A Question of Baseball Protocol

by bobestes on May 7, 2007 6:05 PM EDT

This is a stupid baseball question I've always wanted answered:

For argument's sake, you're a middle reliever. You can throw some 92 mile per hour heat. Which would make you probably not a middle reliever, but whatever. It's all hypothetical anyway.

Your team's slugger knocks one out of the park, and takes his time rounding the bases.

This angers your opponent, so they plunk him the next time he comes to bat.

He comes to you on the bench and says "You drill the next blankety blank you face".

Because you're a loyal teammate, there is no question that you'll throw at the next batter.

My question is, do you throw as hard as you can and drill him with all 92 mph of gas? Or, being a nice guy, do you back off a bit to go easy on him? After all, he's just an innocent bystander in this mess.

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my guess

and i have no clue, is that most guys dont want to hurt anybody and will take something off it.

"Swing away, Bronson." -- sayeth Chris Welsh.

by boobs on May 7, 2007 6:16 PM EDT 0 recs

You take a little off...

...if it is a respected player (non steroid user, plays the game the 'right way', runs to their position, slides head first, etc.)

If the dude is a douche bag, (A-Rod, Bonds, Edmonds, etc.) you better hit at least 94 on the radar gun.

by rose2hall on May 7, 2007 6:16 PM EDT 0 recs

What the hell

is wrong with A-Rod? I can see folks thinking of him as wimp, but a douchbag? Bonds-level douchebag? Really?

If what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.

by Man Mountain on May 7, 2007 6:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Everything changed

with that pussy hand swipe on Arroyo at 1st base.

The dude can mash, but seriously anyone who asks Cal Ripken how to shake hands with people, is a tool.

by rose2hall on May 7, 2007 6:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

and in his defense

I would much rather have him w/ the HR record than Bonds

by rose2hall on May 7, 2007 6:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

just wait until about 2 years after I retire

2012 or so and he should have it

by Caleb on May 7, 2007 6:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

That's my point

The Arroyo hand swipe was ninnyish, but it's not like he slugged Bronson. I think his obvious insecurities make him seem less douchey. Tool? Maybe, meh.

If what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.

by Man Mountain on May 7, 2007 6:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

It all comes down to the definition of douche bag

Feel free to take a stab Professor

by rose2hall on May 7, 2007 7:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

Arrogance

I can't stand the guy because its all about him. He's not a team player. He's an amazing HOFer, but he thinks the world revolves around him. That's why he went to NY, so he could have a bigger stage.

When he threw up his hands as he hit a GW HR in April and stared at the crowd as he ran jogged to first, he was saying 'Look at me, I'm an amazing Adonis, bow to me, give me the adoration I deserve." It made me want to puke.

He may not be on Bonds' level of arrogance, but just give him another few years and he'll be happy to take Barry's place in the limelight.

by jambolyajones on May 7, 2007 7:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Oh and if by chance

the batter happens to be Kyle Fagsworth, you drill him between the eyes and hope that you not only kill him but also all of his living relatives.

Too, much?

by rose2hall on May 7, 2007 6:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

my understanding is that

you throw it hard enough to get your message across. And you don't throw up high in that situation, drill him in the ribs or leg

by Caleb on May 7, 2007 6:18 PM EDT 0 recs

but

you'll never see it with the Reds.

by Caleb on May 7, 2007 6:20 PM EDT 0 recs

retaliation

The whole retaliation concept in baseball has always fascinated me.

I always picture someone like Barry Bonds getting drilled, walking up to some 23 year old kid that just wants to stick in the bigs and demanding that he throw at the next guy he faces.

The kid goes into the clubhouse and pukes his guts out because he knows the next guy up to bat is a ripped, 250 lb hulk of a human being and is just praying to God almighty that he makes it out of the ensuing brawl with nothing worse than a cracked rib.

by bobestes on May 7, 2007 6:26 PM EDT 0 recs

worst part is

getting a cracked rib and going on the DL is better than getting shunned by your entire team because you were too scared to throw at someone.

by bobestes on May 7, 2007 6:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

or having

ozzie guillen chew you out in the dugout in front of everyone

by rose2hall on May 7, 2007 6:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Better Idea:

Currently Under Construction.

by crolfer on May 7, 2007 7:54 PM EDT 0 recs

times have changed

Clemens signs a 28M prorated contract nowadays. With negotiated home congucal visits.

Dibble and Charlton drill 'em.

That's why our last WS was 1990.

looking California, and feeling Minnesota...

by obc on May 7, 2007 10:11 PM EDT 0 recs

And it used to be

that when a team was retaliating for a HBP, the player that got the retaliatory plunk was the guy who played the same position as the original hit batsman. But I think these days it's either the next hitter or a player of comparable ability as the original hit batsman (i.e. if you hit our superstar, we'll hit your superstar).

by ctnyc on May 7, 2007 10:12 PM EDT 0 recs

we should win that battle

because we have no super stars

by Caleb on May 7, 2007 10:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Perhaps you haven't checked CF lately

by Brendanukkah on May 7, 2007 11:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

touche'

by Caleb on May 7, 2007 11:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

My experience

Which is very limited, is that you hit the guy with a changeup in the middle of the back, right between the numbers. Message sent, but no attempt to hurt the person.

This actually came up this past Sunday in the Yankees-Mariners game, when Josh Phelps went out of his way to hit Kenji Johjima. His next time up, Jarrod Washburn plunked him, and Phelps went about his business, because he knew it was coming. It only became a problem when Proctor nailed someone in retaliation, which wasn't needed.

"Hey, that's hillWILLIAM to you!"

by jch24 on May 8, 2007 9:24 AM EDT 0 recs

The Yankees are using Josh Phelps on the mound?

No wonder they are playing so bad...

Currently Under Construction.

by crolfer on May 8, 2007 5:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

Boooooooo

You know what I mean. :)

I saw that after I posted, and was hoping no one would notice/care.

Anywho, Phelps went out of his way (and the baseline) to hit Johjima, and got what he deserved.

"Hey, that's hillWILLIAM to you!"

by jch24 on May 8, 2007 5:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

most won't agree

but baseball would be a better game if they threw inside more, and went up-and-in once in a while. If they pitchers would do that you wouldn't have seen McGwire, Sosa and Bonds put up the numbers they did, steroids or not.

by Caleb on May 8, 2007 6:34 PM EDT 0 recs

i kinda disagree

what i remember about those great seasons was that pitchers were throwing inside, and they were getting burned. I remember Bonds turning on so many inside fastballs in 2001 it was ridiculous. Same with the righties. I think the steroids made their handspeed so much faster that they were able to catch up with those inside fastballs in a way that no one ever had, and then pulling them 500 feet.

In fact, wasn't there a home run Bonds hit in '01 in which he got jammed and broke his bat?

"Swing away, Bronson." -- sayeth Chris Welsh.

by boobs on May 8, 2007 6:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Didn't read it

But I read a review of Buzz Bissinger's book from last year (Three Nights in August) that details TLR's decision to order a reliever to "retaliate" against an opposing hitter, Luis Gonzalez, I think. I like Bissinger, and if the book had been about any other team I would've read it by now.

by ken on May 9, 2007 11:14 AM EDT 0 recs