Why Weren't The Twins Pitchers More Aggressive?

Definitely pitch inside--inside corner of the strike zone.  Let them jump back--and watch it called a strike!  No need to actually hit them--just jam them!

I absolutely hate the idea of purposely hitting people.  What KC was allowed to do to the Jays last week was an embarrassment to the game and that umpire crew needs to be punished.  Saying we should plunk someone out the gate in the hopes he'll have a bad remaining game is something I hope my team never endorses.  

You don't have to hit them on purpose, but you have to make them respect the inside part of the plate.  You have to make them move their feet once in a while.  The Twins were just throwing batting practice the whole series, looking scared and nibbling.  Bust 'em inside.  If they get hit, it's because they didn't respect you.

And there's a difference between "having fun" and "acting like a jerk".  Having fun might be a bat flip, pumping a fist, pointing into your own dugout, watching it as it leaves (and while you are trotting), etc.  Acting like a jerk involves making hand motions all the freaking way around the bases, Tulo's full-body high five with the third-base coach, standing and admiring, etc.  

I don't get the argument that says if you don't like it, don't let them hit home runs.  Everyone hits home runs.  Not everyone has to be a jerk about it.  There are varying degrees of celebration that are possible.  Suppose I want to celebrate by pantsing the first baseman as I trot past him, because it's fun.  Do I get to choose how I have fun?

When I think of pitching inside I don't think of plunking guys.  Just make them move their feet every once in a while.  The Jays were WAY to comfortable in the batters box.  Pound inside off the plate, inside corner, etc.   Then you can pitch away effectively because they can't just sit and wait for the meaty one over the middle.

^{I also think it's naive to think that when a pitcher supposedly plunks a guy for pimping, part of that anger doesn't stem from his (or his teammates) lack of ability to execute his pitches or just getting beat.  A pitcher can hide behind the whole 'he was pimping' thing all they want when they hit someone, but it's more than likely it's just whining because his team keeps getting beat by a guy.  Do your} job, shut him down if you can, and if you can't tip your hat, move on and get better.

P.S.  I just don't know about my computer.  All this font change and movement, not planned at all.

I don't see the difference between what's incorrectly termed "pimping" a home run and doing the silly jump up and down bit after a walk-off... or outfielders doing that leaping butt-bump thing that they do.

Nothing the Jays did while rounding the bases struck me as all that disrespectful. They're having fun, and why wouldn't they, considering how weak the Twins pitching was in that series.

The Twins should be more upset about how badly they pitched.

You choose to make those actions "jerky". There is literally nothing inherently, in their very existence, that makes them "jerky". It is all on you deciding they are jerky. 100%, your decision inside your head.

 

I have no problem throwing inside, I have tons of problems intentionally hitting someone.

And please note, nowhere in my post did I advocate intentionally hitting someone, because I don't.

It's not about me deciding what makes someone a jerk, and it's not about what's inside my head, it's about social mores.  It used to be that bullies weren't jerks, they were just part of life.  Maybe baseball should be less sensitive, that's up to them to decide.  But you can't just say that baseball culture doesn't matter, or is stupid, because it's a culture.  Maybe it should change.  That's up to them.

When Jeffrey Leonard did his famous "one flap down" slow trots following home runs in the mid-80s, the baseball world went nuts.  Now that's nothing compared to some of the other mini-celebrations.  Cultures change.

The point about walk-off wins is a good one.  I bet 25 years ago there were no celebrations like that.  Now there are, and they seem like the equivalent of winning a division- seems over the top to me, but it's not my culture.   At least that celebrates a team accomplishment that ends a game, rather than a good swing of the bat (or a terrible pitch) in the third inning.  I think those are different things that merit different degrees of satisfaction.

If you can't throw an inside pitch six inches off the plate without hitting a guy, maybe a guy's standing too close to the plate. Drill 'em.