Bryce Harper rips baseball's unwritten rules

 

Harper, 23, has never shied away from criticizing the unwritten rules, including last season when teammate Jonathan Papelbon drilled Baltimore’s Manny Machado after Machado apparently took a little too long to get around the bases on a home run he hit in a previous at bat.

 

Harper advocates violating the code because, well, baseball needs it.

 

"If a guy pumps his fist at me on the mound, I'm going to go, 'Yeah, you got me. Good for you. Hopefully I get you next time,’” Harper told the magazine. “That's what makes the game fun. You want kids to play the game, right? What are kids playing these days? Football, basketball. Look at those players – Steph Curry, LeBron James. It's exciting to see those players in those sports. Cam Newton – I love the way Cam goes about it. He smiles, he laughs. It's that flair. The dramatic."

 

Papelbon certainly didn’t take too kindly to Harper’s comments about Machado or the fact he didn’t run out a fly-out a few days later in late-season game. Papelbon confronted Harper, igniting a dugout scuffle that saw Papelbon grab Harper's throat.

 

While I know some will not agree just based on the messenger, Harper, I think he's 100% correct.

 

Baseball needs some emotion and enthusiasm...guy hits a walk off home run, give us a little "Steph shimmy" as he runs towards first. Strike out the side, pull out a fake bow and arrow and launch an imaginary arrow.

Brian McCann shakes his head.

I agree with Harper 100%. Unwritten rules are nonsense, and in many cases seemed geared toward Latin American players who don't play the way white American players desire them too. The quicker this nonsense goes away, the better the game will be.

I can't stand Bryce Harper, but he's 100% correct.

 

The "unwritten rules" are dumb.

I agree with Harper 100%. Unwritten rules are nonsense, and in many cases seemed geared toward Latin American players who don't play the way white American players desire them too. The quicker this nonsense goes away, the better the game will be.

 

I don't think this has anything to do with race, it's how you were taught the game. I know I'm always letting folks know I'm old school, but I like a high and tight after you've been leaning out over the plate. I like it when the guy goes deep after being plunked the bat before. I like when a teammate breaks up a double play (as long as he can touch the base). I like a little donnybrook every now and then. If I hit your guy, I'll expect my guy to get hit, part of the game. If Bryce Harper hits a shot off me and parades around the bases blowing kisses, that's fine. Just be prepared for me to get you dirty on the next at bat. Just part of the game.

The "unwritten rules" in baseball are by far the dumbest things in sports.

If I hit your guy, I'll expect my guy to get hit, part of the game. If Bryce Harper hits a shot off me and parades around the bases blowing kisses, that's fine. Just be prepared for me to get you dirty on the next at bat. Just part of the game.

 

But why? Because it's always been that way? That makes no sense to me, and I've been a baseball guy my whole life. I didn't understand it as a player, didn't understand it as a coach, and don't understand it as a fan.

I don't think this has anything to do with race, it's how you were taught the game.

 

Asian and Latin players flip their bats on home runs, base hits, and even fly outs. White, American players get mad. Why? Because that's not how you play? That's not how you're taught? It would appear that that is the way those players from those parts of the world are taught. And then the white, American players get to dictate through intimidation and hit-by-pitches that it isn't acceptable. Ridiculous.

I enjoy the bat flips. I enjoy the stare down when there is past beef.

 

I'm with Harper. Let's have some fun.

Asian and Latin players flip their bats on home runs, base hits, and even fly outs. White, American players get mad. Why? Because that's not how you play? That's not how you're taught? It would appear that that is the way those players from those parts of the world are taught. And then the white, American players get to dictate through intimidation and hit-by-pitches that it isn't acceptable. Ridiculous.

 

I don't know what games you watch but I see this a lot, be it white, brown, blue or green.

But why? Because it's always been that way? That makes no sense to me, and I've been a baseball guy my whole life. I didn't understand it as a player, didn't understand it as a coach, and don't understand it as a fan.

 

Ton of male testosterone on the field. And being a coach, I'm sure you know that.

I enjoy the bat flips. I enjoy the stare down when there is past beef.

 

I'm with Harper. Let's have some fun.

 

There's not much better than going yard on a guy talking smack. :lol2:

There's not much better than going yard on a guy talking smack. :lol2:

 

Right. And that's how you get back at him.

The Bautista home run and bat flip in Game 5 was one of the greatest things I've seen in sports. Still get chills when I watch it.

 

I'm all for more of that. Glad Harper said it.

If they did more of this stuff, people might actually watch baseball.