September 08, 2009

Shockingly, the Angels weren't too happy with Fielder's walk off celebration.

posted by justgary at 10:09 AM on September 08, 2009

Talking about it is one thing and can be considered bitching. If I were pitching, even for SD the Brewers next opponent, the first pitch to Fielder would have hit him. Why the Angels are talking about it I have no idea, the home run was against the Giants.

posted by soocher at 10:48 AM on September 08, 2009

Don't like a walk-off celebration, Angels? Pitch better.

And if the pitcher had struck Fielder out maybe the infield could have had some routine prepared? I've never understood that attitude, in any sport. Someone's going to lose. And it's disingenuous to call this simply a 'walk off celebration'. If that's all it was we wouldn't be talking about it.

Regardless, I doubt the league will have to do much. The next time Fielder is at bat against the giants he should see fastball after fastball at his chin until he's hit (shouldn't be difficult). Is risking your best hitter worth it? Must be.

But, and I know this is shocking, they don't play the giants again this year! Such a coincidence.

Why the Angels are talking about it I have no idea, the home run was against the Giants.

--------

When asked his reaction to Fielder leaping onto home plate and his teammates falling down like bowling pins, Hunter shook his head and rolled his eyes.

But the giants also weren't thrilled.

posted by justgary at 12:03 PM on September 08, 2009

Dateline: the Interwebby, Tuesday, September 8th.

Reknowned website co-chief and famed manipulator of quotes, rcade, has stated publicly that members (snicker) of one, perhaps two, professional baseball clubs from California are suffering from erectile dysfunction and routinely keep a stable, or "harem", of conquests who are at the ready to pleasure the small-pine swinging pros.

the AngelsGiants have teeny tiny penises that are sexually dysfunctive and do not bring pleasure to their women, their mistresses or the groupies they meet on the road.

This reporter has been unable to get rcade to elaborate on his comments due to a lack of actually trying to contact him. And, frankly, not paying a whole lot of attention.

posted by THX-1138 at 01:20 PM on September 08, 2009

On this day in 1965, the fantastically named Dagobert Campaneris became the first Major League Baseball player to play all nine positions in the same game.

He spent the first seven innings shuffling through the in and outfield roles, then pitched the eigth (allowing one run) and then moved to Catcher for the ninth where he was promptly crushed trying to stop Ed Kirkpatrick from stealing home, got in a bit of a fight and had to leave the game injured.

You can read a little about the event here, under the "Yanks Out; Twins Pad Lead" heading and there's brief mention of it on his Wiki page.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:59 PM on September 08, 2009

The chin is part of the head.

The social mores of baseball are not fixed in stone. I think the occasional tomfoolery like that home run bomb is not as serious a breach of tight-assed baseball etiquette as you maintain. It is a long season. The Brewers are 15 games back and just counting the days until they can hit the golf course. Though it upset bench coach Ron Wotus, I expect the Giants will have forgotten the gesture entirely by the next time they meet unless the press makes a big deal of it.

As for throwing inside, I think it's fine when it's a response to how your batters have been treated. But doing it to defend your manhood, which is what we're talking about here, is lame.

posted by rcade at 03:15 PM on September 08, 2009

Sports schmorts. This date in history is memorable for one thing only, my friends:

Star Trek first aired 43 years ago on this date.

posted by THX-1138 at 03:41 PM on September 08, 2009

No one will throw at Fielder's head. They'll hit him in his big fat butt and the penalty will be paid and life will go on. He didn't showboat without knowing there'd be some consequences, but I doubt he'll hear any chin music.

posted by cabuki at 04:42 PM on September 08, 2009

The social mores of baseball are not fixed in stone.

Nor are they changed overnight.

I think the occasional tomfoolery like that home run bomb is not as serious a breach of tight-assed baseball etiquette as you maintain.

One, we seem to be framing this one side likes fun, the other doesn't. I'm all for fun. I love to have fun. My middle name is fun. Throw your helmet in the air, scream like a banshee, jump all over each other and crash into a pile. Great. I simply think this is too far. It's one step away from everyone doing a dance routine as fielder plays air guitar once he touches home plate. I don't believe drawing a line somewhere is being tight-assed.

Two, it seems that the Angels, the Giants, and even the Brewers manager would disagree with you.

Though it upset bench coach Ron Wotus, I expect the Giants will have forgotten the gesture entirely by the next time they meet unless the press makes a big deal of it.

I would seriously doubt they'd ever forget that. But, I'm sure the brewers were betting on exactly what you're saying.

But doing it to defend your manhood, which is what we're talking about here, is lame.

And the picture you're loving should be captioned "look how big my dick is". That's lame.

And Fielder might not rub me the wrong way if he didn't just try and break into the Dodger's clubhouse and he wasn't such a (vegetarian) fat ass.

I forgot about that. Maybe Fielder's just a jackass.

I do love this comment:

"I'm as old school as anybody but there's nothing wrong with that," reliever David Weathers told the Journal-Sentinel. "You've got to have some fun. I've seen a lot worse things go on than that."

Really Mr. Weathers? Amazing you couldn't mention exactly what you've seen as worse. I wonder why?

Bottom line, right or wrong, Fielder is an idiot if he didn't think there would be a response. So next year we get to see all 300 pounds lumbering towards the pitchers mound with bat in hand. Now THAT'S entertainment.

posted by justgary at 05:21 PM on September 08, 2009

Just because I would like to see where this takes us.

posted by THX-1138 at 06:11 PM on September 08, 2009

rcade- I never said throw at his head. I said at him. His hips/buttocks is a big safe target. It is missing from the game. The salaries have done away with it to a point.

posted by soocher at 07:12 PM on September 08, 2009

I was responding to Gary's comment that "he should see fastball after fastball at his chin until he's hit (shouldn't be difficult)."

I don't believe drawing a line somewhere is being tight-assed.

I am not arguing that no lines should be drawn. I just think Fielder's dopey idea falls on the acceptable side of it. The idea that he was sending the message "look how big my dick is" seems absurd to me. If that was his message, what were the other Brewers communicating by dropping to the ground at the sight of it? You are overthinking this.

posted by rcade at 07:29 PM on September 08, 2009

I was living in Dallas/Fort Worth during Ryan's years as a Ranger. He would throw message pitches, but he wasn't vindictive. In all the years he played, only two batters charged him. Dave Winfield did it in 1980, and Ryan "curled into a fetal position to protect his arm," according to the book Tales from the Dugout. His legendary reaction when Robin Ventura charged the mound in 1993 was colored by his embarrassment about his actions during the Winfield incident.

posted by rcade at 08:07 PM on September 08, 2009

I don't get the big deal about the Fielder "incident." I thought it was funny. I would like to see more creative ways of expressing excitement when someone hits a walk off homer. Why not? Of course, I always enjoyed a good touchdown celebration too.

Celebrating a homer when you are blowing out the other team is disrespectful. Celebrating a walk off is not. It means the game was close and you pulled it out. Enjoy it.

Lame is hitting a batter as a form of retaliation. You want redemption - how bout striking the guy out? How bout handing him a line of 0-5 on the day? Can't do that? Then shut the fuck up already.

posted by MW12 at 08:33 PM on September 08, 2009

You want redemption - how bout striking the guy out? How bout handing him a line of 0-5 on the day? Can't do that? Then shut the fuck up already.

So, the pitchers have to play it cool, but the batting team can do skits?

posted by BoKnows at 08:49 PM on September 08, 2009

BoDefinitelyKnows An off-the-bounce, over someone standing, between the legs dunk when he posts one! Nice.

posted by Spitztengle at 09:23 PM on September 08, 2009

I don't get the big deal about the Fielder "incident." I thought it was funny. I would like to see more creative ways of expressing excitement when someone hits a walk off homer. Why not? Of course, I always enjoyed a good touchdown celebration too

This is why baseball needs to be run by baseball people. Fans of other sports would rather see it turned into an mtv/video game bastard child of actual baseball. If you 'like' baseball but you 'just wish it was a little more exciting' go watch football. Hey, and they even have cheerleaders.

So, the pitchers have to play it cool, but the batting team can do skits?

Of course not Bo. After a pitcher strikes out the hitter he does a complete 360 while aiming a pretend machine gun at his infielders. As his pretend machine gun reaches each fielder they clutch their chest and fall down. He does the catcher last, and then proceeds to blow smoke off the imaginary gun and stuff it back in his holster. This makes for exciting baseball (but can only happen after the last out).

He would throw message pitches, but he wasn't vindictive.

Message pitch, vindictive, I don't see the difference you're seeing. How is it not a message pitch? The message being 'we don't like it and don't do it again'.

And of course, nothing like this ever happened to Ryan, so we don't know what he would have done. But I wish someone would ask him his reaction to the celebration. I honestly doubt he would call it 'fun'. I'm guessing it would be in line with the other comments/opinions from other player/coaches.

posted by justgary at 09:25 PM on September 08, 2009

Turk Wendell used to do goofy and crazy stuff every time he was in a game. Mark "The Bird" Fidrych would get on his hands and knees and groom the mound.

Come on rcade. These aren't comparable at all.

About the only thing I can think that's comparable is when Dennis Eckersley use to point at a hitter after he struck him out. This was in his relieving days. He claimed that the move was spontaneous and he wasn't showing up the hitter. But hitters still got angry (hitters get angry if a pitcher pumps his fist after a strike out).

And even that isn't comparable to what Fielder did.

posted by justgary at 09:45 PM on September 08, 2009

Come on rcade. These aren't comparable at all.

They're not comparable to you, because you believe that home run stunt was a Serious Matter. But to me, the more we discuss this and the more I read outraged reactions from baseball people, the more I think the sport needs to lighten up. Baseball is still a game.

Why is a dorky bomb dance disrespectful when high fives and forearm bumps and elaborate handshakes in the dugout are common after home runs? Why can't a pitcher make a fist pump when home run hitters make them when rounding the bases? Why it OK to make a hand gesture to God but not make other hand movements? Is it OK to jump in the air while facing the opposite direction of a teammate and bumping hips?

Why was it OK for the Boston Red Sox to prearrange for Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore to make out on the field after their first Series win?

Why, as a general rule, is it accepted by baseball purists that pitchers can throw at someone in retaliation?

posted by rcade at 09:49 PM on September 08, 2009

They're not comparable to you

No, they're flat out not comparable. They're comparable to YOU because you're trying desperately to point to B to prove C.

Fidrych was talking to the ball. He wasn't doing choreographed celebrations when he struck out a guy to show him up.

Why is a dorky bomb dance disrespectful when high fives and forearm bumps and elaborate handshakes in the locker room are common after home runs? Why can't a pitcher make a fist pump when home run hitters make them when rounding the bases? Why it OK to make a hand gesture to God but not make other hand movements? Is it OK to jump in the air while facing the opposite direction of a teammate and bumping hips?

No, I'm not taking the bait. I'm not arguing for the sake of arguing. But you seem to have two points. One being if they can do A why not B, and the other being screw tradition. So instead of debating this for another 24 hours, what would you like the game to look like? You sound like you're ok with anything. Are you? Honest question.

DeadSpin has Fielder's back.

Here's the last line of the deadspin article:

No one's disrespecting anything, except the absurd notion that a baseball game should look like an Elks Lodge meeting.

Framing the debate in that matter makes it difficult to take it seriously.

Why was it OK for the Boston Red Sox to prearrange for Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore to make out on the field after their first Series win?

I refuse to take this seriously. This belongs in the deadspin article.

posted by justgary at 10:17 PM on September 08, 2009

you guys are taking it too seriously

I realized that there was a segment of the baseball fans that took it too seriously the day people were calling for Sammy Sosa's head on a platter when he was caught with a corked bat. Everything from a 60 game suspension to a lifetime ban was debated until Selig ruled. For corking a bat? Nah, that's not taking things too seriously...

posted by MeatSaber at 10:56 PM on September 08, 2009

My examples -- aside from the facetious Jimmy Fallon one -- were attempts to point out celebratory gestures that go on frequently in the game, some of which draw ire and many others that do not.

"When guys started high-fiving at the plate, I know there were old-timers who took issue with that. When guys started huddling around the plate after a walk-off homer, it ruffled some feathers, so I don't know." -- Angels manager Mike Scoscia

Batters do all kinds of giddy stuff upon walk-off home runs. Kirk Gibson pumping his fists as he rounded the bases in the 1988 Series is one of the indelible moments in baseball history.

Will Prince Fielder's choreographed stunt be remembered forever? No. It's just a moment of silliness that made the night's SportsCenter. Does it deserve to anger the Giants so much "he should see fastball after fastball at his chin until he's hit" next year? Hell no. Millionaires shouldn't be wound so tight.

And with that, I'm making this my walk-off comment.

There really was no point discussing this with you once you declared that your interpretation was "baseball" while mine was "rcadeball." You should be more receptive to the possibility -- however remote it might be -- that you share the game with fans who do not feel the same way you do about acceptable etiquette.

posted by rcade at 11:05 PM on September 08, 2009

Why was it OK for the Boston Red Sox to prearrange for Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore to make out on the field after their first Series win?

There was a movie being made at the time with a theme about the Red Sox and their long drought without a World Series win. The Red Sox were paid handsomely to allow it. Interestingly enough, the script for the movie had the Sox losing the series, and they had to rewrite it at the last minute. By the way, the movie absolutely sucked. The only good thing was that the $25 (tickets, popcorn, drinks) was a lot cheaper than a divorce settlement.

posted by Howard_T at 04:19 PM on September 09, 2009

You've now characterized my position as desperate, "arguing for the sake of arguing" and dishonest. The reason I took my toys home is that I'm afraid you're going to break them in anger.

Go back to Scoscia's quote. High-fives at home plate once made purists mad in baseball. Guys meeting at home plate once made purists mad. Now they are common. Kirk Gibson's fist pump is "inspiring" (your words) but pitchers who fist pump today make purists mad. Purists are complex creatures. Baseball's unwritten rulebook must take up several volumes.

I don't think all choreographed celebrations are OK. I think "occasional tomfoolery" (my words) is not a big deal, and definitely not enough justification to throw repeatedly at the fool's head.

We're focusing on Fielder, but his entire team participated. So there's at least 20 folks in the game who don't think it was a huge breach of baseball etiquette.

posted by rcade at 05:58 PM on September 10, 2009

And the wonderful thing about baseball? It's self-correcting. One fastball right in Fielder's ample buttocks should put him back on the right track. posted by wfrazerjr

Ahh, I missed this. Fraze put it better than I did.

posted by justgary at 03:26 AM on September 11, 2009

That belongs in the WWE

Now this is where I draw the line dammit! What's so wrong if Fielder decides to smack the opposition with a steel chair next time he hits a walk off homerun?

posted by BornIcon at 09:59 AM on September 11, 2009