Yankee Double Standard

In the 7th inning of last night's Yankees-Rays game in Tampa, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was seemingly hit with a pitch. He winced with pain after the ball (or so we thought) hit his elbow. The umpire thought so as well, awarding Jeter with first base.

But the high definition replays we saw immediately afterward revealed the truth. Jeter wasn't hit at all. The ball struck the knob of his bat, and never touched Jeter. It was all an act. Tampa Rays manager Joe Maddon argued and lost, was tossed from the game, and the Yanks Curtis Granderson followed with a home run, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead at the time (they went on to lose to the Rays 4-3).

After the game, Jeter admitted that he indeed was faking, and he went to first because the umpire told him to. The question is: is this cheating? Or just harmless gamesmanship?

Before you answer, think about this: what if it were Alex Rodriguez who pulled this stunt? You got it - EVERYONE - media, managers and opposing players would be calling this act "bush league", much like A-rod's much publicized "slap" in Boston, "Ha!" vs. Toronto, or his walk across Dallas Braden's "mound".

Does the fact that this time it's Derek Jeter make it any less bush league? Apparently so, because even after being ejected from the game, Maddon said he would have "applauded" his players for doing what Jeter did. I wonder how he would have reacted if A-rod was the culprit? My guess is that the "bush league" tag would have been trotted out yet again.

So to answer my original question, I don't think it was cheating (faking injury is not against the rules). And I don't think it was bush league either (any more than I thought A-rod's acts were). Jeter was simply doing what he always does - do anything he can (within the rules) to help the Yankees win. For this, Jeter is always heaped with praise, as he should be.

But shouldn't Alex Rodriguez, who plays EXACTLY the same way, be showered with praise as well?