Texas Rangers’ feelings are hurt because Padres’ Tatis did his job
The only thing Fernando Tatis Jr. should take back is his apology.
The San Diego Padres shortstop hurt the feelings of the Texas Rangers and manager Chris Woodward by hitting a grand slam.
Son, don’t apologize for being good at your job. It’s not your fault they Rangers are not good at theirs.
In case you missed it, the Padres led the Rangers by seven runs in the eighth inning on Monday night at Globe Life Mall. The bases were loaded for Tatis, and he hit a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch.
Baseball’s unwritten rules say you don’t run up the score, and the batter in that situation should take the pitch.
Woodward told reporters on a Zoom call after the game: “I didn’t like it, personally. You’re up by seven in the eighth inning. It’s typically not a good time to swing 3-0.
“It’s kind of the way we were all raised in the game. But, like I said, the norms are being challenged on a daily basis, so just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not right. I don’t think we liked it as a group.”
The complaint isn’t that Rangers pitcher Juan Nicasio couldn’t get anybody out, but rather an opposing Major League Baseball player had the audacity to hit a home run.
So very Karen.
This is what Woodward should say: “We got our a-- handed to us. We deserved it. The end.”
Baseball’s unwritten code is an endless labyrinth of hypocrisy. It includes old-school tough-guy antics and behaviors that even the softest of liberal snowflakes would mock and ridicule.
The code has measures that says you don’t run up the score and you don’t steal a base when your team is comfortably ahead.
Leading by 10 runs is not the time to swing on a 3-0 pitch.
But throwing at a guy’s head is not only reasonable but it’s also expected.
For instance, after Tatis his his grand slam, Rangers pitcher Ian Gibaut entered the game and his first pitch was behind the head of Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado.
Hurting a team’s feelings is a sin, but throwing at a man’s head is OK.
You follow?
On the amateur level, unwritten measures in sports are appropriate. Alabama trying to score a touchdown when it is up 72-0 against Alabama State violates that code.
The Texas Rangers playing the San Diego Padres in a Major League Baseball game is not Alabama vs. Alabama State.
These are pros, all of whom are paid six to seven figures. They are paid based on stats. During contract negotiations, a GM doesn’t say, “Yes, well, four of these RBIs came during a blowout when your client was so rude as to swing on a 3-0 pitch.”
Should the Padres lead the Rangers 23-2 in the top of the ninth inning, and the bases are loaded again for Tatis, he needs to swing on a 3-0 pitch if he wants.
If the Rangers don’t want Fernando Tatis Jr. to hit a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch, don’t groove him a batting-practice fastball.
On Tuesday, Woodward told reporters on a Zoom call, “Let’s do the best thing by getting him out. That’s the biggest message I am going to send today. Instead of retaliating, let’s try to get the kid out or get that team out.”
Tatis doesn’t need to apologize for violating some stupid, dated code of hypocrisy.
The people who should be apologizing are the Texas Rangers. But rather than owning that their fanny was kicked at home, their feelings were hurt because an opponent hit a home run.
This story was originally published August 18, 2020 at 1:18 PM.
