10 Unwritten Rules of Baseball Every MLB Fan Should Know

By Seth Lassen

10 Unwritten Rules of Baseball Every MLB Fan Should Know

Carlos Quentin Zach Greinke
USA TODAY Sports-Jake Roth

No sport has more unwritten rules for players to follow than baseball. Luckily for you, I'm here to explain and break down the 10 biggest of them all.

10. Don't Walk Across the Mound

Dallas Braden Oakland Athletics
Getty Images

10. Don't Walk Across the Mound

Dallas Braden Oakland Athletics
Getty Images

Better known as the “Dallas Braden Rule,” during a 2010 A’s-Yankees game and with Alex Rodriguez on first base, a ball was hit just foul resulting in A-Rod needing to retreat to first base. As opposed to running around the mound, A-Rod took a direct path to first and jogged right onto and over the mound. The next pitch induced a double play to end the inning and Braden returned to the dugout screaming at A-Rod to “Stay Off My Mound!”

9. Don't "Pimp" a Homerun

Yasiel Puig
Getty Images

9. Don't "Pimp" a Homerun

Yasiel Puig
Getty Images

Baseball is a game of respect. When a player hits a home run, he's supposed to act like he's been there before and not over admire the ball as it soars into the bleachers. At least, that's what the baseball historians say they should do.

8. Never Mention an In-Progress No Hitter or Perfect Game

New York Yankees dugout
Getty Images

8. Never Mention an In-Progress No Hitter or Perfect Game

New York Yankees dugout
Getty Images

While a pitcher is in the midst of a no-hitter or perfect game, nobody, and I mean nobody, may even utter a whisper of what is in the process of happening. This includes his teammates, the team’s announcers and even fans. Yes that’s right, a fan sitting at home must not tell his family or friends about the feat because somehow that is going to ruin it for the pitcher. Makes sense, right?

7. Don't Rub Spot Where Pitch Hit You

Ian Desmond
USA TODAY Sports-Joy R. Absalon

7. Don't Rub Spot Where Pitch Hit You

Ian Desmond
USA TODAY Sports-Joy R. Absalon

You want to seem tough don't you?

6. Don't Bunt to Break Up a No Hitter

Derek Jeter
Getty Images

6. Don't Bunt to Break Up a No Hitter

Derek Jeter
Getty Images

Maybe the dumbest of baseball’s endless list of unwritten rules, no player may bunt to break up a no-hitter or perfect game. The idea is that if a pitcher is going to have his special performance ruined, he should be truly bested by an opponent’s real swing of the bat and not what is considered a cheap hit like a bunt.

5. Don't Steal Bases With Big Lead

Rickey Henderson
Getty Images

5. Don't Steal Bases With Big Lead

Rickey Henderson
Getty Images

Just like any other sport, you're not supposed to kick your opponent when they're already down. Once again, it's all about respect.

4. Don't Swing on 3-0 Count With a Big Lead

Gerald Posey
USA TODAY Sports-Ed Sczepanski

4. Don't Swing on 3-0 Count With a Big Lead

Gerald Posey
USA TODAY Sports-Ed Sczepanski

This one follows the same thought process as not stealing when you have a big lead. Pitchers usually groove fastballs over the middle of the plate on 3-0 counts and it's considered disrespectful to take a hack at a 3-0 offering.

3. Hit One of Ours, We Hit One of Yours

Mike Trout hit by pitch
USA TODAY Sports-Jerome Miron

3. Hit One of Ours, We Hit One of Yours

Mike Trout
USA TODAY Sports-Jerome Miron

Players have to be careful with this one nowadays, with all the suspensions that are handed out, but retaliation is certainly a big part of the sport. If any of your teammates is hit by a pitch and there's any suspicion at all that there was intent, then expect a player of the same caliber on the other team to be hit in the next half inning.

2. Never Make the Third Out at Third Base

Umpire Out Call
USA TODAY Sports-Joe Camporeale

2. Never Make the Third Out at Third Base

Umpire Out Call
USA TODAY Sports-Joe Camporeale

Gambling and going for third base with two outs is a gamble not worth taking. A baserunner is already considered to be in "scoring position" at second base, meaning he's likely to score on a base hit to the outfield, and a sacrifice fly isn't going to accomplish anything with a runner on third and two outs, so there's little advantage in taking the extra base with two outs in the inning.

1. Pitchers Can't Show Up Fielders

mejia
USA TODAY Sports-Brad Penner

1. Pitchers Can't Show Up Fielders

mejia
USA TODAY Sports-Brad Penner

Making the perfect pitch and creating weak contact only to have your defense mess it all up by making an error is without a doubt one of the most frustrating things that can happen to a pitcher. That means pitchers aren't supposed to show any negative emotion when an error occurs in the field. They are teammates after all, and you don't see the shortstop throw up his arms when a pitcher walks a batter.

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