When Javy Baez tossed his bat in the air following a pop-up against the Pirates, he broke one of baseball’s unwritten rules. The sin led to a bit of controversy between the two teams, and don’t be surprised if some animosity still brews under the surface next time they play.

But in baseball, it’s far from the first time that a violation of the manners of the game has led to problems. Unwritten rules are part of what make the sport unique. And in order to better understand why that is, Sun-Times columnists Rick Morrissey and Rick Telander focused this week’s episode of "The Two Ricks: Unfiltered" on the unspoken agreements intertwined throughout the game.

“I think you have a clash here, and without actually saying it, when people say respect the game, they’re saying, 'Hey, you’re not playing the game like the generations before us,'" Morrissey said.

From baseball’s origins as a predominantly white sport played in the United States in the 19th century came a game steeped in tradition. Evolving demographics have changed the culture of the sport, but the unwritten rules remain a crucial part of the playing experience.

Where did all these rules come from? Why are they such a big deal? Which ones should go away?

Check out all of that and more in Episode 8 of “The Two Ricks: Unfiltered,” brought to you by Sun-Times Media Productions. 

(01:52): Cold weather is ruining spring baseball

(08:02): Javy Baez and the unwritten rules

(13:02): The changing culture of baseball

(20:40): Is this unwritten rule stupid?

(23:50): A means of retaliation

(29:27): Japanese baseball rituals and outliers

(38:35): Unwritten rules for fans