I've heard a ton of grumblings over the past couple of days about Fernando Tatis Jr. and a couple of things that he did that have sent shock waves through the baseball community. If you haven't heard, seen or read about it. Let me share with you what happened. So apparently there is an unwritten rule that you shouldn't swing a 3-0 pitch with the bases loaded and your team is up seven runs. Of course, the problem here is he sent this 3-0 pitch over the right center field wall and the Rangers took offense to it. Here's a little clue if you don't what to give up 3-0 pitch grand slams then don't go 3-0 when the bases are loaded. All of the grumblings over this makes me laugh. No I never played pro ball and I usually follow most of these "Old School Rules" but I never heard of such a thing about the 3-0 pitch. The only thing I think that Fernando did wrong was apologize for it. Haha. I played this game for about 20 years from youth through college and was only given the green light on a 3-0 pitch twice. First time I grounded into a double play (yes I got my butt chewed out for that one) and the second time I doubled into the left center field gap.
I really love this game and some of the unwritten rules or codes are of great importance to me. However, being sore about giving up a 3-0 dinger to one of the hottest young talents in the game is not one of them. Stealing bases up 9-10 runs yeah that will earn the next hitter a pitch between the numbers (not in youth baseball). A couple of years ago we were playing in a 13u fall weekend event and we were playing a team that was significantly better than us. Beating us like 11-1 in the 3rd inning. They had runners on first and third and my catcher turns to me and asked what play did we want to run if they tried to steal 2nd base. I said loud enough for the everyone in the park "They are up 11-1 they shouldn't be stealing". Of course on the next pitch those jack weeds stole 2nd base. I yelled across the field to the opposing coach "Hey Coach, Do you have any salt? Why don't you come on over here and rub that salt in this open wound." I think he got the message but not until I was ejected for calling him classless about five times.
Tatis also stole 3rd base the next night when the Padres were winning by 6 runs and people started grumbling again. To this all I can say is its only a 6 run game. I feel that teams should pump the brakes when they get up 9 or 10 runs not 6. So for all those out there that feel that Fernando is some kind of baseball monster for hitting 3-0 bases loaded home runs or stealing bases up 6 runs then we have a different view of what is right and wrong about this Baseball Code. Anyway this was on my mind and wanted to share my thoughts on it. If you have the green light on 3-0 you are supposed smack it a mile. Also stealing is part of the game and if you think that 6 runs is insurmountable then you don't have much confidence in your squad. Until next time...thanks for reading...You can join the mailing list by adding your email. Hope to see you here again.
Coach Bale
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