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No 'code' needed to decipher Indians' ridiculousness

The Associated Press

A pair of "message" pitches from Cleveland's Kerry Wood and reaction by catcher Victor Martinez create an uproar Sunday. Indians bullpen catcher Dan Williams and umpire Greg Gibson try to keep the peace.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 19, 2009

Updated: 05/19/2009 11:15 am

If you've watched sports for any length of time, you know athletes can say one thing and mean something totally different.

So when Cleveland closer Kerry Wood threw two "message" pitches at Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton on Sunday – one behind Upton, one uncomfortably close inside – the action spoke loudly.

If you saw the pitches (and who hasn't by now?), there can be no doubt about Wood's intent. But why? It can't really be that Cleveland was upset at Upton for stealing two bases last Thursday while the Rays trailed 9-0 late in the sixth inning of an eventual 11-7 loss.

Some of the Indians claimed innocence after the game, but then catcher Victor Martinez mouthed off, confirming rumors throughout the weekend that Cleveland was fuming that Upton had stolen second and third in a lopsided game. Well, it was lopsided at the time. The stolen bases ignited a six-run rally that got the Rays back in the game.

Somehow, I guess, Upton's aggressiveness violated some sort of code though. That was the rumble coming from Cleveland's clubhouse anyway.

It's in the code

This code covers any situation that might come up during a game, and everyone seems to abide by its do's and don'ts – lest they end up with a fastball in their ribs (or behind their heads). I spent the last couple of days searching for something that covers how you're supposed to give up when down by nine runs with four innings to play.

Alas, couldn't find it.

The code does say a pitcher isn't supposed to throw behind a hitter. Since a hitter's natural instinct is to back away, he could back right into a pitch and risk serious injury.

But the only thing that seems to cover the Upton situation is a strange reference that says a team behind by nine runs agrees to stop trying only if the team that's ahead agrees to stop throwing curve balls.

There was a subreference, by the way, to the American League Championship Series last October. Interestingly enough, it involved the Rays. Boston trailed by seven runs late in that game but, in a blatant violation of the code, the Red Sox kept trying.

I think Boston won that game.

The code also says something about how professional athletes get paid to play nine full innings. It implies a moral obligation to give paying customers their full money's worth in a given game, no matter the score. But nothing in there about retaliation when someone steals two bases with his team behind by nine runs.

I'll keep looking.

Weird thing is, it could wind up being a great thing for the Rays.

We were saying just last week that they desperately needed a spark, and they appear to have it. They have won four in a row after Monday's 13-4 rout of Oakland, and they're back to .500.

Rematch next week

Now, I've heard that, occasionally, the code calls for revenge in such situations. A pitcher is supposed to defend his teammate, sort of like a hockey enforcer who protects the superstar.

We'll find out whether the Rays want to go there when they travel to Cleveland on Monday for a four-game series. They could just move on, or they could invoke the code that says, "Oh, you had Kerry Wood buzz B.J. Upton. … We'd like to introduce you to Grant Balfour."

But seriously, I've heard a lot of wacky things around ballparks over the years, but to be upset at Upton for continuing to play the game hard is about the silliest thing ever.

Seems pretty plain to me. You don't need code words to decipher that.

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