Is this cheating?

Technically, not cheating. Dishonest? You betcha! Maybe we need a no flopping rule like the NHL. I guess golf is the only game with any personal integrity left.
 
Sorry for the late entry...played through college, been umpiring for 20 years. It just is not cheating in any sense of the word. Players act all of the time. Guy dives out of the box on a pitch that may clip the inside corner trying to persuade a call. No rule against it written or unwritten. We have been taught to take a players reacion out of it, especially concerning pitches that may or may not have clipped a batter. Rule is you didn't get hit unless I heard it or saw it. Same with a foul off a knee or foot, the days of checking for shoe polish on the ball are over, but I generally can take a swollen red lump as proof. Can't tell you how many times I have seen similar.
 
It happened to Derek Jeter last night:

Derek Jeter sold it like a professional, darting away from an inside pitch during the seventh inning on Wednesday, then shaking his arm in apparent pain while walking to first base.

Only later, after home-plate umpire Lance Barksdale had believed Jeter's self-described "acting" job and ejected Rays manager Joe Maddon in the process, did the Yankees' captain come clean about the performance he'd put on for the crowd at Tropicana Field.

"It hit the bat," Jeter said. "He told me to go to first. I'm not going to tell him, 'I'm not going to go to first,' you know? My job is to get on base."

Jeter admits disputed HBP hit his bat | yankees.com: News
 

Here is the ONLY issue I have with happened last night. I KNOW 'taking advantage' of situations to help you team win is done at all levels of sports... with that being said, then we should STOP preaching to kids about 'honesty and sportmanship' when this absolutely acceptable to do at litterally every level of sports.

I have no issues with Jeter also, but let's be honest here. Here, in this this situation, he is considered and heads up player for taking advantage of a mistaken call. But there are two things that really bug me about this. ONE,
IF this had been someone that is not necessarily a well liked ball player, he would have been ROASTED by every single fan in ALL of baseball. And TWO, Jeter BAITED the umpire to make the call with his little dance and acting job. The umpire actually hesistated before telling Jeter to take his base because he clearly did not state to take the base on 1st contact, the video shows it. SO, with that being said, he used Jeter "upstanding citizen" reputation before anything else to determine if he really got hit.

He was interviewed on the YES network right after the game, and to the credit of the female reporter, she asked him, "so....you milked it?" And he said, "my job is to get on base.....". The ole "just win baby" at whatever cost....so to speak.

SO, if we state this is considered "gamesmanship"....but in reality, it is being dishonest...then why preach honesty and good sportmanship in sport to children?

Just playing devil's advocate here....:D
 

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