Why 1 Unwritten Rule in Baseball Needs to Get Erased

In the game of Baseball, I've been a pitcher, a hitter, a coach... I've won championships, played at national tournaments, and even played a little college ball. Along the way, I fell in love with the sport on several occasions, but there's also been some low points. 

So in saying all of that, this week something happened with the San Diego Padres that brought up some of those old frustrations.

A young, budding, superstar for the Padres hit a grand-slam with their team leading 10-3 over the Texas Rangers. Fernando Tatis Jr., who's father also played in the Major Leagues, crushed a fastball that was left over the plate for a homerun. However, not only was the stadium quiet due to being empty, but there was uproar from the opposing team because they believed it to be unethical... a low-blow if you will.

Leave it to the Texas Rangers to be upset about a homerun being hit on them (see: Jose Bautista).

The reason for the uproar is because of an ancient, gentleman's agreement that when the count is 3 balls and 0 strikes... you shouldn't swing. It's wrong to swing. Take that next pitch because hey, you could get a walk! Even though that pitch is the ONLY time in the sport of baseball where you KNOW what is coming and where it's going to be (unless you're the Houston Astros... too soon?)

When that count is 3-0, as a pitcher, you're desperately trying to stay in that at-bat by throwing anything over the plate to get a strike. You might even purposely slow your arm down to try to be a little more accurate.

So as a hitter, why wouldn't you load up with your biggest swing of your life knowing you may never see a more predictable, juicier pitch in your career? 'Cause it's "rude"... you need to let your combat opponent get back into the fight or else!

Do you know how many times I struck a batter out after being down 3-0 in an at bat as a pitcher? A few times in my life! Thanks for giving me a free strike, gentlemen! So if you get a pitch you like as a hitter, why should you feel shame for taking advantage of that?

The thing that bothers me the most about this particular rule is that, deep down, it's not even a rule to be nice to pitchers... it's because the hitting team wants to play the odds and get a walk. As a coach in minor/youth baseball, I would get upset with my hitters if they swung on a 3-0 count. I'll admit that. My rule as a coach was to crowd the plate and lean over to never give that pitcher an easy way back into the count (free lesson for all you coaches out there, pitchers hate it, trust me). Make them earn it, at least.

But that's youth baseball, where pitchers are far less consistent. So the fact that grown men who get paid to throw 90-100 mph fastballs for strikes are getting upset that a young, dynamic hitter crushed a 3-0 pitch bothers me. As soon as you get a paycheque to throw strikes, this dumb rule should be thrown out immediately. You don't like it? Then throw more strikes. Be better and stop whining.

To top it all off, the WORST part about this rule is: it gets thrown out in certain situations. Late in the game with runners on base? Green Light. Your team is losing? Go for it, we need runs!

So tell me why then that in a sport where you can score unlimited runs each inning and no lead is ever safe, is it unethical to hit a grand-slam to give your team an 11 run lead compared to 7?

Teams make crazy comebacks all the time. As Sportsnet's Arash Madani mentioned on The Rod Pedersen Show, "the game is never over until you hit the showers in victory or defeat".

Stop being boring, Baseball... get out of your own way for a change. Make Baseball FUN again!

Erase this unwritten rule.

- Producer Clark