Fixing MLB Series: Someone needs to re-write baseball’s un-written rules
Fans know that aside from the formal rules, Major League Baseball has its own code or unwritten rules. Part of making MLB better is adjusting the unwritten rules.
The “unwritten rules” subject comes up every now and then, and there are people on both sides of the fence. That fence is 100 feet tall as well; nothing is more divisive in the fandom of baseball than to take a polarizing side in the unwritten rules debate.
The latest iteration of this topic happened last night when 76-year-old manager Tony La Russa of the White Sox spoke publicly about the possible disciplining of 28-year-old rookie Yermin Mercedes.
The Facts
The Chicago White Sox were annihilating the last-place Twins by the score of 15-4. Twins manager, Rocco Baldelli, brought in Willians Astudillo to pitch. Astudillo is a utility infielder and backup catcher. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Astudillo threw three straight balls to Mercedes that averaged 45 miles per hour. On 3-0 and with the ChiSox third base coach giving him the take sign, Mercedes crushed a 429 foot home run off of the slowest pitch in major league history to be hit over the fence in a game.
Tony La Russa then called out Mercedes in a Zoom call. His comments also made it to social media. He later apologized to the Twins for his unprofessional behavior. Taking offense to the situation was Baldelli himself, Austudillo, and some of the “old school” brethren of the Twins and across major league baseball.
The Opinion
This should’ve been a non-story the second that Baldelli turned it into sandlot baseball by bringing in Astudillo. Is 45 miles per hour even enough speed to get the ball to travel the required 60 feet, 6 inches to get to the plate? How can anyone in Minnesota be offended?
It was Twins manager Rocco Baldelli who fielded an inferior product that day. A situation made even worse by bringing in a position player to finish the game off. Then he threw gasoline on the fire by throwing at Mercedes his next at-bat.
Then LaRussa, the torch-barer for professionalism apparently, went off on Mercedes for swinging on 3-0, with shades of Fernando Tatis Jr. written all over it. Not only does Mercedes swing, but he deposits the ball over the fence. If the Twins really wanted to get Mercedes out, they should’ve put in an actual pitcher.
Tony La Russa's comments on the Twins throwing behind Yermín Mercedes: pic.twitter.com/dLe7Oriohk
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) May 19, 2021
No one likes to lose, no one likes to get embarrassed on the field. Minnesota didn’t do anything to help by bringing in Astudillo to pitch. That was like trying to fix a gunshot wound with a band-aid.
Final Thoughts
I find nothing wrong with what Mercedes did other than ignoring the take sign that shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Don’t make a mockery of the game by putting in Austudillo in the first place. Then the Mercedes situation wouldn’t happen at all.
La Russa (DUI charge last November) shouldn’t be the voice of professionalism at this point. Why the White Sox hired a guy 26 years into his AARP membership is beyond me.
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Joe Swenson is a lifelong Seattle Sports Fan, awarding-winning playwright, and director, as well as a producer, author, and executive producer for the Quarantine 2038 Project, coming soon to a streaming service near you.