And now, a few more MLB unwritten rules. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Obviously, there are other unwritten rules, some of them covered by Mather. Let’s consider a couple of them.
Honestly, they’re all fairly silly, considering that baseball, after all, is entertainment, but here’s one: “Don’t flip your bat or otherwise preen after a home run”?
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Cut it out. When did this one hit the MLB unwritten rules list? Players have been doing this for 20 years. If it upsets a pitcher, he can buzz the next guy.
I believe Nolan Ryan is still alive, and he’d approve. Any pitcher can send such a warning. And all of them throw 98 now since speed is now measured as the ball is released instead of at the plate.
Another? “Don’t watch your homers land, and circle the bases quickly.” Mather brilliantly chooses the absolute best example of this rule’s violation. “Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies took 34 seconds to get around the bags in a game against the Mets in 2019, the slowest time in five years, according to Statcast.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m personally delighted Statcast tracks this vital statistic.
What I’m even happier about, however, is that Hoskins’ opponent, Jacob Rhame of the Mets, reacted like an adult after Hoskins’ lengthy trot. He said, “He got me. If I make a better pitch, he doesn’t get to run the bases.”
No, wait. Check that. Rhame acted like a professional.
Those who saw Hoskins’ trot live likely found it pretty funny in an odd way, though some may not have understood it. Most Phillies fans knew Rhame had thrown at the Phillies first baseman the night before – twice.
But once Hoskins reached home, that was that. It was over except for a journalist’s question, which Rhame handled.
As indicated, all of this is nonsense. Right now, the only one of the MLB unwritten rules that counts is: Don’t infect anybody.
As I type this, there are reports of at least one Mets player and a team staff member being infected.