Texas Rangers Pitcher Flips Out At An Opponent For Violating Baseball's Dumbest 'Unwritten Rule'

MLB

In the most frustrating baseball controversy of the year, Texas Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis criticized Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus for getting a hit off him in the fifth inning of Saturday's game.

The Rangers were playing a "shift" against Rasmus - meaning there were three players on the right side of the infield and just one on the left side of the infield - so Rasmus smartly laid down a bunt toward third base and got a hit.

Lewis said after the game that bunting against a shift is unethical (via MLB.com):

"I told [Rasmus] I didn't appreciate it. You're up by two runs with two outs and you lay down a bunt. I don't think that's the way the game should be played."

"I felt like you have a situation where there is two outs, you're up two runs, you have gotten a hit earlier in the game off me, we are playing the shift, and he laid down a bunt basically simply for average."

It takes the "unwritten rules" thing to an absurd extreme. The shift is designed to make it harder to get a hit. Rasmus identified a flaw in the shift - namely, there's only one guy between second and third base - a took advantage of it. It's like leaving a basketball player wide-open on purpose, and then criticizing him for making a lay-up.

The hit:

MLB

Lewis yelled at him:

MLB