Scooter Chapman

Remember the baseball flap in April when New York Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez grounded out, then took a left turn at first base and jogged across the pitching mound in returning to the dugout?

Seems Mr. Rodriguez broke one of baseball's unwritten rules and one does not cross the mound in enemy territory to return to the dugout.

Oakland pitcher Dallas Braden was very vocal in his objection and that brought out other unwritten rules of baseball that were designed to preserve "a baseline level of respect between competitors. The unwritten rules constitute the moral fabric of the game," according to Jason Turbow, author of the new and critically-acclaimed book "The Baseball Codes."

The best-known of the unwritten rules tells players at all levels not to steal a base when their team holds a big lead in the late innings of the game.

When someone does forget the rule and steals a base and no throw is made by the catcher, scorekeepers write that down as ... indifference.

The infamous Internet has almost everything and my good friend Ted Mattie, one of Port Angeles' most knowledgeable baseball fans, especially the National League and particularly the Atlanta Braves,

e-mailed me the unwritten rules. Comments are some from Turbow, some from Chapman.

1. Don't swing at the first pitch after back-to-back home runs. It's a matter of courtesy to a pitcher who clearly is struggling.

2. Don't work the pitch count when your team is up or down by a lot. In a lopsided game, relief pitchers are expected to throw strikes and not nibble at the corners and hitters are expected to swing at anything close, just as the umpire will be calling anything close a strike.

3. When hit by a pitch, don't rub the mark. It's a way hitters can tell the pitcher that his best shot, intentional or not, didn't hurt.

4. Don't stand on the dirt cutout at home while the pitcher is warming up. I'm not sure why that one is an unwritten rule, as umpires keep hitters away from that area anyway.

5. Don't walk in front of a catcher or umpire when getting into the batter's box. This is pure and simple respect. If the line to the batter's box from the dugout is a straight line, better detour behind the umpire and catcher to get to either side.

6. Don't help the opposition make a play (bracing them from falling into the dugout, etc.) If a player makes the play and then falls into the dugout, most times someone will help brace the fall.

7. Relievers take it easy when facing other relievers. This is now a National League thing and relief hurlers seldom come to the plate. When they do, other relievers throw fast balls down the middle.

8. Follow the umpire's code when addressing them on the field. This is a book in itself. How a catcher or batter or pitcher or manager or a bench jockey talks to an umpire goes a long way toward getting favorable calls or at least not getting run out of the game. The example given by Turbow: "That call was horse pucky," probably is acceptable. "You are horse pucky never is acceptable ...."

9. Pitchers stay in the dugout area at least until the end of the inning in which they are pulled. This is respect for one's teammates and staying at least until the end of the frame shows your squad you haven't given up on them.

10. Pitchers never show up their fielders. It does happen, then players notice. No shortstop likes to have his starter glare at him after an error, because fielders don't go through a lot of body gyrations after the hurler has given up a couple of homers in an inning.

If you want more go to www.baseballcodes.com.



Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.