Analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\nEvery sport, just like other industries, has an unwritten \u201ccode.\u201d It\u2019s the culture that has developed over the years. In baseball, the finer points of it have been argued, but the overriding theme is respect. This game has been around for over a century \u2013 the first professional team (the Reds) is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, in fact. Players are expected to show respect on the field \u2013 respect of their teammates, their opponents, the umpires, and the game itself. When a player doesn\u2019t run out a ground ball, that is disrespectful to his teammates, opponents, and the game of baseball. When a player draws a line in the dirt to argue a pitch, that\u2019s disrespectful to the umpire.<\/p>\n
When a player stands to admire a long home run and doesn\u2019t even move out of the batter\u2019s box until the ball lands, that is extremely <\/em>disrespectful to his opponent. He could still watch the ball in awe while running the bases, and that wouldn\u2019t be disrespectful at all. That\u2019s what Dietrich should have done.<\/p>\nThe claim of \u201cif you don\u2019t want a player to stare at his home run, don\u2019t give one up to him\u201d is complete nonsense. It\u2019s taunting. Period. Taunting has no place in any sport. As former NFL player and coach Mike Ditka said while announcing Monday Night Football <\/em>several years ago, (paraphrased) \u201cBeat your opponent fair and square but treat him with respect.\u201d<\/p>\nWhen the \u201ccode\u201d in a sport is violated, there are consequences. In hockey, the consequence is either a good, stiff check or a fight. In baseball, the consequence is a pitch being thrown at a hitter. There is even a code with that, though \u2013 stay away from the head.<\/p>\n
Now for the ejections themselves.<\/p>\n
David Bell, Cincinnati Reds Manager<\/strong><\/h2>\nUnderstand the frustration?<\/strong><\/h3>\nAfter Dietrich\u2019s actions, Bell should not have been surprised. Dietrich didn\u2019t just admire the home run for a few seconds. He did not even leave the batter\u2019s box until the ball landed.<\/em> Archer\u2019s first pitch to Dietrich in the subsequent at-bat was not at all surprising. Reds play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman even said so in the broadcast immediately after the pitch hit the backstop. Had a Pirates player done what Dietrich did, would a Reds pitcher have thrown at him on the first pitch of his next at-bat? It\u2019s a safe bet.<\/p>\nKellogg handled it perfectly. Archer had his shot at Dietrich, and he missed. He cannot be allowed to keep throwing at a guy until he hits him, and since he didn\u2019t throw at his head, Kellogg was right to warn him and the Pirates\u2019 bench. Since it was retaliation for an unsportsmanlike act by a Reds player, Kellogg was right to warn the Reds\u2019 bench. Bell completely overreacted.<\/p>\n