Read the debate intro and Sports Geek’s argument that it is okay to speak about the unspoken rules.
You always know where you stand with Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.
Never one to keep his thoughts to himself, Guillen is all too happy to tell you exactly what he thinks, and why. Sometimes, that can be a good thing. More often than not it is very bad.
MOST people are born with a mental filter. This filter serves to keep all those bad things that we think about inside our head. Just as an inappropriate, mean, or otherwise unnecessary comment enters our mind, the filter catches it and prevents us from actually verbalizing it. If it wasn’t for that filter, we would all walk around saying exactly what we thought every day, and everyone would hate each other.
Some people seem to be born without that filter, and I would venture to say that Guillen is one of those people.
Once again, Guillen has come down with a nasty bout of ‘diarrhea of the mouth’ and should think about sticking his foot in there quickly to stop the flow before it gets him AND his team into some real trouble! Following a series against the Cleveland Indians last weekend where several White Sox batters were hit by pitches, Guillen publicly vowed retaliation for any similar incidents that may occur in the future.
Everyone knows that there are unspoken rules in baseball. For example:
- Don’t steal a base if you are far ahead late in a game
- Don’t bunt to prevent a no-hitter
- If you physically endanger a player, be prepared for retaliation
I have no problem with any of those unspoken rules, which all exist to ensure the good sportsmanship of the game. In fact, I like them. They establish a code among all who play the game that certain lines should not be crossed, and if they are, there will be consequences. It is a matter of honor and respect which protect the integrity of America’s pastime.
But, what is honorable and respectful about blatantly threatening the other players in the league? Publicly voicing his intention to enforce one of those unwritten rules is a bad idea for many reasons, not the least of which is the obvious criminal implication from threatening to knowingly and maliciously endanger the safety of another player. His statement distorts the true intention behind those unwritten rules, turning a potentially justifiable act of retaliation as self-defense into an act of premeditated assault.
I do not doubt Guillen’s intention of protecting his players, who I am sure are very happy to know that he is willing to ‘fall on the sword’ for them. But when he declares that he would rather be “suspended for two games than have (his) players on the DL for 30 days” he only justifies the problem which he is trying to avoid.
Instead of worrying about the safety of all players in the game (which is the REAL intention behind these unspoken rules), he has threatened to endanger TWO more players in the league for everyone that he feels threatened. More, he is placing the safety of those two unnamed hitters solely at the mercy of his (very subjective) opinion, and he is announcing it to the league. That kind of “untouchables” mentality only serves to further escalate the problem, not quell it. Guillen is essentially antagonizing the rest of the league before an incident even begins. Now, opposing managers are going to EXPECT their players to get hit (even if they unintentionally hit a White Sox batter), so they are already planning THEIR retaliation.
Considering the fact that Guillen has made that statement, let’s hypothetically consider the next time that a White Sox batter is hit by a pitch. Guillen has two choices, and neither of them are positive options. The first is to follow through on his threat. Guillen can order his pitcher(s) to throw at not one, but TWO hitters on the other team. This would result in the potential injury of MORE players, a suspension for himself, his pitcher(s), and could lead to a fight that might cause further injury. The second option would be to not retaliate at all. The risk then is that he will lose credibility among his team and the fans for failing to act when his bluff was called. Either way, Guillen loses.
If a manager or player wants his team to know he has their back, then he should tell them IN THE LOCKER ROOM. If he wants to risk suspension by giving the okay for his pitchers to plunk an opposing batter, he gets no argument from me. By publicly declaring a complete disregard for the WRITTEN and spoken rules of the game, in combination with a disregard for the safety of the OTHER players in the league, Guillen has only served to bring increased scrutiny and danger upon his players, whom he allegedly wishes to protect.
