Skip to main content

31 replies

Dallas Braden...

J HJ H5,000+ posts
I have my opinions about Alex Rodriguez and I know there are MANY people here that don't have very positive feelings for him. However, I'd like to get some opinions about what happened last night...

After Cano fouls off a hit and run, A-Rod calmly jogs his way back to first base from the 3rd base area. In doing so, he happened to jog across the mound, which is in between the two bases. Braden flips out, and starts screaming and cursing at A-Rod. Upon later explanation, Braden says that it is baseball etiquette not to walk across the mound, and there would be repercussions if A-Rod did anything like that again. A-Rod responded in post-game interviews by literally laughing at the guy.

I am a college pitcher and I've never heard of an unwritten rule to not touch the mound. Frankly, I wouldn't care if the guy ran across the mound. If he messed around with the dirt on the rubber then yeah I'd have an issue, but who really cares if the guy touches the mound? A-Rod touched on the seniority issue in his interview as well, subtly pointing out that Braden has 14 career wins and A-Rod has 580 HR's.

Don't really want to touch on the respect factor that Alex pointed out, but I do want to hear some opinions about the occurrences. IMO, Braden needs to shut his mouth and pitch and stop with the absurdity.
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

floridafanfloridafan5,000+ posts
Now that I hear what happened, I would say that A-Rod was sort of "In Your Face" to Braden. And he has a soild pair for going after A-Rod the way he did.

Nothing wrong with A-Rod doing what he did, but if the Pitcher meekly retook the mound without saying a word, I would think he was a wimp.

I have never seen a baserunner come close to crossing a mound on their way back to a base, you don't see many position players get on top of the mound when they take the field either.

It is a hill reserved for a pitcher.
Last edited by floridafan
I iheartbb1,000+ posts
How many times have you seen players run across the mound? I can't think of any, not even in little league. No one does it.
Reminds me of the time A-Rod tried to slap the ball out of the first baseman's glove in a game, and then is like "what?"

He should know better after all these years.
If it is not a somewhat unspoken rule, then why don't we see more players doing it?
RJMRJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007
I don't know exactly how the entire post game thing occurred. Had I been the pitcher I would have snapped at Arod, "Get the Bleep away from my mound Bleep orifice." If Arod said anything I'd drill him the next time up. I wouldn't say anything to the sportswriters unless they asked. Then I'd only explain he walked across my place of business and I told him what I thought. End of story. I've never seen a baserunner go anywhere near the mound before.
Last edited by RJM
Coach_MayCoach_May10,000+ posts
You stay off the mound. You just stay off the mound. Its seen as disrespect to the pitcher. Thats his mound. Even my hs players know this.

After we lost to a bitter rival several years ago at our field the opposing team went to our mound and celebrated. I had to order my players to the outfield. I calmly went to the coach and told him I thought it was a bad move on his part to allow it. He shrugged it off. Later in the year we played them at their place for the conference championship. We beat them in another close game. Our players wanted to celebrate on the mound. I would not allow it.

Seriously I just saw the interview with AROD and I was stunned that he would say he had never hear of this. It is viewed as a slap in the face of the pitcher to run across or walk across his mound. Its something you just do not do.
Bulldog 19Bulldog 195,000+ posts
quote:
It is viewed as a slap in the face of the pitcher to run across or walk across his mound. Its something you just do not do.


Sorry Coach, but pitchers just need to grow a pair. What other position player says "this is my territory, stay out!" or something similar?

I can't stand pitchers--their whole mentality is just too weird for me.
Bulldog 19Bulldog 195,000+ posts
quote:
Got to agree with you rz1. Being a pitcher growing up and having a son doing the same, understand where you are coming from. I can also say that I have seen just as many "whining" hitters (if not more) than whining pitchers.


Those whiny hitters probably play more than once every 5 days though Wink (yes I know why pitchers don't pitch everyday)

A pitcher's mentality is just a bizzare thing for me.

Being in athletic training, I get to deal with a lot of athletes. My thought is this: Athletes are weird. Baseball players are athletes which automatically makes them weird, but then you throw in traditions and little odd things. Then you make that ballplayer a pitcher; things just get even weirder. Finally, you make that pitcher lefthanded and it's just gone. CRAZY.
Coach_MayCoach_May10,000+ posts
I dont have much tolerance for whiners period. And in this situation I didnt see a guy that was whining. I saw a guy that stood up for what he believed. We can argue all we want about "should he have" "Why he did" but the fact is he didnt back down just because it was AROD. Out there on the field they are all the same. Ball players. In the locker room , in public he may be AROD. But on the field when the game is being played he is just another player.

If he had done the same thing to a no name ML player would this story been give any run at all? I doubt it.
zombywoofzombywoof1,000+ posts
Braden was nothing more than a spoiled crybaby wuss throwing a temper tantrum like a little brat and deserved to be smacked upside the head. A-Rod walked on the back part of the mound. Big deal. The kid went off at nothing. It wasn't like he walked up to the rubber and messed up his landing area or something like that. Arod was nowhere near it. This kid's a nobody trying to show up one of the greatest players of all-time. At least if something like that's gonna get to him, deal with it like a man instead of going into a hissy-fit. The way that kid acted was strange. He needs some help.
Last edited by zombywoof
rz1rz15,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by zombywoof:
This kid's a nobody trying to show up one of the greatest players of all-time. At least if something like that's gonna get to him, deal with it like a man instead of going into a hissy-fit. The way that kid acted was strange. He needs some help.


I guess all players are created equal.....some more equal than others? He dealt with it like a man, he got in Arods face and called him out. This may be the "career move" that players dream of and he did it on the biggest stage. This "little brat's" stock went up ten fold in the eyes of players, fans, and media outside of the evil empire.
Last edited by rz1
itsinthegameitsinthegame5,000+ posts
Opinion:

On one hand - you have Arod - a liar and a cheater. What he says and what he does really matters little.
Bottom line is he is there - and you have to deal with it.

On the other hand - you have a young pitcher - not alot of experience. He should have let Arod be Arod - and then drilled him every time he had the chance the rest of the game.

No histrionics - no back and forth - just hard drilling.
06catcherdad06catcherdad1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by zombywoof:
Braden was nothing more than a spoiled crybaby wuss throwing a temper tantrum like a little brat and deserved to be smacked upside the head. A-Rod walked on the back part of the mound. Big deal. The kid went off at nothing. It wasn't like he walked up to the rubber and messed up his landing area or something like that. Arod was nowhere near it. This kid's a nobody trying to show up one of the greatest players of all-time. At least if something like that's gonna get to him, deal with it like a man instead of going into a hissy-fit. The way that kid acted was strange. He needs some help.


I think was Braden did was right, and I'm sure his teammates regard him more highly for doing it. This is COMPETITION, and Braden was competing in a bit different manner by standing up to Rodriguez like he did. I would be surprised if the next time they face each other, if ARod doesn't get one in the ribs as an exclamation point, unless the situation precludes it. Though ARod may be one of the games biggest stars and Braden a young player, they're equals when it comes to competition, and I'd be disappointed in any pitcher who didn't stand up for himself like this, at any level. Some things, you just don't put up with, no matter who did it.
zombywoofzombywoof1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by 06catcherdad:

I think was Braden did was right, and I'm sure his teammates regard him more highly for doing it. This is COMPETITION, and Braden was competing in a bit different manner by standing up to Rodriguez like he did. I would be surprised if the next time they face each other, if ARod doesn't get one in the ribs as an exclamation point, unless the situation precludes it. Though ARod may be one of the games biggest stars and Braden a young player, they're equals when it comes to competition, and I'd be disappointed in any pitcher who didn't stand up for himself like this, at any level. Some things, you just don't put up with, no matter who did it.


Even if Braden was right, he defended himself like a little wussy but not only did he make a big stink over nothing, he acted like a little brat.
southpaw_dadsouthpaw_dad100+ posts
I'm with Braden on this one. I can't ever recall having a guy run across my mound when I was pitching (of course, that was 100 years ago), but it was still MY mound.

I think Braden would have been better served to deal with it immediately & directly on the field. First response: immediately go over to 1st, and get a HARD tag out of the 1B. Any pitcher worth his salt, and any 1B who has his Pitcher's back know how to make the eye contact to call for a hard tag. Next ... repeat phase 1, just to make sure A-h*** doesn't think it was a mistake.

Next time A-rod comes to the plate, barring a situation where the team is in a jam, give him a chance to swing at ball 1 away, then right in the rib cage.

Assuming you have not been run from the game at that point, repeat step 1. If you have been run from the game, your bullpen better have your back and repeat step 1.

But that's just me ... and maybe that explains why I found the transition from baseball to rugby to be so seamless.
rz1rz15,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by zombywoof:
Even if Braden was right, he defended himself like a little wussy but not only did he make a big stink over nothing, he acted like a little brat.


If he was in the right, How should he have acted?

What would have Joba Chamnberlin have done if a future HOF walked across his mound.
zombywoofzombywoof1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by rz1:
quote:
Originally posted by zombywoof:
Even if Braden was right, he defended himself like a little wussy but not only did he make a big stink over nothing, he acted like a little brat.


If he was in the right, How should he have acted?

What would have Joba Chamnberlin have done if a future HOF walked across his mound.


He should've got right in Arods face if it bothered him. Or drill Arod when he gets up again. Just handle it like a man, that's all. When he went into his dugout and threw his stuff like a spoiled brat, that just made me shake my head and say to myself "what a wuss".

quote:
What would have Joba Chamnberlin have done if a future HOF walked across his mound.


Not sure but if he acted like Braden, I'd say the same thing.
Last edited by zombywoof
Coach_MayCoach_May10,000+ posts
From reading his lips he said "Stay the F off my mound" as he was walking back towards the mound.

Now what was going through his mind? Why did it tick him off so much?

I would have to think he would have been upset no matter who did it. But the fact it was ARod I would have to think that took it to another level. He probably thought "Oh because he is ARod he thinks he can punk me. He probably thinks because he is ARod and no one knows who I am he can do whatever he wants to do."

I would think that this had a lot to do with him going off to the degree that he did.

Now if a Yankee no name went off on a big name player for the same reason would Yankee fans be backing their boy on this one? I would think they would. And I would have no problem with it.
rz1rz15,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Coach_May:
From reading his lips he said "Stay the F off my mound" as he was walking back towards the mound.
That was no "brat" response. That was a man who "dealt" with it. Because most pitchers have a short memory, IMO, to wait for the chance to drill him may never come. Calling him out may have been a great career move .

I would have to think he would have been upset no matter who did it. But the fact it was ARod I would have to think that took it to another level. He probably thought "Oh because he is ARod he thinks he can punk me. He probably thinks because he is ARod and no one knows who I am he can do whatever he wants to do."
I like the "tude" and the emotion. He'll probably be sat down and walked through the situation in hindsight in order to "reflect", but it's better than being called to the carpet because you don't care and were intimidated.

Now if a Yankee no name went off on a big name player for the same reason would Yankee fans be backing their boy on this one? I would think they would. And I would have no problem with it.
Absolutely
KC K Complex100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by TRhit:
All other things aside his team mates have got to love him---after A-Rod is the same guy who yelled at the infielder who under a pop fly---the man is BUSH--I undertsand that very few if any of the Yankee players hang out with A-Rod---what does that tell you ?


It tells me very few Yankee players hang out with a mistress in strip clubs in Toronto! Big Grin

Add Reply

Post
.

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Advanced Search
Advanced Search
Link copied to your clipboard.
×