NLCS Game 6: Unwritten Rules Nonsense Overshadows a Great Pitching Matchup

Here’s something to consider. Tonight in St. Louis is Game 6 of the NLCS. On the mound are presumptive Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers and impressive rookie Michael Wacha for the Cardinals.

The pair have combined to throw 33 innings this postseason without allowing an earned run.

So what’s the storyline heading into this game?

The Dodgers like to have fun, while the Cardinals uphold the time-honored traditions of baseball’s unwritten rules. This will pose quite a conundrum for St. Louis fans seated in Busch Stadium. They have the reputation for not booing, but what happens if Yasiel Puig gestures a little too demonstratively in the course of the game? Think of the children!

All-in-all, this has gotten absurd with proponents on either side of baseball’s unwritten rules of decorum looking a tad foolish trying to debate their stance.

Is there a line players probably shouldn’t cross? It’s entirely possible.

Perhaps the best barometer for this would be to apply: WWKPD — What Would Kenny Powers Do? If a ballplayer does something on the diamond that would appear on “Eastbound & Down” it’s probably going too far. By the same token, if it’s it’s nothing more than a hand gesture or a bat flip, we can all move on with our lives, in that we’re adults. A little fun is not going to ruin baseball.

And there’s a pretty simple way to stop your opponent from showing you up — get them out or beat them.

It’s shame we’ve all wasted so much time on this nonsense. We’re missing a pretty good series in the process.