Let’s Discuss The Stupid “Unwritten Rule” that Got Max Kepler Beaned Thursday Night

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Aug 16, 2019

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.26.7″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.26.7″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”3.26.7″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″]

If you haven’t heard… baseball has this massive book of unwritten rules that you used to take an entire lifetime of baseball to learn… until 1986 when “The Book of Unwritten Baseball Rules” was actually written. Then some years later, the internet became a thing. Now, you can find most of them with a quick google search.

Last night, the Twins ran into one of those rules, that doesn’t get broken that often and thus, isn’t as well known. When you are winning by a lot of runs and you have a 3-0 count, you aren’t supposed to have the green light to swing. Jake Cave came to the plate last night in the top of the 9th inning and we were up 13-5. The pitcher fell behind 3-0, and came right down the middle. Cave didn’t realize he was at 3-0, or something, because he clearly realized his wrong-doing when he got to 1st base and even apologizes to the pitcher by the end of the video below…

But, that doesn’t matter. Max Kepler comes to the plate next; and who cares that he’s our best player or that we are in the middle of a historic playoff race… OR THAT CAVE MADE A MISTAKE AND APOLOGIZED FOR IT… the unwritten rules say that Max needed to take one in the shoulder for Cave’s mistake so that’s what happened:

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.26.7″]

Here's some of the conversation from both the #MNTwins TV and radio broadcasts regarding the Jake Cave 3-0 hit and the Max Kepler hit by pitch that followed. pic.twitter.com/uqx1MWyOPY

— Tom Froemming (@TFTwins) August 16, 2019

[/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.26.7″]

First, let’s talk about how this is one of the dumbest fucking unwritten rules in this entire fake rulebook. A lot of baseball’s unwritten rules are in place for sportsmanship purposes and that’s clearly what the point of this rule is, but in all honesty, that’s completely stupid.

If you are getting blown out to the point that unwritten rules like this are coming into play, then don’t you want the game you’re playing in to be over? Sure, swinging 3-0 could end in a hit like it did last night with Cave, but it’s more likely that it ends in an out, leading to a faster ending. If he doesn’t swing, a walk becomes more likely, either on that pitch or on one of the following. Or, it could lead to 5-10-15 more pitches on your pitcher… why would you want that?

It makes ZERO fucking sense…

These unwritten rules also give players a reason to bitch or complain because they (or their entire team) is sucking. Is it Jake Cave’s fault that he was ahead 3-0 in that at-bat? Was it Kepler’s? No. If you don’t want Cave swinging at 3-0 then don’t go down, 3-0…

I hate most of baseball’s unwritten rules, but they are part of baseball, so I accept them most of the time. This one really pissed me off, though, because Cave clearly didn’t realize he was doing anything wrong. For whatever reason, he didn’t have a grasp on what was going on and APOLOGIZED in front of the entire crowd and broadcast because of it. But, Kepler still needed to pay for his mistake.

And hitting someone with a fastball is dangerous, no matter the circumstances. Sure, some soreness in Max’s bicep might be all that remains from this brush-up but we lost the greatest Twin of all-time way too early because of a fastball that didn’t go where it was supposed to. When you are throwing a hard ball at 90+ MPH, the margin for error is too small to be aiming that close to someone’s head.

Be better, Rangers. Be better, MLB.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]