Baseball Chat

[langostino]

the risk of getting injured ...

In that case, I suggest from here on out all players:
(a) never slide on the basepaths (hey, you can catch a spike, you can screw up an ankle, you can blow out a knee, etc., etc. Besides, how many times does that really decide a game anyway?)
(b) never, ever contest a play at the plate as a baserunner (damn, the catchers are mostly pretty big and they wear all that gear, and they have so much more practice)
(c) never contest a play at the plate as a catcher (sheesh, some baserunner barreling toward the plate at full speed and you're supposed to just stand there like a sacrificial lamb? No freakin' way! Think of what happened to Ray Fosse. All for a single run, and the rare occurance that that particular run would be the difference in a 1-run game?)
(d) never dive for a ball. Ever. Not in the infield or the outfield.
(e) never go hard for a ball near the lines (hey, not only could you smack into the wall, but you could get some idiot fan smacking you in the face!)
(f) in the outfield, never go hard for a ball near the wall (hey, that guy who ran through the wall on SportsCenter got a busted nose for his trouble)
(g) never sprint for a ball in the field (hey, isn't that how Griffey blew out his hammy the last time?)
(h) step at least a foot further from the plate (damn, you stand close you get plunked - who the heck cares if you strike out more b/c you can't reach the outside part of the plate, at least you'll see less beanballs)
(i) never sit in the dugout (hey, haven't you seen the replays of how foul balls sometimes go in the dugout and smack guys there?)

Well, that's a good start. Certainly wouldn't want anyone risking injury out there for anything that might not happen very often.

p.s. add Cliff Floyd the list of prima donnas who drives fans nuts by not running out balls (great hitter, but not too many Marlins fans were sorry to see his attitude leave town when he headed up to the Mets).