It was a little disappointing that JJ wasn't able to play against his former teammates, it would have been nice to see (I'm just hoping he's back in time for my games on Thursday and Friday). We were able to see our old teammate GoGo.
I know this has been discussed in other blogs, but since I waited till today to do this and don't remember much from the series other than that marathon game from Saturday (did everyone else think that game would never end?) As we all know GoGo hit a home run against Nicky on Friday night and apparently that was a no no according to a few people. Okay the home run may not have been the no no but the celebration after was.Everyone in Twins Territory knows how GoGo is and I have to admit it's nice to see he hasn't changed any. So he celebrated getting a home run. I'm sitting here watching the Boston/Tampa game and David Oritz hit a home run and pretty much acted the same way. You aren't going to see anyone making a big deal out of that tomorrow morning, so why did GoGo's have to be made into such a big deal?
Apparently people didn't like that his bat hit Mauer and something about his little hand movements after he reached home plate. He apologized after the game, but in my opinion he really didn't have anything to apologize for. He was reacting to hitting a home run just like any other batter would.
So that poses the question, should batters "celebrate" hitting a home run or not?
2 comments:
There is a sort of "unwritten" rule in baseball that you don't make a big show out of home runs hit when your team is down and they don't matter. Particularly if you're not a superstar player. It shows up the other team, especially the pitcher. So the reason everyone was mad about Gomez was that he was celebrating like that even though his team was still down by 13 runs in the 8th inning. I don't think fans got mad about it, but players did.
For example--remember how Denard Span celebrated that hit that he thought was a homerun on Saturday, but then it was just a fly ball? Denard got hit by a pitch the next game. Not a coincidence. There are just "courtesy" things and manners that major leaguers are expected to abide by.
The case is different when your team is ahead by a few runs, and your slumping star hits a home run against the team with the best record in the division (and not to mention baseball) to seal the deal--a la David Ortiz.
I agree with myjah. In addition, to make a big deal of a home run that does almost nothing to bring your team into contention in a game, much less being the tying or go-ahead run(s), seems self-centered. Baseball is a team sport and that should be the focus of the players. Individual accomplishments can be discussed and appreciated at other times. Gogo needs to get that that home run did nothing for most Brewers fans.
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