Selig Mum On Alleged A-Rod Pitch Tipping, For Now
Via Tom Verducci -
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday he will withhold comment about any possible disciplinary action against Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez until he has read A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez, a soon-to-be published book that details how Rodriguez tipped opposing hitters about what pitches were coming.
“I’m not going to respond until I see the book,” Selig told SI.com. “I just heard about it.”
When asked in general if giving pitches to an opposing team would subject a player to possible disciplinary action for striking at the integrity of the game and violating a contractual obligation to the “high standards of fair play,” Selig maintained his refusal to comment in detail. “I need to see the book and go over it,” the commissioner said. “I need to see the book, for goodness sake.”
Wow. Check out Bud, talking to Tommy Vee like he’s Cardinal Wolsey urging Queen Katherine…for goodness sake.
Actually, the whole pitch tipping thing is interesting. First, it would have to be a buddy of A-Rod, to be in on this one-hand-washing-the-other scheme. And, it would have to be someone who was in a position to tip pitches back to A-Rod when it was time to return the favor – meaning someone who played 2B, SS or C on the other team. That sort of narrows down the field, no?
Miguel Tejada?
But I thought A-Rod was a needy, self-centered, egomanical sycophant who didn’t have any friends! How could he tip pitches without any friends to tip off?
But seriously, this pitch tipping thing is quite interesting when looked at from a big-picture point of view. Frankly, I don’t care if A-Rod did this or not, but is this something that happens frequently? It would be quite interesting if it did…
… and it’s good to know that Selig disciplines players based on what he reads in a book….
If he did tip pitches He is looking at a lifetime ban from the game, This also clinches that even if he is ever on a HOF ballot He will be lucky to get more than 10 votes, He will never get the 5% needed to stay on the ballot.
From Denny McLain’s wikipedia entry
“After the Tigers had clinched the ’68 AL pennant, McLain exhibited a rare display of magnanimity in a game against the New York Yankees; in cruising to his 31st victory, with the Tigers leading 6-1, McLain grooved a “fat” pitch to Mickey Mantle, whom McLain had idolized while growing up. It allowed the soon-to-retire Mantle to hit his 535th homer and pass Jimmie Foxx on the all-time home run list. (The next batter, the irrepresible Joe Pepitone, waved his bat over the plate, as if asking for an easy pitch of his own. McLain responded by knocking Pepitone down with his next delivery.)”
And of course, there’s Bull Durham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20NEbFeXU7w
Good catch on the Mantle/McLain thing, Raf!
@ Raf:Mickey was so well loved and respected, that grooving one to him and giving up a HR was an honor.
Raf, as soon as I heard about the tipping allegation, the McClain/Mantle HR was the 1st thing I thought of as another example.
[...] Selig Mum On Alleged A-Rod Pitch Tipping / Alex Rodriguez — B*tch T*ts?! [...]
Let’s see….
1. Buddy of A-Rod…?
2. In a position on the field to return the favor…?
Dare I even suggest Derek Jeter?
Doubt it. Remember, this would be post-Esquire article time…
… and it’s good to know that Selig disciplines players based on what he reads in a book….
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That was my second thought. My first thought was that I’m even surprised the drooling idiot Selig knows how to read.
[...] See? I told you that it was Miggy Tejada. [...]