Major League Baseball has gone soft on its interpretation of the rules of the game.  Baseball, for all intents and purposes, has not changed its rules in over 30 years.  This comes as a stark contrast to other sports such as basketball and football that are constantly evolving their rules which inevitably allows the calls made by the ref’s and officials to impact the outcome of the game a little bit more.

In baseball, there are really only a limited amount of calls that can be made by the umpiring crew.  Balls, Strikes, Outs, Home Runs, Ground Rules, etc.  Although balls and strikes have a written definition (Width of the plate from the letters of the jersey to the knees) each strike zone is individualized to the umpire who is behind the plate in a particular game.  The “Rules” I am referring to the unwritten rules.  No showboating after a big home run, no bunting to break up a no-hitter in the 8^th inning, no stealing bases when your team is up by a lot in the late innings.

The Unwritten Rules of Baseball

These unwritten rules are not up to the umpiring crew to enforce, but have almost always been left up to the players themselves.  Times were, if you hit a home run and walked around the bases, you could expect a fastball in your back the next time you stepped up to the plate.  Nowadays, if the umpire deems your hitting of the batter “intentional” that becomes grounds for possible ejection and eventual suspension from league officials.

Baseball, more than any other sport, is a game full of pride, steeped in tradition, and governed by the unwritten rules of the players.  When the umpires and league officials begin to step in and police that themselves, it takes away a big part of the game that I have come to love.  A major reason that home run numbers are up over the past few years (Besides Steroids) and that pitcher’s ERA’s are through the roof, is that the league is taking away some of the intimidation factor that pitchers once had.  Batters are now allowed to crowd the plate because they know that the pitchers are afraid to throw inside because of the risk of ejection and suspension.  Although the rules of the game are the same, the strategies are changing because of poor interpretation of some of the game’s rules.  Baseball is one of the only sports that attempts to judge “intent” when making calls on the field.  There is no rule in baseball that says you are not allowed to hit a batter, there is a consequence for hitting him in that he is awarded first base, but that’s written into the rules.

Impossible to Officiate?

Imagine that basketball, for instance, started officiating based on intent.  We would never see another free throw again! In the NFL, it would be the same way.  Except in rare cases, no offensive lineman really “means” to hold the opposing player’s jersey, but it happens.  All the technological advancements used in officiating today will never be able to properly judge the intent of a player, but yet that is what is driving most of the ejections and suspensions of players in the game of baseball today.

I am not calling for removing all rights of an umpire when it comes to ejecting players, there comes a point when the safety of the players supersedes any of the written rules.  All I am asking for is some consideration for the pitchers and the players who thrive on strategy and mental fortitude to be able to play the game the best way that they can.  If that means plunking a few players to get them to back off the plate, then so be it.  If a punk kid straight out of the minors tries showboating or stealing signs, teach him a lesson.  Let’s protect the integrity of the game here.

Recent visitors to this page searched for:

More from Jock Jerseys Sports Blog

• 2007-2008 nba mvp
• Baseball Jerseys – Superstitions, Retired Numbers & More
• Buy Michael Crabtree Jersey – SF 49ers Finally Sign Wide Receiver

Jock Jerseys Sports Blog Recommends

• Is Melo all-star material?
• Post-game Avs-Canadiens
• Steroids: A Quick Shot In The Arm For Baseball