When I played ball as a kid one sound that resonates in my memory is the sound of "Hey, batta, batta, batta"! Continuous and unforgiving this phrase, along with others, was chanted from each posistion of the infield and a good set of lungs from the outfield too until that last out was made and it was our turn to bat
Along with that great sound in my mind are also the many "tactics" we used to attempt to catch an opposing player off base if it should arise an oppossing player reached base. (it always did arise)
For example walking to the pitcher for a "strategy" chat and cunningly slipping the ball into your glove and tag the man out who was on base when he took his "lead" off the base. More often than not this was a pathetic manuever which always was caught almost immediately by the opposing team who's entire bench would be yelling to the man on base that "Hey..he's got the ball, he's got the ball don't leave the bag"! (I should note, too, that us kids were "men" on base)
There were also the yelling of "rules" as oppossing players ran the basepaths in an attempt to confuse the runner and/or batter so we could get to bat quicker. For example as the runner begins to run after the ball being hit you might yell "foul ball"! Or, if the ball was in play, "Only one base on a ball hit to right"! We might yell anything to try and disrupt the pure, geometric, precise game of baseball for the opposing team. Anything!
The words were always innocent, hurting no one's feelings. We were kids, it was baseball and I sure heard some of the "batta, batta" stuff in "grownup" baseball games, where do you think we got it from?
Toronto, in Canada, seemed to take exception to this behaviour this past Wednesday when Alex Rodriguez apparently yelled something as he was approaching Toronto third baseman Howie Clark as a pop up was descending from the sky, Howie thought, into his glove for the third out ending a Yankee's rally.
Seems as Alex Rodriguez was passing behind Howie Clark, who was awaiting the descending pop fly ball, Alex yelled something directly behind the third baseman causing Clark to wince and back up thereby allowing the descending pop fly ball to land, unscathed and uncaught on the ground. This did not end the rally. The Yankee's went on to score 3 more runs.
Rodriguez was confronted on the field by the Blue Jays and then was attacked in the media by the Toronto manager.
Toronto manager John Gibbons became somewhat distraught by this manuever going to the lengths of publicly condemning Rodriguez and the Yankee's for what he called a "bush league" play. Gibbons stated "That is not Yankee pride right there. That's not the way they play." Then the "bush league" remark was uttered.
Did Alex Rodriguez call Clark's mum a combat boots wearing mum? (I remember that one) Did Rodriguez insult the educational level of Clark as he yelled running by him to third?
No. No fierery expeltive's here. Just a big loud "HAH", as he ran past , is what Rodriguez said he shouted. Yup...A good ole "try" from childhood baseball to cause an error or misdirection to keep a rally alive. And it worked. Didn't it always work? Well most of the time it worked. But this time it caused a Major League Baseball team, an entire team, to blusterly blunder and shout and point and accuse making Totonto and all those that agree with them totally whacked out and mindless all to the fact Toronto Bluejays baseball was "had" by an old, dusty, creaky but well honed and never forgotten tactic of baseball, the 'HEY, BATTA, BATTA, BATTA only Rodriguez only used the "HEY" and changed it slightly to "HAH"..
Slight difference here. The BATTA, BATTA,BATTA, chant was done by the Farm, and Little Leagues. 7-12yr old KIDS! Let me say that again. KIDS. The Babe Ruth and Senior leagues you heard very little of the chants. This was because they were growing up to be men and learning to be respectful of the other team. You hear some in high school, but it's more to the tune of rag arm. Etc. None of these things are done while the play is in MOTION. I.E. once the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. A-Rod is supposed to be a man. Serious injury can happen in the flow o####ame. Ask Doug Mientkiewicz the Yankee first baseman. Clark and Clayton could have been seriously injured because of this. You don't mess around with other people's health. That is respect. It is GAMESMANSHIP. Playing fairly within the rules and context of the game. It may or may not been against the rules. That's more of a personal decision. But it wasn't in FAIR PLAY which is in the context of the game.
Last edited by socratesofswat on June 3rd at 10:37 AM.
socratesofswat...Thank you for stopping and commenting. I just love those pie in the face things they do when a fellow TEAM MATE, not indoctrinated human drone, is being interviewed by local and even national news media on TV! Ain't that great seing those MEN have fun after a hard fought, physical and psychological contest? Although, sometimes, it appears the pie pasterer kind of doesn't release the pie plate and both the pasterer's hand and pie pan slam into his fellow team mate's face. Which, of course, could what?..break his nose...who cares! They're happy. Sometimes accident's happen. NOW ; I've heard "rousting" chatter in every level of baseball. To yell "HAH" as you're passing someone could be like one of those suprise sneezes that bellow out suprising even the sneezer, let alone the sneezed on. ALSO...When the ball left the pitcher's hand OF COURSE ALL CHATTER STOPPED. Who wants to be the one to make an error after that? Clark and you, maybe? And I do believe you need to be sneezed on socratesofswat or go to Canada and become a Toronto Blue Jay ARod hater and join them in thinking such a thing is "dangerous", "unhealthy" and ...darn it...It's just not fair....Whew...Fly on little wing...
Another thing socratesofswat?...I have seen the "hidden ball" trick, as they call it, at least a dozen times in my life ON TELEVISED baseball games. Whew..suprise a guy like that off of base and tag him out? Might cause heart failure or loss of employment..huh? That, as it did with the chatter, is STILL IN BASEBALL.
sishusker thanks for the drop in. I love reading anything you post coz I hear PHIL HARTMAN evrytime I read it....But what's with you? Going to go on whimpering about this exit from a building with a blonde for the rest of the year? Best ya got? Substance my man...Substance! ARod in the steroid thing? What about Texas? He's in New York why all the rest are..$$$$$,,and lot's of it along with glory, the big buildings and, of course, the microscopic eye of folks who wanna #### about his private life. I was wondering coz I thought you were a guy..I noticed sishusker ("sis" as in sister being key) and now I, logically of course, think your of the female persuasion which explains the non-stop, it happened when?...ragging about a blonde and a married man.
if other players call it bush league, then it is. and i'm not speaking of just the blue jays. luis gonzales of the dodgers called it bush. i'm not sure i agree with the "potential injury" theory above though. i must say that, in all the mlb games i've ever attended, i don't remember any "hey batta, batta" chants coming from the pros. of course, my seats weren't always closest to the dugouts either.
Oh, BDyckins. I must have touch a nerve with my comments. What, YOU THINK it's perfectly sporting to put a player's health in jeopardy. The hidden ball trick, WILL INJURE NO ONE. No chance of a collision there. YOU MUST BE A YANKEE FAN WHO IS JUST MAD BECAUSE YOUR YANKEES ARE DOING SO POORLY! YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THESE MATTERS ARE ADOLESCENT AT BEST! Oh and the only one sneezing is YOU. YOU'RE a little sniffler. YOU"RE THE ONE WHINING AND POUTING ABOUT IT OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN"T HAVE WRITTEN THIS BLOG. GO BACK TO YOUR MOMMY SO SHE CAN CHANGE YOUR DIAPER!
Last edited by socratesofswat on June 3rd at 7:45 PM.
I think the only reason you wrote this blog was so you could insult other bloggers. You have nothing better to do with your time than belittle others because of your own hapless self. BE A DYCK. That's you. Me or sls said absolutely zilch against you personally. You are the ####who decided to make personal attacks. WHAT A LOSER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by socratesofswat on June 3rd at 9:27 PM.
TheKnockout..Thanks for stopping and commenting. I can't really say, at Major League level, I heard "BATTA, BATTA"..But I HAVE heard "chatter". Be it to the picher from an infielder or coach. I've seen the catcher make remarks to the batter. Can't hear those but the Ump can and I'm sure you have seen the results of some of those on the great and powerful TV. You never saw a camera shot of guys shouting from the dugout on TV Knockout? C'mon...Even Joe Morgan thinks the "danger" and "health" issues commented on are frivilous and gave examples of what he experienced and others. Exactly the thing we are discussing. It happens all the time every day of the season. It's "A-Rod"...That's why the hub-bub. Also Toronto helped it along greatly by responding to their loss in that manner due to embarassment of Clark actually backing away from a ball,letting it drop allowing 3 more runs. Any type of non-touch, non personal action to distract so as to "stay alive" is "game" and happens all the time.
socratesofswat...Speaking for sishusker are we? I happen to appreciate sishusker's comment's, as I stated, immensely and denegrated no one in what I said in my posts. Please point out any personal attacks I made, if you would be so kind. And get off your dam Health And Safety issues. Where's your head? A guy running the bases yells "hah". Where is all this danger you seem cemented to? How about sliding into 2nd base? No...Not cleats up in the air just a "general" take out slide to prevent a double play? socratesdofswat, you have gone far beyond the line. You are out of bounds sir.
socratesofswat...IF you are referring to the "sneeze" comment? Have you ever heard of the word "METAPHOR". As, for example, "Someone should wake you up, alert you, make you aware, etc". If so and this irritates you to the point it did you, friend, are in the wrong building.
You obviously can't be too bright to not realize that someone could get hurt. By the way A-Rod says he said HA, while everybody else says he said MINE. To pull him off the baseball could have caused a collision. It was a dirty play. As for your comments. SLS is a good guy on these blogs. You apparently did not like his comments so you immediately decided to slam him by calling him a female. Just a friend that I'll stick up for again. As for the need to be sneezed on. I take that as being the same as being spit upon. Just lil' old me to think when someone makes a comment like that, then they are slamming me.
I play in adult softball leagues and that #### isn't tolarated and is not allowed, just bush league for sure, A-Rod is not making alot fans right now but I guess he doesn't need any with all that money!
Smack back atchya slshusker and always a pleaure..You know that. HEY!...I keep my eye on the sparrow...Huggie's cool.
(Tho I've been thru Brooklyn, Jamaica and NYC)
See what a visit can do? The new "front pages" and I see SLSHUSKER...lil "L"..Kinda like the Elvis impersonator used to roam the town. Called Little El.
vearlthepearl..Thanks for stopping and taking the time to comment. I just have to say I wouldn't wanna be in whatever league it is you're in. What other "You Can't Do That's" do you adhere to? Allowed to slide into base with a human standing there? Dugout must be quiet at all times? I bet the Ump doen't have to turn once and go "Sshhhh! I'll turn this field right around buster if it keeps up."
It's hard to defend A-Rod when his own manager wouldn't defend his action. Would someone like to defend his slap of Bronson Arroyo in the playoffs a couple of years ago? It seems like A-Rod always comes up with the Bush League antics.
a-rod is an ####!! when he signed his gazillion dollar contract he thought he was better than anyone else and when he signed with the yankees he got 10 times worse! he is nothing but a spoiled brat that thinks he can do anything he wants and get away with it. the worst part is he did get away with it. it should be interesting to see what happens when toronto visits NY in july. one thing I do know, the jays are too classy a team to be as childish as a-rod or half the team for that matter. the jays had a losing streak too but they didnt have to act like a bunch of losers, they just played through it just like every other club... but one.
Your Honor, jlew68 and his alleged accomplice trip12 have gone far beyond council's boundries of evidence presented. I sumbit, your honor, they be expelled from the courtroom and assigned to the english teacher at "This Is English" on Absolutely 4th Street. To go on about "defending" A-Rod is unrelated to the case, your honor. This court is in session in the case of The People vs Banter On The Basepaths. Not A-Rod, Your Honor. I ask the court for a recess so that these two be taken to Absolutely 4th Street and to rectify the matter of "subject" in this courtroom. Thank you, your honor. I rest my case.
slshusker, Your Honor?...Yes, he is assigned with the cartoon network, sports television and all around eye in the sky. He is our expert witness, Your Honor. "The blond is my finacial advisor" is slshusker's first determination of what was mentioned, in passing, mind you, to the person backing away and watching a ball drop to the ground.
im not quite sure what you are talking about but in your "courtroom" there doesnt seem to be much evidence that a-rod is anything but a #### and that spiel you just rattled off tells me you know it !! were you talking to a-rod after the game? how the hell do you know what he said? howie clark told me he said "mine".
trip12..He said "mine"?? THAT is outta site!! And the guy just backed up and let the ball fall. GREAT!...I always said "I got it!"....Never worked for me though or anyone else I heard/saw try it so that guy is playing in the Major Leagues and we're not? Where is the justice....where is the love....
tell a-rod to watch his chin when the jays visit NY later on. maybe toronto could get a ball with a string tied to it so when a-rod swings they could just pull it back, maybe put their finger in a-rods belt loop so when he tries to run he gets slowed down, oh this is a good one. maybe leslie nielson could umpire the game and do all the things he did in "the naked gun".
or the jays could just kick the yanks #### like they have been doing all season! yeah thats the best one yet.
Thanks tnp12 (not trip..wow me eye's)...I see you're a Jay's fan. I'm not really that concerned about the Yank's or Jay's but I did post, somewhere on here or maybe it was a comment, that the Yank's seem to be a faltering club to me every year. I see them in the middle of the pack and think "Yank's have become a normal team." Then around the end of July I look again and the bloody team is in 1st by 4 or 2 and I just can't believe it. So it appears they might be hitting their stride when they next visit the fine city of Toronto. Just an observation. Nothing meant by this. Good luck, tho, to you and your Jay's man!
Like a dog with a bone - or an over/under or even a staff of good, hard wood
I am a FOX Sports Blogger who NEEDS to VENT. You may also enjoy my tuneful stylings at www.myspace.c om/billdyckns Don't try to give me all that money I know you're going to want to donate or any personal information. . .OR, be the 1st to buy one of my songs. The FIRST.
On top of all that...well.. .there isn't much more on top of that since i'm on the glidepath down. But, as I say in my best song, "Time keeps tellin' me to fold. You know that always makes me crack a smile. Mr Time he believe I growin' old." (copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved) (means don't try rippin' that line off)
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