My Jamaican grandfather introduced my brother and me to baseball when I was around 10 years old. Even though he and my grandmother were Mets fans, I am a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees.
I like baseball. I think it’s one of the more cerebral sports out there. But it’s times like last night when I am reminded of how lame baseball can be.
Fernando Tatis, Jr., shortstop of the San Diego Padres who is on the doorstep of superstar-dome, hit a grand slam off of a 3-0 pitch last night vs. the Texas Rangers. Shouldn’t be a big deal, right?
Well except in baseball, there is some bullshit unwritten rule about not swinging on a 3-0 pitch when you are already up big in a ballgame. The Padres were already up 10-3 when Tatis crushed said grand slam, and ended up winning 14-4.
And to make matters worse, not only did the Rangers manager have a hissy fit (as expected), but Tatis’ OWN MANAGER came out against him. Check out what Padres manager Jayce Tingler had to say:
“He’s young, a free spirit and focused and all those things. That’s the last thing that we’ll ever take away. It’s a learning opportunity, and that’s it. He’ll grow from it.
“Just so you know, a lot of our guys have green light 3-0. But in this game in particular, we had a little bit of a comfortable lead. We’re not trying to run up the score or anything like that.”
Are. You. Fucking. Kidding me?!
Memo to Tingler and the crybaby Rangers’ manager: this is PROFESSIONAL sports!
Athletes are paid to perform, not care about hurt feelings. There is no such thing as “running up the score” in professional sports. This ain’t Little League. It ain’t some intramural shit.
If you, crybaby Rangers manager, have a problem with that, make sure you don’t give up 10-plus runs! Get better pitchers. And, oh I don’t know, manager the game better!
So to the caretakers and old school, “get off my lawn” baseball experts who agree with both managers from last night’s game: stop making baseball so fucking lame.
After all, my man Tom Hanks put it best in ‘A League of Their Own’:
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