Harold Kasselman's Blog - Posts Tagged "dodgers"
Baseball's unwritten code
Below are two timely articles about retaliation and the "unwritten code" of baseball. The articles speaks for themselves, but it is significant for a few reasons.One,the players expect some pay back for Carlos Quentin's charge to the mound against Zach Greinke, and for the pitches that hit Puig and Greineke.
Secondly, there is a recognition of how dangerous "purpose pitches" can be when they are thrown at vulnerable areas of the body.
Thirdly, there is a consensus that even a pay-back pitch must not be thrown in the neck/head area.
These issues are examined in a fictional setting in A Pitch For Justice on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/A-Pitch-for-Jus...
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Do...
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Do...
Secondly, there is a recognition of how dangerous "purpose pitches" can be when they are thrown at vulnerable areas of the body.
Thirdly, there is a consensus that even a pay-back pitch must not be thrown in the neck/head area.
These issues are examined in a fictional setting in A Pitch For Justice on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/A-Pitch-for-Jus...
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Do...
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Do...
Is violence a necessary part of sports?
The Dodgers found themselves in yet another baseball scrum last night; this time it was the divisional leading Arizona Diamondbacks. And yes Zach Greinke was front and center once again
It started when the Dodgers' star rookie, Yasiel Puig, was hit in the face by a pitch in the sixth, which led to the Dodgers and pitcher Zack Greinke to retaliate in the seventh by hitting Miguel Montero. But when Ian Kennedy sent one toward Greinke's head in the seventh, all hell broke lose with a benches-clearing brawl, and Puig was right in the middle of it.
The problem, with the attitude that this is just boys playing out the tradition of the unwritten rules of baseball, is that someone will be seriously hurt or a career will be ended.
The exception to the unwritten code of retaliation is that "purpose pitches" are not to be thrown at the neck or above. In this game Puig was hit in the face and Greinke was hit in the head.
Someone needs to grow up and realize that a baseball can be a deadly weapon even if it is not intentionally thrown at the head with a purpose to hit the head. Just trying to intimidate can lead to a recklessly caused injury.
Two lesser things came out of last night's game. One the Dodgers won. Secondly with Mattingly going all out for his players yesterday by mixing it up with Alan Trammel, he has probably saved his job for the rest of the year.
If you would like to read a novel that depicts how far escalation can go in an MLB game, read A PITCH FOR JUSTICE. The criminal justice system gets involved to make a pitcher accountable for a tragedy on the field.
http://www.amazon.com/A-Pitch-for-Jus...
Also read the below well argued dilemma for sports fans on whether violence is just an acceptable part of the game.
http://www.cortezjournal.com/article/...-
It started when the Dodgers' star rookie, Yasiel Puig, was hit in the face by a pitch in the sixth, which led to the Dodgers and pitcher Zack Greinke to retaliate in the seventh by hitting Miguel Montero. But when Ian Kennedy sent one toward Greinke's head in the seventh, all hell broke lose with a benches-clearing brawl, and Puig was right in the middle of it.
The problem, with the attitude that this is just boys playing out the tradition of the unwritten rules of baseball, is that someone will be seriously hurt or a career will be ended.
The exception to the unwritten code of retaliation is that "purpose pitches" are not to be thrown at the neck or above. In this game Puig was hit in the face and Greinke was hit in the head.
Someone needs to grow up and realize that a baseball can be a deadly weapon even if it is not intentionally thrown at the head with a purpose to hit the head. Just trying to intimidate can lead to a recklessly caused injury.
Two lesser things came out of last night's game. One the Dodgers won. Secondly with Mattingly going all out for his players yesterday by mixing it up with Alan Trammel, he has probably saved his job for the rest of the year.
If you would like to read a novel that depicts how far escalation can go in an MLB game, read A PITCH FOR JUSTICE. The criminal justice system gets involved to make a pitcher accountable for a tragedy on the field.
http://www.amazon.com/A-Pitch-for-Jus...
Also read the below well argued dilemma for sports fans on whether violence is just an acceptable part of the game.
http://www.cortezjournal.com/article/...-
Deja Vu all over again
Last night's playoff game between the Mets and the Dodgers saw a crucial and controversial play involving Chase Utley(Dodgers) and Reuben Tejada(Mets) It was the bottom of the 7th and the Dodgers trailed by a run with runners on first and third and one out. Howie Kendrick hit a liner toward second which was grabbed by Daniel Murphy near second base. Murphy flipped the ball towards Reuben Tejada who approached second base for the toss with his back angled away from the runner Utley. Utley slid very late toward the bag and up-ended Tejada with a legal but brutal take out slide that led to Tejada's departure on a cart. It was later determined he sustained a broken fibula. Utley was called out but a challenge resulted in a reversal. That controversial call, since Utley failed to touch second base, opened the floodgates to several Dodger runs and a change of the lead.
The irony is that in 2010 Utley and Tejada were involved in a similar play when Utley was a member of the Phillies. In a game of little importance to the Mets as opposed to the division leading Phillies, Utley slid late and hard into Rueben Tejada and knocking down the Mets' shortstop. In that game, Mets' pitcher Mike Pelfrey and third baseman David Wright openly jawed at Utley for the late take-out slide. They later criticized the slide via the press. Pelfrey even made gestures to his head, mimicking a bean ball towards Utley.
Now Utley has taken out the starting Mets' shortstop in a critical championship series. Many ball players have already accused Utley of a dirty slide again; yet the umpiring crew did not call Utley out on an interference call. This begs the question of whether the Mets will seek retribution against Utley if they get an opportunity or even against an innocent Dodger. This question formed the basis for the theme of my novel A Pitch For Justice. It follows a similar type incident which led to a deadly ending. You can find it on Amazon.
The irony is that in 2010 Utley and Tejada were involved in a similar play when Utley was a member of the Phillies. In a game of little importance to the Mets as opposed to the division leading Phillies, Utley slid late and hard into Rueben Tejada and knocking down the Mets' shortstop. In that game, Mets' pitcher Mike Pelfrey and third baseman David Wright openly jawed at Utley for the late take-out slide. They later criticized the slide via the press. Pelfrey even made gestures to his head, mimicking a bean ball towards Utley.
Now Utley has taken out the starting Mets' shortstop in a critical championship series. Many ball players have already accused Utley of a dirty slide again; yet the umpiring crew did not call Utley out on an interference call. This begs the question of whether the Mets will seek retribution against Utley if they get an opportunity or even against an innocent Dodger. This question formed the basis for the theme of my novel A Pitch For Justice. It follows a similar type incident which led to a deadly ending. You can find it on Amazon.
