Hard slides, heavy collisions, and retaliatory pitches are as much a part of baseball as RBI singles and Cracker Jack.
Some players are known for their aggressive nature, while others are perceived as masters of bending the rules without explicitly flaunting them. Then there are the careless moments when a player is involved in a bang-bang play and something has to give.
Last week Mark Teixeira’s clash with Angels’ catcher Bobby Wilson made national headlines. New York’s first baseman placed his shoulder through the young catcher even though there was a significant portion of the plate exposed, not knowing the throw home had short-hopped Wilson.
I’m not going to say it was the more suitable play in the circumstance, but it was a hard baseball play. Could he have slid? Sure. But he wanted to make sure Wilson didn’t hang onto the ball.
When neither manager—both former catchers—has a problem with a collision at the plate but it still makes the sports pages for days, there’s a pretty good chance that the media are scrutinizing the actions of a Yankee.
I’m no Yankees fan, but their players do tend to receive more time under the microscope than any other—such is the price for being part of one of the biggest franchises in sport. Everyone seemingly wants to take their shot at them when they get their chance.
You can’t blame Teix too much though. Wilson was the only thing he has hit hard all year.
Here are 10 more questionable plays since 2000, ranging from the unfortunate and classless, to the cheap and the dirty.