jpberthiaume's posterous

But how do you punish him? The commissioner’s office can’t very well levy a fine for doing something that isn’t prohibited in the rulebook, and public ostracism won’t make much of a difference either: A.J. Pierzynski has made a career of ticking off fanbases and clubhouses alike. As satisfying as it would be to punish a player for lying, it isn’t very practical — after all, it’s impossible to know exactly whether a player is genuinely mistaken or intentionally dissembling.

This is an interesting question. I tend to agree with the writer (not Neyer) in that I think anything and everything possible should be left to the officials on the playing surface. I mean, if they start fining people for these kinds of things, would they do so only if the umpire actually made a bad call? Would we be sure he made the bad call because of the embellishment? Why shouldn't a person who jumped around like this or signaled he was safe when it seems he knew he was out be in the wrong regardless of the accuracy of the call that was made?

Still, interesting stuff out of Neyer, as usual.