Prince Fielder

Prince Fielder apparently doesn't consider himself an elite player or perhaps, despite years of playing baseball professionally, still lacks a basic understanding of how the game is played.

Fielder reportedly rushed the Dodgers' clubhouse after being hit by Guillermo Mota in the ninth inning of Los Angeles' 17-3 victory over the Brewers Tuesday.

The beaning, no doubt, was a retaliatory strike, coming after Milwaukee's Steve Smith hit Manny Ramirez in the seventh inning with the Brewers trailing by nine runs. Smith's pitch didn't appear to be purposeful, but, really, it's almost a moot point.

Baseball is loaded with unwritten rules: Don't bunt to break up a no-hitter. Don't look at the catcher's signals in the batter's box. Don't steal with a huge lead. So on and so forth.

Probably No. 1 on the list, however, is "you hit our slugger and we'll hit yours." It's primal, perhaps juvenile, and even a bit dangerous given the amount of money at stake. But it's been part of the game for over 100 years.

Slugger A gets hit by a pitch, slugger B on the other teams now knows what's coming in his next at bat, takes first base and the game continues without further incident.

That Fielder, a perennial all-star and one of game's most prolific sluggers, got hit in that situation was hardly surprising. (That he was in the game at that point to get hit is surprising, but that's a question for Milwaukee manager Ken Macha). He most certainly should have known.

But if he doesn't like it, he has two choices. One, develop into slap-and-Judy hitter, one in which no one take seriously enough to retaliate against. Or more realistically, tell mop-up relievers not to come inside to the Manny Ramirezes of the world when the team is getting blown out.