there is a pretty big difference between what you listed and trying to get a close call to go your way.
In football punters go down as if they got shot. In basketball, just watch Duke play. It happens in most sports.
Cal Ripken, Jr. was on Cowherd this morning and admitted he had a similar move when he was playing. Said his batting style and the way pitchers pitched him caused him to drive a lot of balls into the ground in front of him and then down the 3rd base line. Occasionally the ball would bounce off his foot. He developed the habit of pretending that the ball had hit him even if it didn't, sometimes drawing a foul ball call and giving him another swing. So, I guess we can write that kind of thing off to being part of the game. But I'd have to say gamesmanship is one thing, but when you carry the feint out to the point of having the trainer come out and look at you, you're crossing the line.
There was nothing close about it. The ball never touched him but he pretended he did. It was 100% fabrication. It's not like he got hit and played it up to look worse.
Nothing close? It missed his hand by an inch. And we only know that thanks to slow mo. If it wasn't close, the ump wouldn't have fell for it. Oh, and it looked like it did touch him after it hit the bat.
