Bush League A-Rod

[BS007]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05312007/sp ... e_king.htm

JAYS BLAST SMART ALEX
By GEORGE KING
May 31, 2007 -- TORONTO - Alex Rodriguez woke up yesterday to find himself in the middle of a sticky situation, courtesy of The Post. He went to sleep early this morning with the Blue Jays attacking him for using his mouth to distract their infielders.

In between, the Yankees broke a five-game losing streak with a 10-5 win at the Rogers Centre in front of 29,187, thanks in part to Rodriguez's ninth-inning RBI single and his gums helping turn Jorge Posada's routine pop-up, which would have ended the inning with the Yankees up three runs, into an RBI single.

"Everybody in the games respects the Yankees; they play the game right," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "They play hard, and that's what they are known for. But I thought it was bush league. That's not Yankee baseball, man. Everybody respects them, but maybe I am wrong, I haven't been around that long."

Though Gibbons, a former big league catcher, said he never heard opposing players call for balls, Rodriguez defended his actions.

"I said, 'Ha!' That's it," said Rodriguez, who said he hears catcalls when he goes to catch balls by the third-base dugout and remembers the same when he played shortstop. "I was around third base."

One Blue Jay player used the platform to repeat what the Red Sox said after the 2004 ALCS when Rodriguez used a karate chop to try and dislodge the ball from Bronson Arroyo's hands.

"Stuff like that is why he never will be a real Yankee," the player said.

Informed the Blue Jays believed he uttered "mine," Rodriguez objected.

"I would never say that. That would be out of line," Rodriguez said.

Matt Stairs, who came in from left field while shortstop John McDonald was railing at third base coach Larry Bowa, was crisp in his criticism.

"It was a [horsespit] play; I hope you use that," Stairs said. "Ask his teammates about it and if they say, 'No comment,' that will tell you."

Derek Jeter did exactly that.

"I don't know; you will have to ask him," Jeter said. "I wasn't out there."

"I am not sure it's allowed, but if it is ... " said Johnny Damon, whose leadoff homer triggered a five-inning first for the Yankees. Damon added his 2,000th career hit in the second.

McDonald refused to talk about the incident, but Clark, a minor league journeyman, was baffled.

"I was expecting McDonald to make the catch," the third baseman said. "I have been playing professional baseball for 16 years and never saw that."

Knowing that his mouth helped the Yankees win and shave the Red Sox AL East lead to 131/2 games, Rodriguez wasn't concerned with the criticism.

"I could care less," Rodriguez said. "They have their opinions. We were looking to not get swept. It happens to me three or four times a week. They don't want you to catch the ball."

As for the victory and the offensive breakout (14 hits), they came after Joe Torre canceled batting practice and locked the indoor batting cage for everybody but Jason Giambi, who had to use it to see if his barking left heel was good enough to play. It was, and Giambi drove in three runs.

"It was huge for us," Torre said. "Especially the way it developed. We were 5-0 then 5-3 and then 6-3 then one run."

[Basketball Jesus]

Bush league? More like friggin' hilarity league!

Really, even Little Leaguers don

[lpsevier]

I thought it was pretty darn awesome.

[Ayt]

(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If the umpire declares the batter, batter- runner, or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that was in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless otherwise provided by these rules.


The umps should have called interference.

[Ex-hippie]

(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play.

Ah, I guess. But that's one easily confused fielder. What if A-Rod had just said "look, something shiny!" How much leeway does the fielder have to get?

It's a damn shame they're not playing again today. It would have been fun to watch A-Rod get drilled in his first at-bat. Maybe the next time these teams play.

[Ayt]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EUxNUk0CAZg

It looks pretty clear to me he yells "mine" at around the 2:20 mark. He certainly isn't yelling "ha" with his mouth moving like that.

[Basketball Jesus]

(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play.

So, if a man rounding second blurts out

[mizzoupacers]

How is yelling something (theologically profound or not) while a fielder is attempting to field any different from fielders distracting a baserunner by pretending a ball has been caught when it has not, or is being thrown to a particular base when it is not? Every team does that to opposing baserunners all the time.

[Ex-hippie]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EUxNUk0CAZg

It looks pretty clear to me he yells "mine" at around the 2:20 mark. He certainly isn't yelling "ha" with his mouth moving like that.

After reviewing the video, I concur. Many thanks for the link.

[Ex-hippie]

How is yelling something (theologically profound or not) while a fielder is attempting to field any different from fielders distracting a baserunner by pretending a ball has been caught when it has not, or is being thrown to a particular base when it is not? Every team does that to opposing baserunners all the time.

I don't know, why are defensive linemen allowed to wrap their arms around opponents while offensive linemen aren't? Why (until recently) were NBA defenders allowed to spend three seconds in the key while offensive players weren't? Them's the rules. Arguably, the rules make good sense because it's hard enough to concentrate on catching the ball (even if it's a pop fly), whereas running straight forward doesn't require as much concentration. Or maybe they just made the rules this way to tip the balance in favor of defenses a little. Who knows?

[lpsevier]

Has anyone considered that AROD actually owned the baseball?

[meatball sub]

I thought it was funny as ****.

[OSBB]

**** the bed on a routine popper that even some six year old playing tee ball should have had in his back pocket is what's "bush league" (where did that stupid term come from anyway?).

[Basketball Jesus]

(where did that stupid term come from anyway?).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_league

The term originated from the state of minor-league fields that often were ringed with shrubs and bushes.

[FNQ]

Just saw that on MLB.com... clearly says "mine"... he's getting caught in lies by the day now...

[Chach]

I thought it had to do with a minor league in Texas. For some reason that is sticking out for me, like I read it in Bill James' Historical Abstract or something.

I hate A-Rod as much as the next guy. I've said elsewhere that if someone like Rabbit Maranville did this back in the 20s, no one would care except the opposing manager and a few fans. That's because people liked him. People, generally, don't like A-Rod and so this non-issue is transformed into another stick in his douchebag totem pole. I personally could care less about this but I laugh at watching Yankees fans defend it while Toronto and anti-A-Rodinites rip him apart. mahalo
~Chach~

[34Celtic]

Its the same thing as a second baseman pretending theres a throw coming on a stolen base when there isn't. There are some things you don't do on the diamond and this is one of them. Its not the same as pretending there is no throw coming from the outfield on a double, tricking the runner into slowing down. That being said, Clark should have caught that ball, he wasn't even really under it in a position to make a play, also its the shortstops ball to begin with so Mcdonald should have been under it.

[Dirty Water]

The only reason it's an issue is because the idiot third baseman actually fell for it and dropped it. I'm sure this happens all the time, just no one is stupid enough to fall for it.

[evilRyu]

The only reason it's an issue is because the idiot third baseman actually fell for it and dropped it. I'm sure this happens all the time, just no one is stupid enough to fall for it.

"I have been playing professional baseball for 16 years and never saw that."

That was the quote by that supposed "third baseman".. scrub or not, I think I"ll trust his words (an MLB talent) more than yours

[kloo7]

The only reason it's an issue is because the idiot third baseman actually fell for it and dropped it. I'm sure this happens all the time, just no one is stupid enough to fall for it.

Agreed Clark should have caught it, but during interviews with the Mariners, Richie Sexson has said it has never happened to him, and Jose Lopez said it happens and its always the same player doing it, A-Rod.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/318096_mbok01.html