December 3, 2007

Bob Watson Is An Embarrassment To Baseball

Bob Watson, MLB's Vice President of Rules and On-Field Operations:
There's going to be, for lack of a better term, a "Francona Rule". You can only wear your uniform top or jacket. You can't wear your night-shirt, or whatever it is. You can wear it before games, or after games, but not during games. You have to have your uniform top at all times.
Good work, you clown. It's about time you addressed one of the true evils ruining the national game.

It's unprofessional to jokingly name the rule after one particular person, since many managers wear pullovers or short-sleeved jackets (Mike Scioscia, Joe Torre, Bruce Bochy, Eric Wedge, Jim Leyland, John Gibbons). And it's childish to refer to it as a night-shirt.

Francona wears the fleece for medical reasons, which he has explained to MLB in the past. He is often cold because of the blood thinner he takes. "I don't want to get into sob stories, but all the stuff I wear underneath, I feel cooped up. I have two pair of tights. I get a little claustrophobic. [Watson is] aware of that."

This silliness started when a New York police lieutenant spoke to Francona about his clothing in the dugout while the Yankees were batting during a game at Yankee Stadium in late August.

20 comments:

allan said...

Baseball America names Tito as MLB Manager of the Year.

thatdietcokegirl said...

very silly.
anyway alot of these managers, especially when they're older and have little dinosaur legs and huge guts look ridiculous in the uniform.

nick said...

Well I hope they rescind that award if he continues to insist on wearing his pajamas or whatnot during the game.

Bob Watson is a dumbasseryload of moronism. Really. I'm all for upstandingnesship, but what a total lapse of perspective (and professionalism).

CaKeY said...

What a prick-eating bastard.

Amy said...

Watch it, Cakey, you will be banned from baseball (see RS's next post above).

I think Francona looks great in his pullover. This is the reason I could never play baseball---I could never wear a uniform. Of course, my limited athletic ability would be another problem, as is my sex (at least for Major League Baseball), but mostly, it's about the uniforms. Yeah, that's it.

allan said...

Tito also does MLB the favour of modeling the pullover when he comes out to the mound. It's like a commercial!

"Hey, that looks nice. I think I'll buy one of those! ... Oh, and about fucking time you pulled Wakefield!!!"

allan said...

Watch it, Cakey, you will be banned from baseball (see RS's next post above).

I assume that's where he got it.

The first thing I thought when I read those quotes: "Sounds like a South Park episode!"

Rob said...

Bob Lobel on WBZ's 5:00 telecast: "And there's a new rule called the "Francona Rule" which is... well... it's stupid. It's the dumbest rule ever. More on that later."

tim said...

For my comment on this absurdity, I'll just go back to the good old wisdom of Mr. George Carlin.

"In most sports the team is run by a coach; in baseball the team is run by a manager. And only in baseball does the manager or coach wear the same clothing the players do. If you'd ever seen John Madden in his Oakland Raiders uniform, you'd know the reason for this custom."

I think it's kind of silly that they have to wear the uniform in the first place. Yes, I realize it's tradition and all that, but there's no reason why the guy shouldn't be allowed to veer from tradition, especially for the medical reasons Francona has... but it's just flat out stupid that someone's actually devoting energy to making this stupid rule a big deal in the first place. Get bent ya dooshe!

Jere said...

I think he should keep Wake in.

Why is it that jackets are allowed but an official MLB team sweater is not? Does this mean players can't wear those playoff hoodies that MLB makes for them every year in the dugout?

Regardless, terrible job. That's elementary school, Watson.

s1c said...

as is my sex (at least for Major League Baseball)

Which is why I have been training b-fly from an early age to be a left hander, now if only we could get her to top 94mph she would be a shoo in for the pros (that and getting her to give up ballroom dance ;) ).

As for the pull over, is it Watson doing this or is he under higher orders. Outside of his perceived MFY bias, I really don't think Watson cares, but if you are supposed to be the enforcer maybe Selig is telling him to put the screws on Yerry.

s1c said...

oh yeah tdcg I like the new avatar!!!!

laura k said...

oh yeah tdcg I like the new avatar!!!!

oo me too me too :)

s1c said...

As I was re-reading this I was wondering, didn't McGraw and others used to wear, jackets and ties in the dugout. I wonder if Yerry could ask for special dispensation for returning to the roots of the game?

Jere said...

Speaking of new avatars, Ish and I will no longer be confused with one another, as my cat has turned into, well, take a look. (Undoctored photo.) (Not being sarcastic.)

Lord Lynch said...

Is this serious? I had to check it was not April 1st.

And I thought us Brits came up with the dumbest rules!

allan said...

oo me too me too :)

I turned off avatars during last season for easy of game thread refreshing. I shall reconsider this decision for 2008.

Nick Sincere said...

Actually the reason why baseball managers have to wear uniforms when, say, basketball or football coaches don't is because managers have to actually enter the field of play sometimes as part of their job whereas the others don't.

anyway, fuck watson.

Matt said...

Don't forget that Watson used to be with the Yankees.

allan said...

That's why I often refer to him as "Yankee Bob".