Derek Cheater!
So the other night Derek Jeter made like he was hit by a pitch and awarded first base. The ball actually hit the bat, but Jeets jumped around in pain a little to sell it to the ump.
Big Deal! You'd have thought he shot the Pope. People are coming out of the woodwork to criticize this fine, upstanding citizen.
Yet baseball is always about trying to sell the call. Did you ever see an outfielder hold up a ball that skips off the turf to sell it as a catch?
Did you ever see the hidden ball trick? The phantom tag of second? Jumping out of the way of a curve ball that fooled you to try and buy a 'ball' call?
But this was Jeter. The five-time World Series Champion. If it were Wilson Betemit from the Royals it would have never made news. These things happen every day, but Jeter is supposed to be above trying to get on base?
Let me tell you, about twenty years ago I was playing softball - big game - a lot on the line - like free beer.
I was on 2nd when a ball was hit towards third. The third baseman fielded it and instead of touching the bag, reached out to me with the ball to tag me out. With the ump adequately shielded, I grabbed the ball, and flipped it into left field. The ump yelled safe, the 3rd baseman screamed, and I made it to the base.
"Come on, Cliff," the 3rd baseman yelled. "Tell him what you did!"
"Not a shot," I whispered.
One batter later, I scored a run.
Was I cheating?
Perhaps. I can't remember if we won or lost, but 20 years later the 3rd baseman and I laugh about it every time we see one another.
Gaylord Perry threw spitballs. Everyone and their brother took steroids. A Rod yelled "I got it!" as he ran by a pop-up.
That's why baseball is cool. It's still a game that doesn't hinge on refs throwing little yellow hankies. Sometimes you get the call, sometimes you don't. Don't mess with it.
Jeter had an interesting take on it after the game. He owned up to it and said that the ump sort of missed the call. He also explained that he tagged a guy out trying to steal the night before - the guy was out by ten feet, but yelled 'Safe!' and the ump called him safe. Was that guy cheating too?
When you're considering this moral problem, consider one other thing:
Derek Jeter is one of the greatest Yankees ever.
That gets him a lifetime pass.
Big Deal! You'd have thought he shot the Pope. People are coming out of the woodwork to criticize this fine, upstanding citizen.
Yet baseball is always about trying to sell the call. Did you ever see an outfielder hold up a ball that skips off the turf to sell it as a catch?
Did you ever see the hidden ball trick? The phantom tag of second? Jumping out of the way of a curve ball that fooled you to try and buy a 'ball' call?
But this was Jeter. The five-time World Series Champion. If it were Wilson Betemit from the Royals it would have never made news. These things happen every day, but Jeter is supposed to be above trying to get on base?
Let me tell you, about twenty years ago I was playing softball - big game - a lot on the line - like free beer.
I was on 2nd when a ball was hit towards third. The third baseman fielded it and instead of touching the bag, reached out to me with the ball to tag me out. With the ump adequately shielded, I grabbed the ball, and flipped it into left field. The ump yelled safe, the 3rd baseman screamed, and I made it to the base.
"Come on, Cliff," the 3rd baseman yelled. "Tell him what you did!"
"Not a shot," I whispered.
One batter later, I scored a run.
Was I cheating?
Perhaps. I can't remember if we won or lost, but 20 years later the 3rd baseman and I laugh about it every time we see one another.
Gaylord Perry threw spitballs. Everyone and their brother took steroids. A Rod yelled "I got it!" as he ran by a pop-up.
That's why baseball is cool. It's still a game that doesn't hinge on refs throwing little yellow hankies. Sometimes you get the call, sometimes you don't. Don't mess with it.
Jeter had an interesting take on it after the game. He owned up to it and said that the ump sort of missed the call. He also explained that he tagged a guy out trying to steal the night before - the guy was out by ten feet, but yelled 'Safe!' and the ump called him safe. Was that guy cheating too?
When you're considering this moral problem, consider one other thing:
Derek Jeter is one of the greatest Yankees ever.
That gets him a lifetime pass.
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