Seamheads: Talkin’ Baseball, Steroids and “The Code” With Author Ross Bernstein

It takes more than math to figure out the code!

BJ: On Sunday, I watched the Phils and Giants and in the game, a Giants’ player crushed Carlos Ruiz at the plate and later in the game, it looked like Giants’ first baseman Rich Aurilia was upset that Shane Victorino might have spiked him at first base. After the game, Victorino commented on the play at the plate and that he thought it was unnecessary. After reading “The Code” it made me wonder if maybe Victorino spiked Aurilia on purpose.

RB: Exactly! If you pick up those things and now with the rule changes and what umpires can do, teams have to retaliate different. Intimidation, fear and retaliation are a huge part of professional sports. Rob Dibble said he would try to be “effectively wild.” He might throw over a guy’s head on his first pitch just to scare the #### out of him and then get everyone on the bench talking. They’d think he was nuts. That guy might not dig in as hard at the plate and might not reach for the outside pitch. He might be a little bit afraid of getting a 100-mph fastball in the neck. That’s a huge advantage because now you got guys wondering what are they going to do? I think it’s a tactic and this book celebrates that.

BJ: And there’s Don Zimmer who climbed a light pole after being ejected to flash his signs… do you have a favorite story?

RB: Mike Marshall had some great stories. The guy was nuts. He used to love to drill guys. Plus, he’s such an intellectual guy, I had no idea. He’s got a PhD in Kinesiology and studies the stuff non-stop. He was funny as hell. Bert Blyleven, too… I loved Bert. I don’t know, I’m just an old school guy. I loved when the guys talked about beaning guys for the love of it. It’s like in hockey, some people hate it but I love it. I’m not one of those freaks on hockeyfights.com watching them constantly but I appreciate when there’s a good fight. It’s like that in baseball, too. Everyone has a role. If not, it’s like the Ozzie Guillen chapter about sending down Sean Tracey for not drilling a guy. Hey, if you’re not going to do your job and drill a guy, get the f*ck out.