If you’re a Kansas City Royals fan the situation is perfectly clear: the Oakland A’s Brett Lawrie is a dirty player whose style of play should not be tolerated — and Hal McRae is a hero.
Let’s face it: there’s more than a bit of irony in Royals fans being outraged by Brett Lawrie hurting Kansas City shortstop Alcides Escobar with a takeout slide but revering Hal McRae, a base runner so overly aggressive they named a rule after him.
Truth be told, I’m in the same boat: I thought Lawrie’s slide deserved a fastball in the ribs, but have always been a big fan of Hal McRae’s aggressive style of play.