Cardinals fired up over unwritten rules again, clear benches when Freddy Galvis runs across mound

If the St. Louis Cardinals are known for anything, it’s consistently being among the better teams in the National League and consistently being upset by the unwritten rules of baseball.

The latest player to catch the ire of the Best Fans In Baseball is Cincinnati Reds infielder Freddy Galvis.

After flying out to center field against starter Miles Mikolas in the fourth inning, Galvis gallivanted across the diamond to the visiting dugout, crossing the pitcher’s mound in the process. That was a big no-no for Mikolas, who barked at Galvis and caused the benches and bullpens to clear.

This wouldn’t be the first bench-clearing incident with the Reds this season, although it’s their first since dealing Yasiel Puig to the Cleveland Indians. Fortunately the teams were more bark than bite and didn’t exchange any punches.

Unwritten rules are one of the most archaic and overblown parts of the game, and the sport would be better off if teams could let things go.

Sure, it would have been nice for Galvis not to have run over the mound. He did go across the front part of the mound, where Mikolas delivers his pitches, but he didn’t kick up dirt or do anything on purpose. Mikolas didn’t need to curse him out or start a kerfuffle.

Galvis didn’t get to face Mikolas again, since the righty was pulled after the sixth inning, but maybe this incident was all the spark he needed. He laced a double to right field in the seventh for his first hit in 22 plate appearances.

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