Baseball’s unwritten rules are tricky.
While older generations of players view them as a sacred code meant to ensure the integrity and tradition of the game, younger players often view them as antiquated and unnecessary, sucking the fun out of the game.
Now, more than ever, the unwritten rules of baseball are being tested. As players buck tradition, dustups on and off the field are sure to ensue.
Here are 10 of baseball’s most important unwritten rules.
Don’t swing on a 3-0 count when your team is up big
This unwritten rule is all about respect. A 3-0 pitch in a blowout is meant to be a “get over fastball.” It’s not an opportunity to run up the score or pad your stats. San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. recently hit a grand slam on a 3-0 count which angered his opponents and renewed the conversation over baseball’s unwritten rules.
If one of your teammates get hit by a pitch, one of theirs is going down as well
This is a big one for team morale. If one of your own gets drilled in the back by a fastball, it’s the pitchers responsibility to respond accordingly. It’s so important that if your pitcher attempts to get retribution and fails (misses his attempted beanball), he’ll be shamed for a good amount of time. The pitcher failed to protect his teammates. There are few greater blunders.
Don’t ever talk about a No-Hitter in Progress
Don’t talk about it, don’t approach the pitcher, and don’t you dare mention it if you’re an announcer.
If a pitcher is past the fifth inning and has yet to give up a hit, or better yet a hit or walk, you are not to mention it. Broadcasts will usually show the pitcher sitting by himself in the dugout with no player within ten feet of him. Everyone just leave the man alone. History is on the line.
Don’t steal bases when your team has a big lead
Show a little class, please.
It’s a well known no-no for a player on base to steal a bag when his team is up by a significant amount. For starters, it’s disrespectful. It’s the equivalent of running up the score in football. It’s also obnoxious. Baseball is already a lengthy experience. When a team is up 11-2 in the 6th inning, both teams are trying to end the game as quickly as possible. Even ballplayers have families they want to get home to.
Don’t steal bases when behind by a lot
The same rules apply when behind by a significant margin. Stealing that extra base in the 6th down nine runs isn’t helping anybody. It’s viewed as nothing more than a selfish stat-stuffing move.
Don’t you dare step on the pitchers mound
The pitchers mound is not for everyone. It’s reserved for pitchers. They’re a peculiar breed. All of them have a particular way they like the mound when it’s their day to pitch. They can notice even the smallest change in conditions.
It’s why a position player walking over the mound is very much frowned upon. Alex Rodriguez and Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden started a feud over this very situation in 2010.
Braden made his views on the topic clear:
The Yankees are an extremely classy organization with guys who always tend to do the right thing every time. It’s kind of disheartening to see that not show through or be reflected by somebody of (Rodriguez’s) status.
He’s a tremendous player and a tremendous talent, and I don’t care if I’m Cy Young or the 25th man on a roster. If I’ve got the ball in my hand and I’m out there on that mound, that’s not your mound. You want to run across the mound? Go run laps in the bullpen. That’s my mound.
Just go around the mound folks.
Don’t ever break up a no-hitter with a bunt
If you are interested in starting a benches-clearing brawl, go ahead and bunt with a no-hitter intact. It makes the batter look soft and it’s also quite disrespectful to the potential history in the making. Be a man and break up a no-hitter with a bomb.
Don’t show up the umpire
All baseball players complain about balls and strikes. This is totally acceptable and the umpires can handle a nasty look or two. But a full turn toward the umpire is breaking the code. Once you’ve decided to face the umpire and voice your displeasure, expect to get tossed.
Don’t rub the spot where you were just plunked
A 97 mph fastball to the arm stings. But that doesn’t mean you get to show it. Rubbing the area that was hit is a sign of weakness in the baseball community. Put your head down and run to first base. The throbbing pain will subside in a few innings and it’ll be replaced by a beautiful blue bruise.
Don’t admire your home run
This traditional unwritten rule has changed a bit over the past decade. The younger generations of baseball players are more comfortable with showing emotion. However, admiring a home run will still draw the ire of the opposing team. Retaliation should be expected.
One of the main deterrents to “pimping” a home run is that your teammate is probably going to pay for your actions. If you’ve gone yard, act like you’ve been there before.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.