Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage apparently grew tired seeing his name absent from the headlines, so the outspoken right-hander will be handing out his version of baseball’s unwritten rules before the July 6 game between the St. Paul Saints and the Joplin Blasters, two independent league teams.
Gossage made headlines before the season, calling Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista “a f–king disgrace to the game.” He also said he doesn’t want “a bunch of Cam Newtons running around” and that Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has “no respect for the game.” And that’s just this year.
In the past, Gossage has ripped Mariano Rivera and expressed a desire for vengeance against performance-enhancing drug users who have made it into the Hall of Fame.
So what’s in Gossage’s rulebook? According to the Saints’ description of the promotion:
Coming in at more than 200 pages and 4.1” wide and 6.3” high the 2016 Official Baseball Rulebook explains everything from the layout of the field, to equipment that can be used to how a game should be scored. The 2016 Official Baseball Unwritten Rulebook will be similar in size with fewer pages and, by the end of the night; it will be packed with information that addresses baseball situations that have been hotly debated for decades. Wondering about the superstition of discussing a no-hitter? It can be in the book. What about stealing a base when you’re up 10 runs? It can be in the book. What about bunting on a pitcher throwing a no-hitter? All you have to do is flip open the book, grab a pencil and the answer can appear right before your eyes.
Gossage will be at the ballpark, CHS Field, to sign the book for fans as well as, the Saints say, “give his two cents about Jose Bautista, Bryce Harper, and sabermetrics.” Gossage will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and will later join the TV broadcast.