Many times I find myself not watching the MLB Playoffs or
the World Series if the New York Yankees aren’t in it, I can’t help it but the games
just aren’t as interesting for me without a vesting personal interest. This
season I decided to go against the grain a bit and watch as much playoff
baseball as I could, although obviously I’ve missed more than my fair share,
and I see a trend developing that I find to be pretty disturbing, the bat flip
and showing up your opponent apparently is okay again.
I saw it happen in the American League Wild Card Game when
the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros faced off head-to-head. Carlos
Gomez is known to be a confident player, I call it cocky but whatever, and had
a bat flip while Colby Rasmus did as well on what turned out to be the
game-winning home run off Masahiro Tanaka. I didn’t like it as a fan and I’m
sure the Yankees players and Tanaka specifically didn’t appreciate it either,
just a hunch. The bat flipping didn’t stop there though as Jose Bautista did
one as well in Game 5 of the ALDS. I understand that was the biggest postseason
home run since Joe Carter’s walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies
but there is a higher purpose at stake here, it’s called respect.
In Game One of the 2015 World Series the Kansas City Royals
came from behind to beat the New York Mets on a walk-off sacrifice fly by
Royals star Eric Hosmer. Naturally when the winning run crossed the plate in
front of his home crowd an emphatic bat flip and helmet toss came along with
the victory once again. Celebrating is one thing, disrespecting the opposing
team, pitcher and fan base is another and there is a fine line. Bat flips, in
my opinion, are crossing that line.
Come to think of it… the Astros lost the series after their
bat flips. The Blue Jays lost their series against these same Royals after the
Jose Bautista bat flip seen round the world. Are the Royals the next victim of
some instant karma? Guess you’ll have to stay tuned.
I know you are expecting this Daniel but, I can't resist...sorry I'm a weak man no self-control at all!
ReplyDeleteIn by-gone years, the guys behind him would have to take a walk after getting hit in the ribs...and the guy flipping the bat would get a high hard one near the head. The thing is if the pitcher didn't do the high hard one, the fans would get on him big time.
Until the late 1960's, I can't ever remember seeing a batter show up a pitcher.
Now it's the pitcher getting suspended and fined for the retaliation, especially if the benches clear. The NFL is protecting the QB and MLB is protecting the assholes. See David Ortiz and Jose Bautista.
DeleteYup, Ortiz stands damn near on the plate with all that body armor on, how can a pitcher pitch to him? if a pitcher throws a strike it is in his wheelhouse, because even an outside pitch is in the middle of the plate to him! With the money, the pitchers make (If it were me) I'd plant the fastest fastball (I wish I had had) right at his upper legs. It would give him a bruise and nothing more but, it would hurt...hell he has armor everywhere else.
ReplyDeleteHe has a hole in his swing and it is inside just above the hands with a breaking pitch but with the way he now stands so close to the plate a pitcher can only get a fastball in there and that is what he wants. He just leans back and opens up and the ball goes over the fence.