Intentional Drop

[russellcox]

We here at the RBI TEXAS Contingent hold very high standards and are committed to excellence.  Therefore, we would never exploit such a ridiculous ruling.  This goes against the TEXAS RBI creed.
There is the occasional 'Canseco' aka 'Bonk on the head', but this is an 'honest' error.  Or the missed call on second when a double play is turned (this is most likely due to the SS or 2B not making it there in time or the swift button pressing of the player).  These are part of the game.  The intentional drop, however, is just that, 'intentional'.  
I will play the rules in the COTUT that are made by my friends in Chi-town, but when you come to our country for the Championship of TEXAS Tournament (COTT) (this is larger than the Universe by the way), be ready to live and breathe by the TEXAS creed.  

[DXXPAC321]

Here is my take once again on the intentional drop.  Mike and I do not agree with it whatsoever, but we do not feel that there is a fair way to determine a penalty if someone does happen to do it whether on purpose or on accident.  Keep in mind, we have organized the largest RBI tournament in history, it isn't easy, and we are trying to do are best to please everyone.  And considering the vote was in favor of keeping it the way it is, we are going to have to go with the popular demand and keep it in the COTUT. My suggestion to everyone who is against it, is to talk to your opponent before hand and promise to each other that you will not do it to one another.  Kinda like a code of honor.  The only problem with this is, if the promise is broken, we as supervisors will not do anything about it.  But I would like to say that Mike and I do not plan on doing it, unless of course our opponent does it to us first.  This is a good topic and I am glad to see a lot of interest in the tournament.  I can't wait to see you all there who have joined.  It's going to be quite a weekend.

DXXPAC321
www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales - The Official R.B.I Baseball COTUT

[DXXPAC321]

The final votes are in for the RBI COTUT for the controversal intentional drop.  We have 18 votes in favor of the intentional drop and 11 votes against it.  So the intentional drop can be used in the tournament if someone feels to do so.  Once again I would like to make clear that we are not in favor of it, but we feel it would be difficult to make a call on this.  We hope all of the players will use the honor system and not do it to one another, but once again we will not make a call against it.  Thanks for everyones votes and opinions on this subject.  

DXXPAC321
www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales - The Official R.B.I. Baseball COTUT

[TempoGL]

Hey guys...just checking up on this again.  I am dismayed that there were enough morally loose votes to allow the intentional drop.  By the by, this may not be the largest RBI tournament in history.  I remember reading in a VERY early issue of Nintendo Power about an RBI Baseball tournament that occurred in (I believe) California.  It was probably pretty big.  If anyone has the first few issues of Nintendo Power still lying around, I remember that the column was near the end of the magazine, on the upper right hand corner of a page, with...I think, a green border.  Shockingly, this knowledge was wiped from my RBI subconscience until now.

[SmokedUBad13]

I wouldn't doubt it one bit.  That would make sense because Nintendo Power and Tengen were both stationed out in California.  And there's also a very large following of RBI in California.  I'd still like to see proof before I believe it though.  

However, it shocks me that all those California RBI players out there never would have brought it up.  You'd think they would have been all over that.  Anybody remember the Nintendo Power RBI tourney?

SmokedUBad
www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales - The Official R.B.I. Baseball COTUT

[Gantry]

I do remember reading about an RBI tourney a long time ago, but don't know much else.  Vaguely remember the score of the finals being 5-3 and someone used San Fran.  I have no idea why those stats pop in my head...

Probably a Nintendo Power archive online somewhere, but too lazy to look...

[JoeDirt]

I gotta bring this issue up.  I cannot believe that enough people think it is possible to regulate the infield fly rule for an rbi tournament that involves money.

Am I the only person that thinks this is far too subjective???

The issue isn't whether you think a "real RBI player" would never stoop so low as to use the infield fly rule...the issue is if it is possible to accurately determine if the fielding player was making an "honest" attempt to catch the ball.

[chubbrock]

Agreed.  Intentional drop was always outlawed, even when we were like 8.  I've yet to hear about the intentional "bop" though......interesting.  I still wouldn't pull that shit in a VS game.

[fknmclane]

Intentional drop is ridiculous.  If Chubbs or I ever did that to each other we would beat the other to a bloody pulp.

[BDawk]

I say let the players police themselves. If someone does the intentional drop, it will be frowned upon. Doing so just sets up the other to do something in revenge.

[ultimate7]

We always played that the intentional drop was sort of off limits, though never set in stone.  I agree that it must be hard to legislate intent, however if you are in this tourney and you can't field an infield pop up, you are in trouble,. But if you do misplay the pop up, you could always just throw one guy out, outlawing the double play.

[JoeDirt]

It gets messy when you also have to consider intent even with throwing out only one runner--you can still swap a slow fart for a speed demon.

[ultimate7]

I guess you could do, Runner on 1st automatically gets 2nd, so you can only try to retire guy running to 1st

[ericdavisfan]

Since the Intentional Drop is so controversial, could you just compromise and have each pair make a gentleman's agreement and announce whether they are going to play allowing the drop or not.  If they cannot agree, then you could coin flip.  At the very least, it seems fair and might accomodate more opinions and personal tastes regarding the issue.

[Baines]

We've always played that the double play is banned but it's fair game which runner you want to go after.  Basically, catching it if the batter is significantly faster, going to second if the runnre is faster.  Not really how we ended up playing that way, just something that kind of happened.

[MarquisEXB]

For all those that say the intentional drop is part of the game I say this: so is a punch in the face. Seriously, just because something isn't illegal in the game doesn't mean it should be done. The game can't recognize when I punch you in the face, so that too should be allowed?

If you think this is ridiculous, then you'll admit there is a line in the sand that you'll draw on how far you can take advantage of the rules of the game. The game doesn't recognize physical violence between players, as it doesn't recognize bases loaded with 0 outs and a popup to the SS that is intentionally dropped. But it doesn't mean that you should do it.

I don't mean to use a slippery slope, but anyone that would take advantage of a dropped ball double play is a coward with no honor. It's an unfortunate opportunity, not a skill.

As for judging this for a tournament, I can verify that in my years of playing RBI, never have I had someone do this manuever without EVERYONE knowing exactly what had happened. We play if you intentionally drop a fly ball, you're only allowed to get the lead runner out (or rather one runner, if you're that inept). For the tournament I would say use this rule (one out maximum on a dropped flyball). And if anyone can't amicably come to a conclusion on whether it was an intentional drop or not (rare), then take my advice from above: let each contestant punch the other in the face until the matter is resolved.

Or look at it this way: if someone were to loose a game due to a play like this, do you think they would walk away from the tournament satisfied that it was fair? I wouldn't.

Mike

[fknmclane]

For all those that say the intentional drop is part of the game I say this: so is a punch in the face. Seriously, just because something isn't illegal in the game doesn't mean it should be done. The game can't recognize when I punch you in the face, so that too should be allowed?

I couldn't agree with this statement more.  My brother Craig used to do it when we were about ten.  After incessant beatings and relentless taunts, the intentional drop hasn't been seen in Phoenix since.

[JoeDirt]

I disagree with you both.  Call me a coward if you want.  Call me dishonorable if you want.  But I prefer to take all subjectivity out of the matter and let 'em play.

If you can do it to me and I can do it to you, then all is equal.

I say people that have to make up their own rules are too controlling.  The game let's me do it--so who are you to say I cannot (if we were playing each other)?

Bring on the name calling--I will stack my RBI skill up against anybody's in this forum.  It doesn't make me any less of a player...it only makes me have a difference of opinion than the majority.

[BDawk]

I disagree with you both.  Call me a coward if you want.  Call me dishonorable if you want.  But I prefer to take all subjectivity out of the matter and let 'em play.

If you can do it to me and I can do it to you, then all is equal.

I say people that have to make up their own rules are too controlling.  The game let's me do it--so who are you to say I cannot (if we were playing each other)?

Bring on the name calling--I will stack my RBI skill up against anybody's in this forum.  It doesn't make me any less of a player...it only makes me have a difference of opinion than the majority.

continued...
I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America.

--walks out humming the National Anthem

[fknmclane]

Eat me!

Blowjob!

Hey, would you assholes shut the hell up!?