The most ridiculous item of the week: No crying in baseball

Cliff once referred to me as a “five-year-old” Cardinals fan, which in many ways is quite accurate. I first began following baseball in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series 2004, Cardinals vs. Astros. Prior to that I’d sat out a couple of games at Wrigley Field and Camden Yards, more for the culture than enlightened participation. Even my modicum of softball experience failed to educate me beyond the basics of the game, since I was in third grade at the time and the only thing I remember about my short stint as a catcher for the “True Blues” was that my coach had a TV in the back of his van (which in 1993 was pretty freakin’ sweet).

So basically, I’ve been a true fan for three years. At this point I understand many of the finer aspects of the game. I know when it’s prudent to use the “suicide squeeze.” I recognize the threat of an opposing pitcher’s low ERA. I even know the difference between the National League and the American League. And yet, some things continue to baffle me. Case in point: Kenny Rogers and the brown smudge controversy of Sunday’s Game 2 of the World Series.

On that holiest of days, the Tiger pitcher sported a considerable brown stain at the base of his left thumb throughout the top of the first inning. MLB rules clearly state that any pitcher in possession of a foreign substance must be immediately ejected from the game and suspended for the next 10. While it is obvious that Rogers was in possession of such a substance for at least the first inning of the game, the rule is invalidated by Cardinal manager Tony La Russa’s failure to seek a more thorough investigation.

Here is what I don’t understand: why is that La Russa’s responsibility? If the umpires knew of the substance (which they reportedly did since they told Rogers to wash his hands), why aren’t they equally as obligated to take care of the situation? Why must it fall on the opposing team to raise a stink in order to make the game fair? In my mind, this is similar to requiring victims of abuse or rape to rat out their assailant before the justice system will do its job. I know that’s an extreme analogy and baseball is “just a game,” but it makes me sick to think that Major League Baseball condones such conduct.