The unwritten rules of the game are always subject to change, just like the written rules, where doubleheaders can be reduced to seven-inning games during a pandemic and a runner is placed on second base at the start of extra innings.
Pitchers used to knock down hitters with impunity after home runs. Hall of Famer Bob Gibson once wrote he had five pitches — “fastball, slider, curveball, changeup and the knockdown pitch.”
But those days are long gone. Now any inside pitch brings a pained reaction from the hitter and veiled threat of charging the mound.
So cheers to San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.