Unwritten Rules

By: John W. Scafetta

 

Baseball, much like every other stick and ball sport, abides by a rulebook – a neat and tidy brick of literature which governs the athletic collective.

It's what keeps the game nestled safely between the lines. And baseball, more so than most sports, relishes in its order — whether that be the batting order, the pitching rotation, relief roles or the jurisdiction its umpires have over all proceedings within the scope of the diamond.

Conversely, baseball, more so than any other pastime, is also brimming with unwritten rules — simple unspoken directives meant to maintain integrity and structure. 

Don't steal third base with two outs in the inning. Don't admire a home run in an effort to not show up the opposing pitcher/team. Don't bunt to breakup a no-hitter, and don't even think about talking about a no-hitter while in progress.

And, God forbid a pitcher plunks your team, make sure you retaliate by hitting one of theirs.

There's a reason for dissecting these unspoken rules. 

Entering Wednesday night, no individual in baseball was hotter than Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. The 20-year-old rookie smacked eight home runs in his past eight games. The able-bodied righty was in the midst of a streak of five consecutive games with at least one home run. He had led off three straight games with a home run.

At this point, only a fire extinguisher had any real opportunity to cool off the thriving phenom.

So when Acuna stepped to the plate in the bottom of the first to lead off the finale of a four-game series against the Miami Marlins, excitement and anticipation flowed not only throughout the Southern stands of Atlanta's Suntrust Park, but throughout all of baseball.

Staring down Jose Urena, the Marlins' talented yet erratic starting pitcher, the palpable feat of history was quite sensible. As Acuna wavered in the right-hand batter's box, gingerly swinging his lumber in anticipation of the initial hurl, most expected a similar outcome. 

As Urena concluded his windup, releasing the rawhide with unabashed force, it was safe to say a pin drop could be heard throughout the stadium.

The end result: Acuna was drilled on his left elbow. The pitch that plunked him clocked in at 97.5 MPH. According to ESPN Stats & Info, out of the 2,125 pitches that Urena has tossed this season, his opening fastball was in the 99th percentile of the quickest pitches he has delivered home. To further cement the point, the initial hurl was the fastest pitch Urena had ever thrown to open a game.

Urena's delivery and ensuing body language screamed deliberate. After writhing in pain from the initial collision of ball and muscle, Acuna stopped, bent over, removed his small shin guard and tossed it on the mound near Urena's feet.

A minor melee ensued. Benches cleared twice in what accumulated into a passionate game of cat and mouse. Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte led the player charge, rushing toward the mound to hurl a verbal onslaught. Atlanta Manager Brian Snitker was livid and had to be restrained. First base coach and former big leaguer Eric Young Sr. shoved Marlins rookie Brian Anderson.

Soon Snitker was ejected. Refusing to return to the dugout, he maintained footing on the field. Then, following a meeting of the minds by the umpiring foursome, the crew decided to rightfully yank Urena.

"I've had three hours to calm down, and all of a sudden I'm not real good right now," Snitker said following the Braves 5-3 victory. "(Acuna's) my kid. I'm gonna protect him. I couldn't care less if they left me in the game or threw me out. I'm just thinking this kid got hit and it was obviously intentional. Like I say, he's one of mine."

There's good news to be had for baseball fans, though. The streak, per Major League Baseball's Bible-sized rule book, will continue as Acuna did not record an official at-bat. Both X-Ray and a CT Scan came back negative, and it appears as though the burgeoning rookie will miss only a few days. 

But it could have been much worse.

"It was gutless," Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "I know that wasn't the Marlins; that was just Jose Urena. I don't understand it. It makes no sense, just because a player is having fun playing a game — he's swinging the bat incredibly well obviously — that just makes no sense. That was completely classless on Jose Urena's part."

In a time where Major League Baseball's image and excitement level among young fans is potentially at an all-time low, a cowardly act of knocking out one of baseball's most alluring players deserves severe punishment.

And swiftly. 

The unwritten rule of deliberately (a recurring word here) throwing at a batter calls for one to aim for a player's back or thigh — an area that is usually protected and doesn't increase risk of a season-ending, or worse, career-ending injury. This particular act was the opposite. Any wavering by Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred to dole out a lengthy suspension/fine would be a black eye on baseball.

And yet there are still more questions that need to be answered. Was Marlins Manager Don Mattingly involved? Did the Marlins collectively plan to bean or worse injure Acuna prior to the game? Was this all premeditated? 

Chances are this was simply a one-man show. A lone wolf, per se. Marlins star catcher J.T. Realmuto's demeanor following the beaning was one of aggravation. The kind of "You've gotta be kidding me" response only invoked by playing for a cellar-dwelling team that is lacking in the morals department. Urena's delivery was calculated, as if he were an archer pulling back tightly on a nylon string. His aim was exact. His decision was firm.

His comments following the game....well, they were flimsy.

"Yeah that was bad because even after I hit him, I said, 'Hey, you OK?'" Urena said. "And that means that I don't want to hit him on purpose. He thinks it's on purpose, and they wanted me to do something. He just kept walking with the head down, but a couple of those people, the coaches, they tried to jump in and get close. I tried to keep my mind on the game."

Urena starred down Acuna, removed his glove, and appeared to be ready for all-out war. The lack of defensive support by his teammates suggested he was on his own.

"The way they respond like that, they think I be crazy, like I wanna hit somebody like that and hurt somebody," Urena said. "I just enjoy the game and try to have fun and do what I love to do. That's what I'm here to do."

Throughout social media, former players, reporters and members of the media were in uproar over Urena's actions, rightfully spewing out terms like "Bush League," "low blow," and "cowardly act." To the Braves credit, they chose not to retaliate. Atlanta is in the midst of a pennant race. This is not the time for fisticuffs. 

And while the majority of the baseball world agreed that Urena's actions were aberrant, there were the few outliers who stood by baseball's time-tested unwritten rule.

During last night's SNY broadcast, a Mets' blowout win over the Orioles, Keith Hernandez appeared to support the choice to hit Acuna. 

"He's killing the ball the last three games," Hernandez said. "He's hit three home runs. You gotta hit him, knock him down."

Baseball's unwritten rules and intact to pump up the game, not deflate it. If Hernandez's comments suggest anything at all, it's that integrity, even in the supposed post-steroid era, isn't highly-valued by all in baseball's inner-circles. 

And it appears Jose Urena has no problem carrying on that tradition.