Act like you’ve been there before

So what did you think of Prince Fielder’s Premeditated Team HR celebration?

The Giants are in the thick of a pennant race and the loss hurt them more than any celebration that the Brewers could have done, but they and couldn’t possibly be happy.

You can be sure that the next time these two teams face each other Fielder (one of the true stars of the game) will be taking one in the small of the back (and should consider himself lucky if he does not get one in the ear hole.) The Giants will not face Milwaukee in the regular season until next year, and Milwaukee has no chance at making the post season, so the drama will have to wait until the next time they will meet in Spring Training exhibitions.



If you were a pitcher or player on the Giants, which way would you fall on the topic?

1. Let it go. As Fielder put it after the game, "It's always good to have some fun." Baseball is fun and entertainment is what the fans buy tickets for, so giving them a little show after rounding the bases is harmless. Fielder didn't stick in the batter's box and stare down the pitcher, nor did he pull an in-your-face move on any of the Giants. He shared his excitement with teammates and added some flair in the process.

2. Put one in his ear. Fielder's "show" was the ultimate showboating display that has no place in baseball. A move like that would warrant an unsportsmanlike penalty of sorts in any other sport, and involving his entire team makes it more insulting to a pitcher.

Here is my take:

When a man shaped like a bowling ball performs a spot on impersonation of a bowling ball knocking down pins (STRIKE) after hitting a game winning HR, how is that not funny good natured stuff? And it’s is great for ESPN Sports Center ratings and radio talk show material. Also kids in school yards across the nations will now all try to replicate it or invent their own. It brings smiles to a lot of people and shows the lighter side of life.

BUT………. This is professional baseball where there are people on both sides of the field making a living at this craft and where pride is as important as anything else (cause it’s not about the money – right?)

You can call me old school but when you are 15 games under .500, you look like a fool having a premeditated team HR celebration of any type let alone one that is so planned out.

I always like the Walter Payton / Barry Sanders way of going about it. “Act like you’ve been there before. Been there, done that and hand the ball to the referee.” The same with baseball – hit the ball over the wall, jog around the bases at a brisk pace, touch the plate, a few hand-shakes, a pat on the ass, a head slap or two and into the dugout we go……….. A curtain call is fine if the fans call for it, that’s not showing up the other team, that’s acknowledging the fans.

I don’t know why it that Torii Hunter of the Los Angeles Angels has been the one whose quotes have been appearing all over the place because he’s not involved on either team or even in the same league, but never the less he’s in the same players union and if you haven’t heard them already, here are his public comments on the issue.

"If I was a pitcher. ... my mouth would be wide open. I'd be shocked. Baseball is not like the NFL, where you can celebrate in the end zone. You've got to keep your cool, play the game. You can't do that." Hunter admitted that he laughed at Fielder and called the Brewers' celebration "creative." But, Hunter added, "It's a little strong for baseball, because you could have a 90-mph fastball coming at you the next day. If someone did that against us and we played them again, trust me, he'd get crushed, and we'd try to fight him."

I’m not condoning that Fielder take one in the ear hole. But I will guarantee that whatever fun he and his teammates had will not be worth it when he stands in the box next spring training against the Giants. And he knows it too. In hind sight he’s probably already regretting he routine. Fielder as macho as he is will be shitting in his pants. Here’s the way it will happen.

The 1st time up they will throw hard inside strikes and he will be bailing thinking that it’s coming his way. Then with two strikes they will throw a slider or curve low and outside embarrassing the big fella as he bails one way while the ball goes the other.

The 2nd time up he will get hit…….somewhere – 1st pitch – flat out, no question about it. And since it will be spring training, how great would it be if when that happens, all the Giant players in the field fall down :)

When my youngest kid saw the clip on TV he said, “Dad look, they are playing Ring Around The Rosy!” - Mike Cardano

Mike Cardano is the founder of the Around The Horn (Baseball Blogs) and Extra Point (Football Blogs). Mike is also the founder of the fantasy sports games Ultimate Franchise Baseball™ and Ultimate Franchise Football™.