The baseball player defended his team’s tactics, saying, “We’re not emotional about it” and “It mustn’t be disrespectful in any way.” In another setting, these might have been the words of a club executive speaking about his team’s bloodless approach, beating a player in a salary arbitration. But no, that was one manager, the Giants’ Gabe Kapler, speaking about his team’s decision to keep pressuring an opponent with a nine-run lead.
Kapler’s blanket rejection of baseball’s unwritten rules Tuesday night was a logical extension of the mindset of modern front offices, which sometimes disregard emotions when seeking every possible advantage. Kapler plays in a different arena, competing in real games rather than spreadsheet exercises. The risk of retaliation from adversaries is real. But as the game develops, the Giants are ahead of the curve.
The unwritten rules are remnants of an antiquated system that disproportionately exposes non-white players to criticism. The line between competitive spirit and poor athleticism is in the eye of the beholder. Did Fernando Tatis Jr. cross the line in August 2020 when he clinched a 3-0 pitch for a grand slam in the eighth inning of a game the Padres led by seven runs? Did the Giants make it against the Padres on Tuesday night when Steven Duggar stole a base in the second inning with a 10-run lead and Mauricio Dubón executed a blatant single in the sixth inning with a nine-run lead? The Padres took more offense to the latter.
Last Friday the