The unwritten codes of baseball are usually excuses to get mad at somebody else about one's own lack of performance.
I'm not talking about flatout taunting, but things like staring at a home run for too long.
There was a classic example of it Sunday at Comerica Park when the Angels' Jered Weaver blew his stack and went baseball's version of postal by sailing a 92 mph fastball at Detroit's Alex Avila's head and stomping around like a 2-year-old at feeding time.
First of all, if Weaver had a problem with Carlos Guillen for admiring his home run too long, fight him. He was right in front of Weaver. Go after him, ala David Ortiz.
It was would have been Weaver II in Tigers' lore. Remember Weaver I - when his brother, Jeff, got mouthy and Mike Sweeney of the Royals charged him. His act was such a reminder of his brother's often bush league behavior when he played for the Tigers it was surreal.
This stuff where Weaver throws his mitt in the safety of the dugout and acts "like hold me back" when he is protected is totally chicken, well, you-know-what.
Don't scream and stomp. Duke it out with Guillen.
Secondly, he wasn't trying to hit Avila. That much was apparent. Obviously, Weaver has excellent control. But throwing near the head, in case he misses, could have resulted in dire consequences.
And then to talk about respect for the game afterward?
Weaver couldn't have dissed it any more.