The shit that went down yesterday with the Angels, and more specifically how it went down, is why I bristle at people bagging on "Old School" and "Unwritten Rules"...
A week or two ago, Upton gets domed by Lorenzen..."slick ball"...OK, it happens, it is slick, and everybody is trying to throw the living shit out of it, which leads to arm-side-up-misses, with lateral movement.
On Saturday, Ohtani gets buzzed (disclaimer, didn't see it), then, in a 2 run game in the 9th, a pitcher just off the IL struggling with command, buzzes Trout...Pro Tip: He's not trying to put a runner on to bring the tying run to the plate...Trout is not happy (understandable), and a bunch of shit is talked, dugout-to dugout, post-game.
This is what makes my blood boil...Nevin, post-game Saturday, "scratches" his starter for an opener...Servais et.al, KNEW what was coming...
I'm OK with Julio getting buzzed, (I am old school, an eye for an eye) although behind the head is a no-no...HERE is where it disintegrates...
Hitting Winker, with the scheduled starter warming up in the pen is beyond bush league, and Nevin needs 10 games at least, and a heavy fine.
The opener threw at Rodriguez, missed, but the message was sent..."You buzz our guy, we buzz your guy"...OK, even-Steven.
You DO NOT get multiple shots...one and done. IRON LAW
As a former RHP, I've hit LH Hitters with fastballs...every time I did, it was on purpose. Period. If I wanted to drill a guy and not make it obvious, throw a slider and try to break his cup.
If you're still reading, let's check the "scoreboard"...M's-2 guys drilled, one in the head, one pitch behind the head. Angles-NOBODY drilled, 2 up and in...
For years, good umpires that know the game and what's going on, will let the "Drillee's" team take one shot to get even before putting in the warning...one shot, no more...that is protecting your hitters, that is Old School.
I hate that the prevailing winds of "we hit your guy, so what?", you hit their guy to even it, and they retaliate for the retaliation...the unwritten rules prevented it, and justice was swift in the day. Pitchers and hitters getting in fights in the dugout because he drills a guy that owns him, and the hitters are all thinking, "am I getting one now?".
I take the unwritten rules as gospel, and respect the consequences of throwing a ball at somebody. I got hit in the face with 92 as a 17 yo, and it pretty much was the end of me hitting. Bat flips, pimping, posing, barrel-rolling the middle infielder on DP's (gone), plowing the catcher (gone), bunting for hits and stealing bags up 6 or more...all drillable offenses, all gone now. "Let the Kids Play"...fuck that. My guy takes you deep and you drill him, one of yours is going down.
TLDR-Thanks for letting me rant, I'm going to check the mail, mow the lawn (keep the FUCK off of it!), and take a nap...
