Originally Posted by MLB.com

JUPITER, Fla. -- Team officials weren't happy. Opinions were mixed in the clubhouse. And others around the team and league think it's much ado about nothing.

At issue were comments made recently by Phillies pitcher Jon Lieber. The right-hander acknowledged received a pointer from former Marlins manager Joe Girardi last year.

In a recent interview with the Philadelphia Daily News, Lieber said Girardi told him that some of the Marlins players noted that his pitches were flat.

The conversation came shortly after a July 31 Marlins win over Lieber.

"Basically, I was underneath the ball," Lieber told the Daily News. "I wasn't on top of the ball like I should have been. And that's why the ball doesn't have that crispness when it gets to the strike zone or that sharp break on my breaking ball. It just kind of stays right there for the hitters to lick their lips at."

The incident raises the issue of fraternizing in the game.

Those in uniform -- players, coaches and managers -- frequently exchange insights along with greetings before and after games.

Girardi, a former catcher, was a teammate of Lieber with the Cubs. In 2004, Girardi was the bench coach of the Yankees when Lieber was on the team.

Asked if Girardi's advice was helpful, Lieber said, "Yeah, there is no question."

Additionally, former Marlins bench coach Gary Tuck, a close friend of Lieber, also offered some advice to the Phillies pitcher.

On Tuesday, Lieber told MLB.com that he had working with Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee on correcting his troubles.

"I can't remember how it got brought up," Lieber said. "It's like anybody ... if you were to ask a friend, 'How do my pitches look?' and they considered it competing against one another. Anybody can tell me that I need to get on top of the ball or everything will be flat. That's all he told me, so I don't understand what the big deal is."

Girardi told the Palm Beach Post that he didn't offer any mechanical advice to Lieber.

"Some things are bigger than they should be just because of what happened last year," Girardi told the Post. "If you think a friendly conversation cost us the Wild Card, you're sadly mistaken. They're acting like I sat people down and gave signals away."

Actually, the Marlins are not publicly commenting on the incident. There have been some internal grumblings.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez offered a "no comment" on the subject of fraternizing with players from other teams. And general manager Larry Beinfest, along with other team executives, isn't saying anything publicly.

The issue of fraternizing, though, is addressed in the Major League Baseball rulebook.

Rule 3.09 states: "Players in uniform shall not address or mingle with spectators, nor sit in the stands before, during, or after a game. No manager, coach or player shall address any spectator before or during a game. Players of opposing teams shall not fraternize at any time while in uniform."

In years past, umpires paid closer attention to fraternizing.

Until the late 1980s and early 1990s, one member of the umpiring crew arrived early to games, specifically to observe batting practice. The designated umpire would monitor if opposing players talked for extended periods of times.

Over the past 15 years, however, the league and umpires have relaxed their monitoring of fraternizing because it is so common.

Players now frequently meet either before or after games in social settings.

Rule 3.09 has been dubbed the "Stargell Rule," because Hall of Famer Willie Stargell was friendly to teammates and opposing players.

Veteran Aaron Boone, who was with the Indians last year, feels the Girardi-Lieber incident is a non-issue.

"I think amongst friends, guys more often than not offer encouragement to each other, more than, 'you're doing this.' I don't think it's an issue," Boone said.

Boone added that if he knew a pitcher was tipping his pitches, he wouldn't necessarily point that out to the player if they still had games against each other the remainder of the season.

However, if a player picked up something about a pitcher in an Interleague series, when the teams wouldn't meet again, Boone said he might say something after the series.

"It's a very gray area to me," Boone said. "I don't know what went on exactly with Joe. ... It was an ex-teammate. I don't know."

"I think amongst friends, guys more often than not offer encouragement to each other, more than, 'you're doing this.' I don't think it's an issue."
-- Aaron Boone

Pitcher Scott Olsen, who was a rookie last year, says what happened in the past is over.

"It doesn't matter to me. That's last year," Olsen said. "A lot of stuff went down last year, and none of it matters right now. Everything that happened last year, and is related to last year, means nothing. He's not here any more. A lot of the coaching staff ain't here any more. You can't do nothing about it. At this point right now, there is too much other stuff to worry about. It's not a big deal right now."

Olsen, however, said half-jokingly that he is open to suggestions from other managers. On Wednesday, Olsen gave up one run in 1 2/3 innings to the Cardinals.

"I don't know a whole lot of guys on other teams," Olsen said. "I know a choice few, here and there. I've only been doing this a little over a year. So I don't know a whole lot of people. If anybody wants to give me a phone call, fine."

Olsen quipped he would welcome a call from Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

"Tell La Russa if I'm doing anything wrong, he can call me," Olsen said. "I'll gladly go talk to him."

Dontrelle Willis feels it is a dead issue because Girardi is no longer with the Marlins. The 2006 National League Manager of the Year, Girardi is broadcasting for the YES Network this season.

"You've still got to go out there and execute," Willis said.

One team member says fraternizing goes on all the time.

"I'm sure it happens more than people realize," said the team member, who asked to remain unnamed. "I think hitters may call a former hitting coach if they are struggling. The thing Joe should have done was tell Lieber, 'Don't tell anyone I'm telling you this, but ... .'"

A league source offered an independent opinion: "I don't think it's that big a deal. A manager probably shouldn't initiate a call. But it was a very personal relationship."