were AWESOME. Turnover celebrations and TD celebrations were AWESOME. I've said it before. I don't JUST want Bat Flips. I want Grand Slams where all four batters wait to cross home plate together and do a coordinated dance accross. f--- IT. ITS FUN. GET OVER YOURSELVES. 

 

I love the Old School. But even if I *liked* that version of the game more, like I like the no-DH more, there is a reality. The game is less approachable when it is being "old school." And unless you want baseball to be the 15th most popular sport behind 9 ESports in 25 Years, you "Old School" people need to realize that sacrifices are necessary for what's good for the game, and getting new fans, and sustaining the game into the next generation. 

 

And don't a single person get me started on this bull**** about being a "role model." I better not see a single Jose Reyes or Addison Russell or Kareem Hunt in my sports then, and you better be complaining about them every day of your life if you want to tell me that I should care at all about the "Role Model" that Tim Anderson is. Please.

 

I don't wanna make another reply, but often feel compelled to. That said.

 

Cheers. i'm out. 

[thezing1 1,813]

Here is my take. I think the "unwritten" rules get misinterpreted quite a bit. It is like anything that spans generations, they need to be adapted to the current times. All along the way the "unwritten rules" were about respect and what happens when you disrespect someone. 

I think the rules need to be adapted to today's culture and standards and those that oppose that have to kind of fall in line because it isn't about their generation any longer. The line of respect/disrespect is far different with the current generation than 1 or 2 generations ago. I am not saying one is better than the other, they are just different. The only instance I have seen of disrespect so far this season is Derek Dietrich.  Anderson hit a HR and got stoked on it and made his pass around the bases in a timely manner. If Keller didn't like it, pitch better. If Keller is upset, well, you are an adult so deal with it. If Dozier was so upset then he had his chance to act like a "man" when Tim rounded the bases. 

End of the day, baseball is hopeless here. They just don't get the new generation because they don't really want to. They think a pitch clock is the answer. Or taking away a mound visit. At the end of the day it is just sterile compared to other sports.

What's my solution...so glad you asked...My solution is simple. Hockey fight rules. Pitcher wants revenge for disrespect then you can't get a catcher, first and third basemen to tackle a hitter after you bean them. If a batter goes Derek Dietrich on you and you want revenge, then plunk him and throw down if you both agree to throw down and as soon as 1 person is hurt it is over. If a batter knows they were out of line and the bean ball was proper (legs or ribs) then just go to first and the issue is dead. If a batter feels they were beaned on purpose the pitcher can decline the fight if it got away from them and they don't want to fight. This isn't about fighting or assault, this is just about limiting a pitcher's ability to throw 95 at someone with no really repercussions. If there is a feud between players that don't want to fight it will basically turn into a dance off after every hit or out. That isn't the worst outcome. 

[High&Inside 1,304]

12 minutes ago, Flyman75 said:

I’m not mad at Anderson flipping his bat like that. But, if I were Keller, I would have planted one in his ribs, too...as would most of the competitive, prideful guys on this forum

Personally, I don't see throwing a baseball at someone standing still as showcasing competitiveness and pride. 

To me it showcases insecurity, lack of confidence, and a lack of belief in your own skill set. The competitive move would have been to attempt to strike out Anderson in the next at bat. 

Edited April 19, 2019 by High&Inside

[taobball 7,483]

9 minutes ago, Flyman75 said:

 

Easy to say but but completely impractical. Every pitcher gives up homers, no matter how elite they are. 

 

It's not. If a pitcher thinks that he's more mad at the bat-flip then his own lack of execution, he's being childish. 

[FantasyGeek2018 461]

And a bat flipper better be fine with a pitcher doing cartwheels around the infield if he strikes him out.

[taobball 7,483]

6 minutes ago, High&Inside said:

Personally, I don't see throwing a baseball at someone standing still as showcasing competitiveness and pride. 

To me it showcases insecurity, lack of confidence, and a lack of belief in your own skill set. The competitive move would have been to attempt to strike out Anderson in the next at bat. 

 

[WahooManiac 2,002]

I can't stand that jawing and bat flipping get treated like it's some new thing.  These supposed old school guys did all this,  and worse,  when they played.  And now act like it's a millennial thing.  There's enough about millennials to complain about,  let's not falsely add to it.  

 

Should Gibby not have fist pumped vs Eck? The Babe not jawed while allegedly calling his shot? 

 

I heard Rod Allen complain about it last year.  Same guy chased a pitcher into center field with murder on his mind when he played in Japan.  (An awesomely hilarious video btw) 

 

Not only is this argument tired and dumb,  it's beyond hypocritical.  

[The Big Bat Theory 7,537]

30 minutes ago, abachar said:

I'm all for allowing players to have more fun, but screaming that much and a Jose Bautista bat-flip in a situation that is not a late-inning, deciding HR in an elimination game, but a mid-inning HR during an afternoon game against the Royals in April deserves a beaning

Definition:

Quote

"Beanball" is a colloquialism used in baseball, for a ball thrown at an opposing player with the intention of striking them such as to cause harm, often connoting a throw at the player's head (or "bean" in old-fashioned slang). A pitcher who throws beanballs often is known as a "headhunter".

Really?  You want to injure a player for flipping a bat.  Not throwing a bat at you, mind.  Just flipping a bat.  Why?  It makes no sense at all.  Suck it up and strike him out the next time out and quit being a baby.

I love these moments.  Gibby fist pumping Eck.  And Eck did a lot of fist pumping in his day too.  It's fun and good for the game.

Edited April 19, 2019 by The Big Bat Theory

[Hanghow 447]

5 minutes ago, WahooManiac said:

I can't stand that jawing and bat flipping get treated like it's some new thing.  These supposed old school guys did all this,  and worse,  when they played.  And now act like it's a millennial thing.  There's enough about millennials to complain about,  let's not falsely add to it. 

This old vs. new thing is kind of BS, anyway. How old are Jose Urena, Brad Keller, or Chris Archer? The internet tells us this is old people vs. young people when it's not. Joe West didn't throw at Anderson; Keller did. We're just constantly told people belong in demographic camps even when there's tons of overlap.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Hanghow

[JCD 259]

6 minutes ago, thezing1 said:

What's my solution...Hockey fight rules.

 

Yeah. All teams should have a designated fighter, and when a problem such as this occurs, they would fight a pinfall no disqualification cage match.
It would start with Michael Buffer's let's get ready to rumble, while teams would leave the field, and there would be a 2 minute cage fight.

[treat88 615]

I think there are many reasons for the pitcher to establish the inside part of the plate and to do it aggressively enough that batters will be hit, possibly even intentionally on occasion.

None of those reasons have to do with bat flips or celebrating a homerun or having fun playing the game.

 

[Members_Only_76 7,283]

I played sports many many years. I'm as competitive as they come.

 

In football we used to say "let your pads do the talking".....So pitchers, "let your pitching do the talking", and batters "let your hitting/running/fielding do the talking".  

 

Sure have some fun, talk some smack if you like. Show boat (respectfully) a little and enjoy it. But earn it and back it up.

 

110% a pitcher should NEVER throw with the intention of hitting a batter. PERIOD.

 

Dust him off the plate with an inside pitch....an INSIDE pitch, not an intentional HBP. If you truly miss and hit him, so be it...that's a HBP and it happens from time to time.

 

my 2 cents

Edited April 19, 2019 by Members_Only_76

[urban2014 1,741]

 

[sjs1890 142]

2 minutes ago, urban2014 said:

 

Tim Anderson didn't do anything wrong. He didn't jaw at anyone he smashed a homer and Keller and Maldonado had their ego's hurt so they decided they should plunk him. If people think its ok to plunk batters because their ego's got hurt maybe it should also be ok for batters to throw their bats at the pitchers.