# Re "unwritten rule of baseball" that allows a pitcher to bean a batter who hit a HR **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 10, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773 "2008-05-10T02:46:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/1 "2008-05-10T02:46:32Z")
I’ve never heard of this “unwritten rule”. [Is this columnist](http://www.salon.com/sports/daily/?last_story=/sports/daily/feature/2008/05/09/sexson/) pulling this “rule” out of his rear end or not? > [@](#): > > Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez had hit Ian Kinsler with a pitch in the top of the fourth inning following Kinsler’s home run in the second. According to baseball’s weird unwritten rulebook, that’s OK. Guy hits a homer off you, go ahead and plunk him. Kinsler dutifully took his base. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/2 "2008-05-10T03:16:20Z")
[QUOTE=astro] I’ve never heard of this “unwritten rule”. [Is this columnist](http://www.salon.com/sports/daily/?last_story=/sports/daily/feature/2008/05/09/sexson/) pulling this “rule” out of his rear end or not? [/QUOTE] Hitting players who just homered off of you is a pretty old part of baseball, and goes back at least fifty years or so. However, I’d vehemently disagree that it constitutes any sort of unwritten rule that you can do it at will; a lot of mound-charges have resulted. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/3 "2008-05-10T03:17:51Z")
No it’s not okay. Sure, there are times you know it’s coming b/c the pitcher is getting shellacked or he’s a hot head or there is a past history, but that doesn’t mean it’s part of the “unwritten rules” of baseball. Just for hitting a home run? This baseball fan says no way. Guys would be getting plunked left and right. Now if the guy showboated and somehow showed the pitcher up, well I say he deserves to take one in the ribs or at least have his ear buzzed. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/4 "2008-05-10T03:31:29Z")
I don’t think it frequently happens just for a homerun. Hitting the ball is what the batter is SUPPOSED to do. It would be like plunking a guy for making a diving catch or spiking the infielder who stole a base last time he was on. A homerun where the batter stands at home plate admiring it until it leaves the park, that’s a different story. ---
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/5 "2008-05-10T03:32:26Z")
The columnist is understating it a bit; It’s generally understood that if a batter **shows up** a pitcher after going deep, then the pitcher has carte blanche to retaliate as he sees fit. I don’t know if Kinsler did any crow hopping or chest thumping or fist pumping on his way to first, but if he did, he was acting like a rank amateur and deserved to get plunked. If Kinsler’s only offense was having the audacity to hit the HR, then Hernandez was the rube. Basically the rule is to have some class. You get the best of me, that’s fine. You get the best of me **and** show me up, then tell the trainer to get the ice pack ready, because you’re taking a heater in the lower back next time around. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/6 "2008-05-10T04:01:39Z")
A mere home run with no showing up of the pitcher? Another no way here. Sexson was also out of line as the pitch to him was albeit high, but over the plate- didn’t come close to hitting him. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/7 "2008-05-10T04:54:31Z")
[QUOTE=Incensed] The columnist is understating it a bit; It’s generally understood that if a batter **shows up** a pitcher after going deep, then the pitcher has carte blanche to retaliate as he sees fit. I don’t know if Kinsler did any crow hopping or chest thumping or fist pumping on his way to first, but if he did, he was acting like a rank amateur and deserved to get plunked. If Kinsler’s only offense was having the audacity to hit the HR, then Hernandez was the rube. . [/QUOTE] From [MLB.com](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080509&content_id=2667691&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb) > [@](#): > > The Mariners were behind, 4-0, at the time, and two Rangers had reached base when hit by Felix Hernandez pitches. Texas catcher Gerald Laird was plunked with a pitch on his left elbow leading off the second inning, and second baseman Ian Kinsler, who hit a two-run home run two batters after Laird was hit, was nicked with an inside pitch with two outs in the fourth inning. > > He glared at Hernandez before taking first base, although TV replays showed Kinsler never made much of an effort to avoid the fastball. . Doesn’t sound like Hernandez was deliberately throwing at Kinsler. Hell, I’d pitch him tight if he hit a home run off me last time. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/8 "2008-05-10T11:46:09Z")
I really hate the unwritten rule business. Nobody ever really seems to understand them; or has some sort of caveat to them that only they know. If only they were written down somewhere 😉 I remember several years ago a member of the Padre’s received a lot of bad press because he ruined a no hitter by laying down a bunt single to start the top of the ninth. Breaking the unwritten rule that you don’t “cheaply” break a no hitter, you go up and swing away. Now, while on the outset it looks cheap… the game was 1-0 going into the ninth. They weren’t getting wasted, and the player was just trying to get something gong by getting a baserunner on board. It would be one thing if they were losing 6-0 and the bunt was clearly an attempt to avoid the no hit… but he was legitimately trying to rally the team in a close game. (Besides that, defense? Hello?) Anyway, ever since then… I take these unwritten rules with a grain of salt. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/9 "2008-05-10T15:57:18Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] From [MLB.com](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080509&content_id=2667691&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb) . Doesn’t sound like Hernandez was deliberately throwing at Kinsler. Hell, I’d pitch him tight if he hit a home run off me last time. [/QUOTE] Yes, then, sadly, it’s decided that Hernandez must have plunked Kinsler on purpose, so then everyone is expecting the retaliation pluck to come, and when the pitch to Sexson is high, he charges because he’s all ready for being buzzed and it doesn’t really register that the pitch didn’t come close to hitting him. I hate it when baseball players are such jocks. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/10 "2008-05-10T19:57:11Z")
You usually didn’t get a plunking if you hit a home run (unless Bob Gibson or Don Drysdale were pitching – but that was the pitcher, not a 'unwritten rule"). Joe Garagiola, in his excellent **Baseball is a Funny Game** , talked about unwritten rules: you didn’t steal if your team had a big lead, for instance. He also talked about how if the _two_ batters in front of you hit home runs, you’d expect to have to duck the first pitch thrown to you. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/11 "2008-05-10T21:37:16Z")
I associate beaning in retaliation for home runs with the Gibson-Drysdale era, not with today. You don’t see it very often in today’s game. Nowadays if a pitcher throws at a batter it’s usually in retaliation for the other side hitting one of their batters. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/12 "2008-05-10T21:49:41Z")
I was impressed the other day when I walked into a game shop and played with the demo of the latest and greatest MLB game. I pitched and while trying to get the hang of the system, I hit a batter in the side. I suffered out of the inning, then on my first at bat, got pegged in return, which had never happened to me in a game, unless playing a human. (Never could get the hang of batting) Next inning I deliberately threw at a player with the high heat and got an official warning for both sides. Then the opposing pitcher returned the favor and got an official warning again. I thought no shenanigans were tolerated after the first warning? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/13 "2008-05-11T11:12:59Z")
How did Rocky Colavito hit 4 in a row? You’d think he would be on life support after 3. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/14 "2008-05-11T16:58:02Z")
[QUOTE=Darth Sensitive] Next inning I deliberately threw at a player with the high heat and got an official warning for both sides. Then the opposing pitcher returned the favor and got an official warning again. I thought no shenanigans were tolerated after the first warning? [/QUOTE] I hate this rule. If I were a pitcher in MLB, my first pitch every game would be hitting the batter. I get a free HBP and we get warned so the other pitcher can’t do crap about it or he’s out. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/15 "2008-05-11T17:20:45Z")
[QUOTE=Saint Cad] I hate this rule. If I were a pitcher in MLB, my first pitch every game would be hitting the batter. I get a free HBP and we get warned so the other pitcher can’t do crap about it or he’s out. [/QUOTE] I don’t think your manager would appreciate starting every game with a runner on first. You’d probably end up getting fined and/or suspended for that I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/16 "2008-05-11T19:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Yes, then, sadly, it’s decided that Hernandez must have plunked Kinsler on purpose, so then everyone is expecting the retaliation pluck to come, and when the pitch to Sexson is high, he charges because he’s all ready for being buzzed and it doesn’t really register that the pitch didn’t come close to hitting him. I hate it when baseball players are such jocks. :smack: [/QUOTE] The exact same thing happened in the notorious Red Sox/Yankees brawl in the ALCS a few years back that resulted in Pedro Martinez throwing Don Zimmer to the ground. Clemens threw a high pitch, but not inside, to Manny Ramirez. Ramirez was expecting retaliation because Martinez threw a pitch behind Karim Garcia’s head the previous inning. Sexson waaaaay overreacted. Ramirez might be the most worthy recipient of chin music. He practically preens and poses every time he hits on out, which is often against the Yankees. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-unwritten-rule-of-baseball-that-allows-a-pitcher-to-bean-a-batter-who-hit-a-hr/448773/17 "2008-05-11T20:32:58Z")
Hitting the batter is one thing. Beaning is hitting in the head. That is different. That is dangerous and can be career ending. When a pitcher deliberately aims at a head a fight will follow.