How are players allowed to punch other players and not face legal consequences?

[calmunderfire]

Any lawyers here. Baseball players are big on saying this is my workplace, this is my job. LOL, they play baseball, but I digress.

Anyways if I go to work tomorrow and decide to punch a coworker not only will I get fired I'll probably go to jail. That's what happens in real life. As much as the movies make it seem cool to punch the asshole who's annoying you or others you cannot punch people in the face and not get arrested.

[LC_O's_87]

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/arlington/article77911582.html

[calmunderfire]

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/arlington/article77911582.html

I disagree with the reasoning here because baseball is a non contact sport.

It's not like boxing for example where the entire point is to bring pain. I saw Hagler Hearns on youtube and it was the most savage thing I've ever seen in my life. But that to me seemed legal because there were rules and both people consented to the rules and the event.

I doubt Bautista consented to getting punched. I don't think baseball players suit up with the expectations of getting punched. And I don't think punching is part of the game.

[calmunderfire]

The moment Bautista went chest to chest with Odor the man code was invoked. A punch might not be warranted but it shouldn't be unexpected.

You can go chest to chest with people. Wouldn't advise it because you might receive a punch. But again you cannot put your hands on another person in the workplace.

[calmunderfire]

Sports aren't your average workplace.

That's true, but can we lump in all sports into the same box? Combat sports are one thing, contact sports another and then non contact sports like baseball are another.

[byrdz]

I disagree with the reasoning here because baseball is a non contact sport.

It's not like boxing for example where the entire point is to bring pain. I saw Hagler Hearns on youtube and it was the most savage thing I've ever seen in my life. But that to me seemed legal because there were rules and both people consented to the rules and the event.

I doubt Bautista consented to getting punched. I don't think baseball players suit up with the expectations of getting punched. And I don't think punching is part of the game.

You don't consider what Bautista did contact?? What difference does it make if it's a leg breaking slide with legs and feet or a punch to the face? It's all contact. Would it have made a difference if Odor placed a roundhouse kick to Bautista's knee? A punch was the more respectable thing to do, trust me. Besides, someone would need to press charges and I don't see Bautista doing that.

This could have been posted in the MLB thread btw.

[calmunderfire]

You don't consider what Bautista did contact?? What difference does it make if it's a leg breaking slide with legs and feet or a punch to the face? It's all contact. Would it have made a difference if Odor placed a roundhouse kick to Bautista's knee? A punch was the more respectable thing to do, trust me. Besides, someone would need to press charges and I don't see Bautista doing that.

This could have been posted in the MLB thread btw.

What Bautista did is technically legal. And he did not attempt to truly do a takeout slide. Even when sliding through the bag was legal you could never make the attempt to hit the player only to disrupt the throwing lane for a double play. Baseball is absolutely not a contact sport. Let alone a combat sport.

[Can_of_corn]

Guys I suggest you wrap it up and call it a day for this thread.

The person asking wasn't asking because they were actually curious.

They have an agenda and no amount of reasoned discourse will change that.

[calmunderfire]

I also think Odor is a featherfisted or Bautista just has an iron chin. How do you land a flush overhand right and not drop him? Bautista wasn't even stunned.

[calmunderfire]

Guys I suggest you wrap it up and call it a day for this thread.

The person asking wasn't asking because they were actually curious.

They have an agenda and no amount of reasoned discourse will change that.

If the agenda is to figure out how you can get away with punching somebody in a non contact sport then yes I agree.

[byrdz]

If the agenda is to figure out how you can get away with punching somebody in a non contact sport then yes I agree.

So why are you now commenting on how well someone takes or delivers a punch? That doesn't really further your original point and only diminishes it.

[calmunderfire]

So why are you now commenting on how well someone takes or delivers a punch? That doesn't really further your original point and only diminishes it.

Ok good point. I went off topic.

[ScottieBaseball]

What Bautista did is technically legal. And he did not attempt to truly do a takeout slide. Even when sliding through the bag was legal you could never make the attempt to hit the player only to disrupt the throwing lane for a double play. Baseball is absolutely not a contact sport. Let alone a combat sport.

Are we watching the same replay? Bautista coming into the bag kind of bent over at the waist and beginning his slide literally on top of second base? Before the rule change, guys made contact with middle infielders all the time explicitly to break up the double play.

[El Gordo]

Guys I suggest you wrap it up and call it a day for this thread.

The person asking wasn't asking because they were actually curious.

They have an agenda and no amount of reasoned discourse will change that.

Sniff sniff....troll?

[calmunderfire]

Are we watching the same replay? Bautista coming into the bag kind of bent over at the waist and beginning his slide literally on top of second base? Before the rule change, guys made contact with middle infielders all the time explicitly to break up the double play.

He didn't kick up his legs or attack to sweep the leg and take him out. He was running to the base. He never made a combat move.