A-Rod Angers Dallas Braden by Running Across Pitching Mound

A player on the field ripping A-Rod’s etiquette while running the bases? Where have I seen that story before? A’s pitcher Dallas Braden, who went six innings of two-run ball to beat the Yankees Thursday, made more noise for getting angry with Alex Rodriguez than he did by pitching well. Instead of explaining everything, why don’t you watch the Alex Rodriguez/Dallas Braden pitching mound video and see for yourself what happened:

Was it a careless move by A-Rod and poor form? Yes. Would he have done it in the ALCS with Josh Beckett on the hill? Probably not. This move shows that A-Rod’s attitude is casual only 15 games into the season and that he doesn’t give a crap about Dallas Braden or the A’s. Did Braden overreact with all his yelling? Probably, but as any pitcher will tell you, his mound is his mound and no base runner should ever disrespect it by running across it the way A-Rod did. I probably would have said something to A-Rod about it but I don’t know if I would have carried it as far as Braden did. Bottom line, A-Rod was in the wrong and Braden overreacted, but it wasn’t a gross mistake by Rodriguez. He should know better, however.

Sources:
A’s P rips A-Rod’s ‘etiquette’ [AP/FOX Sports]