We ran headlong into some of this on Saturday.
Baseball is a funny game, on so many levels. There are many written rules, some of which are followed more rigorously than others. There are many unwritten rules, as well. Most of these unwritten rules stem from a sense of honor or a realization of the humbling nature of the sport ... where the difference between a game-ending double-play and a base hit can be an inch ... or less.
But know this: The unwritten rules of the game are followed, or generally there are severe consequences.
Many of the rules from baseball's unwritten code stem from one of the foundational commandments of the game -- Thou Shalt not Show up Thy Opponent.
On Saturday, one player was loudly proclaiming that he thought he knew our signs (he didn't).
In baseball at the college level and up, that player would likely be beaned for such conduct. This seems harsh, I know. But the player showed disrespect for the game by proclaiming publicly that the opposing team's signs were discovered. This is not done in baseball, because it's disrespectful to the opponent.
We can slide into the bag hard, but respect for the game means that a player does not try to injure another. The game presents enough trials and tribulations of its own.
People who have watched, played, or coached the game for any period of time know that umpires make mistakes, but these tend to even out over time. It shows a lack of respect for the game and the opponent to blame a loss or bad performance on the umpires.
We wear our uniforms correctly, with our caps straight forward and our jerseys tucked in ... always. It is not cool to cock your cap to the side. Rather, it merely looks like you have been out on a windy day. Wearing our uniform correctly not only shows respect for our team, but also to those who have worn our uniform before. Furthermore, wearing our uniform correctly is not only required by the written rules of the game, but it also shows respect for our opponents. We are dressed for the occasion, so to speak.
In our dugout, we show respect for the game by pulling positively for our team. Some teams yell for pops from the dugout while the ball is in the air. That is bush league and shows a lack of respect for the game. I mean, do they really need such an advantage? Think about it.
Also, we realize the situation of the game and make sure that we don't appear to be making merry at our opponents' expense, especially when a game turns into a blowout.
We don't run up the score. For my part, I neglected to hold up a couple of runners when we had a big lead on Saturday. I thought that could have been interpreted by our opponents as showing them up. That's why we talked about it after the game.
Again, this is a humbling game, and we treat those who play it with us with the respect that they deserve and the grace that we all need.
Respect the game. Respect your teammates, coaches, opponents and the umpires.
Do all of this because you respect yourself and, most fundamentally, the Lord Himself.
