an idea for both teams, and especially those guys who felt they had their championships playoffs unfairly taken from them.
the idea comes from left field, but i play that position, so it fits. and i throw it out knowing it may not appeal on first glance to everyone - it will take a vote, i suspect, of all the managers by email - but it might eradicate the bad taste in everyone's mouth, rescue the playoffs for the guys who did not deserve to lose them, and cleanse the league's image in some measure.
also, i want to put the idea out now, so that if someone else comes up with it in say 2 weeks or 2 months, they won't say, nuts, why didn't we try it?
the idea is simple but in four parts. it'll require discussion and it's open to change. it's this:
1. play the game over. since it was tied 5-5 in the 6th - have no idea how many outs, how many guys on base when the incident occurred - you could argue that it was as if the score were 0-0 with both teams having more or less the same advantages and disadvantages. if the marlins had say 2 guys on there were two outs, then you could start the game that way: 0-0 score, two on, two outs in the first inning. (if the marlins are the visitors, then the game could start there: 2 on, two out. if the marlins were the home team, then both squads could play two first innings: that is, a half inning in which the two-on, two-out situation applied, and then, whatever happens - score or not - the game continues with the second first inning, score as registred, and the O's batting as visitors, followed by the M's.)
alternately, you could say re-start the game from were it ended, but that would make things somewhat tense - restaging the game would require some organization and time from everybody, and if the o's were to lose after an inning or two of play, the people who invested the time might not feel it's worth it. just as important, it wouldn't allow for punishment of the offending players. see the second part.
2. the offending player(s) must come to the game in uniform and sit it out. that's the usual punishment for an ejection.
but he or they can play the next game - if there is one. that way, the offender(s) sit out a full game, as usual, and the idea of punishing the offender(s) doesn't linger over the winter.
who to determine who's at fault? both teams and the commissioner. the punishment may be limited to the ejected individual - or it can go beyond him to those who were also contributors to the ejection.
in this, both managers could meet with the board of managers and have a final decision made then, or, do it electronically by email, or more simply, both managers could talk and submit name(s) to kevin jackson for his approval. kevin has the final word on who plays and who doesn't.
3. before the game, both teams shake hands with each other and with the umpires. the managers must assure the umps that for this game - and the next, if there is one - that no call, not one, that the umps make will be contested by either side. no whining, no complaining, nothing. if there is, the game ends there. that behavior in itself will begin to paint us with the classy image that steve lounello, mike girard, mike kravitz and jimmy preller appropriately talk about.
the umpires' organization will also receive an apology from the appropriate parties.
the parties involved may also want to do some other repair. all kinds of things could be done, but i'll leave that to people involved.
4. soon, each manager gets a copy of the rules of conduct that jimmy wrote and make sure it's reviewed at the winter meeting adopted and adherred to next year.
there is a thought that if you make a mistake you have to pay for it and live with it. and that happens - and in fact, i'd argue it has happened already. everybody who played the game - even those of us who were not there and only heard about it - has in some measure already suffered. it left a bad taste. and a sense that this isn't us.
there's also another thought that the many shouldn't suffer from the ill-tempered and ill-considered actions of the few.
if we do replay the game(s), it (they) could be played sometime over the next one to five weeks, when the weather is still good; there could be a real closure to the season; the offender(s) will be punished; and the code of conduct will be in force from now into the future. again, this won't erase the bad events that happened - but it also won't punish the many for the actions of a few. and it may show that we, as a league, can respond to a problem quickly and administer some repair. it also will show those who do watch the finals, that two teams - and by extension, all of us - can play baseball with class.
it's an idea from my spot in left, but if you guys think it has some merit, then i'd suggest we discuss it and refine it and try to put it in play.
