OPINION: Erasing Baseball’s Unwritten Rules

By Jalen Martin

Let’s face it: baseball isn’t the most exciting sport to watch. The rules can be confusing to the casual fan. The games are long, typically a little over three hours, and there isn’t much action going on either. As per CBS Sports, there is an average of 18 minutes of action--including the duration of pitches, hits, foul balls, and pickoffs--in one game. And most of all, baseball players can seem robotic. Rarely in baseball have players been praised for the passion and emotion they demonstrate on the field. Oftentimes, they are mistaken for being arrogant. Professional MLB Player Bryce Harper admitted to Sporting News in 2016 that baseball is a “tired sport;” his colleague, Carlos Gomez, agreed, arguing that “right now, we’re the only sport that restricts [emotion].” Lately, however, baseball players have started to come out of their shells more, igniting debate in the baseball world over the ‘right way’ the game should be played.

“Players who break the rules are often met with backlash from more conservative baseball fans who prefer them to play the game the ‘right way.’”

Javier Báez celebrates as he tags out Nelson Cruz during the 2017 World Baseball Classic (photo by Denis Poroy)

Baseball has always been more conservative when it comes to its unwritten rules. They feel that players shouldn’t step on the pitcher’s mound, bunt during a no-hitter, or even mess up the white chalk foul lines. Former MVP and Retired Outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. was even criticized for rocking a backward hat before and after games. Players also have to worry about the ways they showboat. They are pressured to not admire their home runs for too long, flip their bats too obsessively, run too slowly around the bases, or steal a base when their team is up big. These are a few of the numerous, obnoxious unwritten rules baseball players have to abide by to avoid being seen as disrespectful to the game. Players who are known to break these rules, like Bryce Harper and Carlos Gomez, are often met with backlash from more conservative baseball fans who prefer the players to play the game the ‘right way.’ 

Ken Griffey, Jr. wearing a backward cap

Arguing about the right way to play baseball doesn’t just happen in the stands--numerous player to player altercations have involved differing interpretations of how the game should be played. USA Today reports that a staggering 87% of on-field altercations start between two players from different ethnic backgrounds. During the 2017 World Baseball Classic, a tournament where players from around the world represent their respective countries, United States Infielder Ian Kinsler commented on the style of other teams in an interview with The New York Times: “I hope kids watching the WBC can watch the way we play the game and appreciate the way we play the game as opposed to the way Puerto Rico plays or the Dominican plays." The general idea in the baseball world is that Latino players play with a passion that’s expressed visibly more often than players of American blood. But just because styles of play differ doesn’t make one more correct than the other; baseball players who wear their hearts on their sleeve do not do so to disrespect the game.  

José Bautista flips his bat after his epic home run during 2015 playoffs (photo by Tom Szczerbowski)

Baseball is different from sports such as basketball and football that are more fast-paced. It is a game for thinkers, so much so that the players use about 90% of the time during games to strategize. In an effort to make baseball more of an appealing sport to watch on TV, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is speeding up the game by suggesting the idea of a pitch clock, shortening commercial breaks, implementing a mound visit limit, and encouraging the players to play at a faster pace. But some of the most necessary reforms may not be in his power to make.

Baseball fans and players alike should let go of the unwritten rules created by people generations ago. Baseball doesn’t have to appear boring to casual fans any longer; letting the passionate players represent their love for the game rather than falsely accusing them of conceit will only make the viewing experience more enjoyable.