The only really important issue that has not been resolved during his Tenure, to the satisfaction of Real-Baseball-Purists, is the total elimination of that despicable aspect of primitive Baseball culture known as The \u201cBean-Ball\u201d \u00a0![\"mean](\"http:\/\/www.johnpaciorek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/mean-baseball-face-150x150.png\")
,Intentionally Hitting of the Batter, by the Pitcher. Baseball\u2019s \u201cold-guard\u201d has apparently convinced our rightly esteemed Commissioner that \u201cIt\u201d is and should always be \u201cpart of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once the Designated-Hitter is fully ensconced in both Leagues, the only, and most significant change necessary for all perceptive entities to agree upon, and from which to incorporate a lasting memorial to a truly remarkable \u201cman of authority\u201d is to step up a legitimate process of eliminating the \u201cbean-ball\u201d completely. After watching all that has transpired thus far, it is my prophetic and providential declaration that the only substantive way to stop the insidious \u00a0\u201ccarnage\u201d that has been wrongly institutionalized within America\u2019s great \u201cPastime\u201d is to diminish from that Team and its respective representatives (Pitchers and Managers exclusively) their equal opportunity and facility to direct their teams to uncontested victory.<\/p>\n
The only thing that will stop the revenge-seeking and dispassionate collaborators to a false sense of \u201cteam-honor,\u201d -unity, and \u2013 dignity is to apply the harshest possible retribution for any batter being hit by a major-league fastball directly on a part of his body that is not protected by significant padding. Fines and suspensions are such superficial penalties to a pitcher who is usually following the commands of his manager. He (pitcher) will probably be recompensed by the team for his financial loss, and a few days of vacation will not usually bother him.<\/p>\n
The ONLY solution to this PROBLEM is to allot two bases to any batter hit by a Major-League fast-ball. Such a batter will be allowed to go directly to Second-Base. If a runner is on Second Base, he moves to Third Base. IF runners are on Second and Third bases, then the runner on 3rd<\/sup> scores. I think you can see how this will affect a team whose pitchers are either errant or deliberate with solid contact of their inside fastball upon a batter.<\/p>\n Tony LaRussa\u2019s logical statement on the subject might be paraphrased to read as follows: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if it was deliberate or not. Pitchers are going to come inside to certain batters; and those pitchers might not be accurate with their pitches. Then, they shouldn\u2019t come inside, if they don\u2019t want to be retaliated against.\u201d<\/p>\n How can anyone deny that statement\u2019s logic? Since it can\u2019t be denied, then the only alternative is to enact a law or rule that precludes its relevance! Don\u2019t put the blame on anyone! Simply declare that such a batter who is \u201cimpacted\u201d by the errant or deliberate pitch be awarded adequate compensation for his being bludgeoned by such a pitch.<\/p>\n Most often an innocent \u201cnext-batter\u201d is the recipient of a malicious act of retribution. In other cases it is the \u201cpoor-innocent-victim\u201d of a pitcher or manager who has decided that said-batter can\u2019t hit the \u201cinside-heater\u201d that subsequently \u201cgets-away\u201d from the \u201cperpetrator\u201d who could care less if he \u201caccidentally\u201d hits the \u201cman-with-bat.\u201d\u00a0 Take all of that away. From now on, it\u2019s nobody\u2019s fault. But such callousness of a Pitcher most certainly will affect the outcome of that inning, game, and pitcher\u2019s best effort on the mound.<\/p>\n If a Team\u2019s pitching staff is \u201cspot-on\u201d with accurately thrown fast-balls in-tight to certain batters, and never hit a player with a pitch, then there\u2019s nothing to argue about. IF a Pitching staff is not that good with the accuracy of throwing fast-balls inside, and accidentally hit batters, there should be no reason for displaying ill-will. The batter simply advances to second base, while the other base-runners advance accordingly. What would there be to argue about? Justice has been served \u2013 no fines, suspensions, or fights!<\/p>\n If this \u201cnew rule\u201d works out fine, then most teams and players would be happy. But there will probably be a \u201cTeam\u201d or a \u201cplayer\u201d who is \u201csmart<\/span>\u201d enough to circumvent the rule in a \u201cmercy-game,\u201d when the out-come seemed too sure, one way or another. Umpires and other League officials might still have the power to impose themselves on those few disorderly \u201cbarbarians,\u201d until they are eventually \u201cweeded-out.\u201d<\/p>\n Bud Selig has helped present to the world a more dignified and civilized Baseball Society. It would seem regrettable that he should leave his office with less than a complete sense of fulfilling his destiny. His true legacy awaits him if he can leave office after he submits to his \u201chighest-calling\u201d of finally putting an end to the \u201cbean-ball\u201d controversy. Sincerely submitted,<\/p>\n John F. Paciorek<\/p>\n P.S. For more understanding, see article submitted August 8, 2014 – “…Eliminating the Bean-Ball.”<\/p>\n Coming Soon: “Little-Things” – Doing “Them” Right determines the “WINNER”!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Baseball\u2019s Only True Legacy for Bud Selig There has never been a better Sports Commissioner than Bud Selig. The collective wealth that has transpired in the Professional Baseball Community, from which everyone associated with Baseball has been beneficiary, is due primarily to the intelligent management of MR. Selig. That, having been said, while not using … Continue reading Lasting Memorial to Bud Selig<\/span> <\/p>\n