Baseball has been around for hundreds of years, or roughly as long as Larry King.

Very little about the game has changed.

During all this time, there are other things have remained pure — unlike the majority of the players in the sport these days.

These traditions, axioms and "unwritten" rules have withstood the test of time. Here are the starting nine:

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Baseball Golden Rule No. 1: If you are a left-handed pitcher and can get someone out every now and then, you will have a job forever.There's just something about southpaws that make them so appealing. Perhaps it is the fact they can get retire those pesky left-handed hitters.Maybe it is because they are as rare as a David Ortiz hit.There are 257 right-handed pitchers on major league rosters and only 96 lefties. The Pittsburgh Pirates are the only team with as many lefties (six) as righties.Need more proof of the longevity of left-handed pitchers? Last week, the Cleveland Indians sent down Seneca Valley grad Zach Jackson (another) and called up Tomo Ohka, who hasn't pitched in the major leagues since 2007 and has played in more cities than the Rolling Stones.Ohka should be fresh. He is pitching on 600 days rest.•

Golden Rule No. 2: Hit one of our hitters with a pitch, we will bean one of yours.Probably since the first dude with a tree branch faced another dude throwing a round rock, hitters haven't taken kindly to getting plunked.I'm sure that round rock off the loin cloth stung a bit.•

Golden Rule No. 3: Make an out, hit the water cooler. When you are taken out of the game after a poor pitching outing, hit the water cooler.The water cooler has been the punching bag of disgruntled players since the first one was installed in the dugout. It's so inviting. It may as well have a "hit me sign" on it.•

Golden Rule No. 4: Never give up a hit to the opposing pitcher — unless you are Ian Snell.•

Golden Rule No. 5: As long as you are within the same Zip code of second base on a double play, it's an out.It's called the "neighborhood" play for a reason.•

Golden Rule No. 6: There's no crying in baseball. Unless you have been a die-hard Pirates fan for the past 16 years.•

Golden Rule No. 7: Don't show up the ump. Carlos Zambrano must have forgotten that one.•

Golden Rule No. 8: Rally caps. Turn your hat sideways, turn it inside out, wear it like Eminem. Just don't wear it like it was designed to be worn when your team is trailing late in the game.Does it actually work? Maybe. Maybe not. But it sure looks funny.•

Golden Rule No. 9: When you dive back to first on a pickoff throw, don't dust yourself off. Thanks to modern technology, this is not a problem at Pullman Park.Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.