Wednesday, June 8, 2011

On David Ortiz' Bat Flip, and The Yankees-Red Sox Series

I was on the bus home from the Staten Island Ferry when the Yankees-Red Sox game started last night, and I was following the progress via my iPhone. By the time I arrived home, the Yankees were already losing 3-0. Not a great way to start off the evening.

And it got even worse. I also missed seeing Mark Teixeira getting helped off the field. What a nightmare. Between that, and David Ortiz's hitting a home run, complete with an obnoxious bat flip, it wasn't exactly an evening for the ages for Yankee fans. (Although Jorge Posada fans did get to see him ably step up with his best game of the year -- his first 2011 three-hit game -- after he stepped in to take Mark Teixeira's place in the lineup, and at first.)

But as for Ortiz, I was irritated by his antics during the game (what, he was mad Hector Noesi went a little inside on him? Spare me. Ortiz still has never been hit by a Yankee pitcher. Ever!) and even more annoyed by his arrogant comments afterwards. He said:
“It’s not my first time. It’s not going to be my last time. So, big deal,” he said.

“I’m a home run hitter. It’s not like I do it all the time. But it’s part of the excitement. What can I tell you? I just went deep. You want more emotion than that. I just went deep. It’s another homer for Papi.

“That was one of the Papi good ones.”
Two third-person references in one interview? Oy. What happened to the personable Ortiz, any way, the one who didn't come across like a clown in interviews?

The Yankees weren't happy about his little show last night, and we'll see if they enact a little payback this series.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

17 comments:

Uncle Mike said...

David Ortiz should overcome his corpulence and get down on his knees and thank God and Bud Selig -- he probably can't tell the difference -- that he's even allowed to play professional baseball after being a big fat lying cheating steroid user, getting caught, lying about it, and getting exposed as such.

Enough is enough. I have had it with the Red Sox. Start hitting them. And if you get fined and suspended, take Selig to court. Either apply the rules equally (if you're going to toss a Yankee pitcher for hitting a Sox batter, any Sox batter, then toss Lester for purposely hitting both Teixeira AND Martin), or don't apply the rules at all and let the players do what they want, and may the last team standing win.

This is disgusting. Ortiz should be banned for life, the Sox' titles stricken from the record, and Lester suspended for at least one start or until Teix returns, whichever is longer. But we have a spineless milquetoast in the commissioner's office, and as long as the Red Sox are winning, he will pander to them.

del zo said...

1. "a big fat lying cheating steroid user"

2. "apply the rules equally (if you're going to toss a Yankee pitcher for hitting a Sox batter, any Sox batter, then toss Lester for purposely hitting both Teixeira AND Martin)"

3. "Ortiz should be banned for life, the Sox' titles stricken from the record, and Lester suspended for at least one start or until Teix returns, whichever is longer."

1) (see: Rodriguez, Alex)

2) There is no evidence of intent that would hold up in court, so lay off the Law and Order re-runs.

3) Banned for life for some steroids and a batflip...right...

Conclusion- create logical points before you start spewing bullshit, and try not to sound like a 14 year old girl on her period when you actually *do* say something.

Janson said...

Uncle Mike:

I assume we can apply your logic to each ring won while arod, pettitte, clemens and giambi were playing as well? Sounds reasonable.

Teix is consistently one of the most hit batters in the league. That coupled with Lester's noted control issues on his cutter may have something to do with the HBP's

Shut your mouth to avoid any further embarrassment.

Fred said...

Fat jokes from Uncle Mike, how creative.

Is this what the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry has come to? Really? Getting pissed off over a bat flip? Lester hitting Teixeira? Why would he intentionally do that? It's early in the game, there's no history between them, plus Lester has had control issues just about the entire season (he hasn't made it past the 6th inning in more than a month with high pitch counts in each game). Bruins' fans getting angry over Nathan Horton getting decapitated on Monday night -- now that's something a sports fan should get steamed about. Flipping a bat? C'mon, get real.

Oh, and by the way, the notion that the Yankees don't throw at the Red Sox is complete crap. They've done it plenty since Girardi took over. The question you should be asking is why is Youk their only target.

Quite frankly, I was bored with that 4 hour marathon last night. It's like this with every Yankees-Red Sox game. It's soooooooooo slooooooooooooooow that it's almost too painful to watch. If there was some drama, that would be one thing but there isn't. The 14 inning game the Sox played the other night went by faster. Get in the batters box and stay there. Your batting gloves are fine. You don't need to spit. You don't need to hold your hand up to ask for time while you get into your stance. You don't need to dig another hole in the ground. You don't need another practice swing. You don't need to look at the label on the bat to make sure the bat's in the right position (especially if you didn't take a swing).

Ken said...

Such typical whining from Yankee fans. Let's not even start with steroid talk (Clemens, as a Yankee, A Rod,Giambi) Just to name a few. Oh and while we're at it,Probably the most arrogant thug to ever pitch in MLB history, Steve Howe was a Yankee. Uncle Mike; Lester has been having a terrible year with his command. He had a 3-0 lead when he hit Texieira. He hit him intentionally. REALLY? Oh by the way, I recall Joba using Youk as target practice over and over. Fined, suspended? I love the excitement every time these two teams meet. I even like some of your players. Probably because the don't whine like so many of thier fans do.

not applicable said...

When you have won one game in 7 against a team, you tend to focus on the way the game is played, how insulting the other team is, beanings, etc. because you aren't doing anything of substance to win more games. When the yankees routinely beat the red sox in the late 90s, red sox fans complained about every little thing that annoyed them during the game because they were so frustrated with the games. And no, the Yankees won't bean anyone, they're too worried about using baseball as some sort of metaphor for life and how baseball-morality somehow matters as much as balls and strikes. They are above doing something so daring and simple as say, trying to exhaust all methods of winning a game. It is more important to romanticize their own existence than it is to get dirty and force the issue.

I'm a sox fan, and I could care less who flips what. Baseball needs to get over itself and its unwritten rulebook that is about 10 times the size of its actual rulebook. It's just a game.

Uncle Mike said...

“1) (see: Rodriguez, Alex)” He came clean, Ortiz is still lying about it. I saw on the Daily News’ website somebody say he’s still looking for why his test came up positive, like O.J. Simpson “searching for the real killer.”

”2) There is no evidence of intent that would hold up in court, so lay off the Law and Order re-runs.” Yes there is, it’s called videotape, and the Sox’ long history of doing that very thing.

”3) Banned for life for some steroids and a batflip...right...” The batflip has no more to do with it than the Batcave. It’s because he did it, he got caught, he lied about it, got exposed, and is still lying about it, and for all we know may still be using it, a la the other Sox cheater that’s been exposed, Manny Ramirez.

”Conclusion- create logical points before you start spewing bullshit, and try not to sound like a 14 year old girl on her period when you actually *do* say something.” A, I have used logic, Spock. B, I’ll stop sounding like that when the Sox start acting like men instead of punks and cheaters. And C, Watch your language.

Uncle Mike said...

“I assume we can apply your logic to each ring won while arod, pettitte, clemens and giambi were playing as well? Sounds reasonable.” Wrong. Giambi never won a ring. The only proof we have on A-Rod is in Texas, not in New York. All we have on Pettitte is an instance to come back from an injury, and the Yanks didn’t win the Pennant that year. And if there is any proof about Clemens, it has not yet been publicly revealed.

“Teix is consistently one of the most hit batters in the league. That coupled with Lester's noted control issues on his cutter may have something to do with the HBP's.” Wrong, Lester had NO control issues last night. He pitched 6 innings and walked just 1 batter.

“Shut your mouth to avoid any further embarrassment.” The only thing that’s embarrassing is the lies you Sox fans are spewing, and the fact that my team is letting itself get pushed around by these twits.

Uncle Mike said...

“Probably the most arrogant thug to ever pitch in MLB history, Steve Howe was a Yankee.” You know, Sox fans were once known to be very knowledgeable. This one’s statement is massive ignorance. Ever hear of Sal Maglie? Don Drysdale? Early Wynn? And... Pedro Martinez?

“Uncle Mike; Lester has been having a terrible year with his command. He had a 3-0 lead when he hit Texieira. He hit him intentionally. REALLY?” Yeah, really. Allie Reynolds once did the exact same thing, telling the press after the game, “If I’m going to put you on, I might as well hurt you.” If Lester is having trouble with his command, why is he 8-2?

Put down the can of Narragansett and pay attention to the games, Chowdaheads.

SnakeLegsBanks said...

"“I assume we can apply your logic to each ring won while arod, pettitte, clemens and giambi were playing as well? Sounds reasonable.” Wrong. Giambi never won a ring. The only proof we have on A-Rod is in Texas, not in New York. All we have on Pettitte is an instance to come back from an injury, and the Yanks didn’t win the Pennant that year. And if there is any proof about Clemens, it has not yet been publicly revealed."

You can keep your head in the sand all you want and act like NY players are saints until your dying breath, it doesn't change the facts the there are a TON more players using some form of PED than you think and NY players are just as susceptible as any other team. I mean do you really believe A-Rod used with Texas for a couple of years and that is the end of his cheating? Giambi never won a ring while using so it isn't a valid point to bring him up as a cheater? You must not be a big fan of the sport otherwise you'd be just as disgusted with your team using on ANY level at ANY point in their career as you are with other teams. But no, your precious Yankees are above the sport, right?

I am a Sox fan, and I am disgusted by Manny and Ortiz cheating. And I have the balls to admit it.

D said...

Both Red Sox and Yankee fan sets are infested with the prototypical loudmouth,as are the Phillie's(the
worst in my view, but then I'm a
Braves fan). Were I forced to sit
next to one of the other, I would
first ask if watching the game at
home were an option. If not,then I
would sit next to the Red Sox fan.
While still obnoxious with know-it-all-ness,he will be more intelligent and educated than the
Yankee fan, and probably won't be drunk.

An amused Braves fan

Rod N said...

Big Popi did nothing out of the ordinary. Yankees fans cry about dumb crap everytime they are losing. Boo Hoo Hoo

Derek said...

What is classic is all the ROID users on the Yanks, or who has been on that team. We forget to comment on those don’t we? I understand it is harder looking in your own back yard but it is the truth.

As for the bat flip. Are you kidding me? What did you want him to do place it down on the ground or hand it off to the bat boy? That is the issue with this world now. Everyone is a bunch of pussies. I mean give me a break, I would agree if he flipped someone off or made a bad gesture but he flipped his bat BFD.

Next someone will sue him for it.

Have a rice day...

Anonymous said...

The Yankers ignorant fans have nothing else to say about getting their a$$es handed to them, so they have to complain about a freaking bat flip.

Listen, I saw it and it was nothing that anyone should have anything to say about. He didn't stand at home and watch the ball sail away, like Manny would sometimes do, which would have been much more egregious, in my opinion. He didn't blow a kiss to the pitcher on his way around the bases, like that kid Harper down in the minors. So get over it Yanker losers and quit your b*tching.

elconquistadorno1 said...

This blog, along with its crybaby commentary exemplifies hypocrisy as well as underscores the disdain supporters of other teams have for Yankee fans, the majority of whom are bandwagon-jumping phonies who understand little about the game or the team. These are the types who buy up overpriced Yankees paraphernalia in a pathetic attempt to convince everyone including themselves that they are in some way avid followers of the Bombers. However, to all but them, it is obvious they are merely following the frontrunner crowd- such as the fair-weather flunkies who sport ridiculous T-shirts that feature the moniker "A-ROD" on the backside. When the Yanks win the World Series, their legions of cap-wearing characters take to the streets, acting as if they had driven in the winning run, with cries of "WE WON!!", and, subsequently, "your team sucks!" When the pinstripes are eliminated, they suddenly become history professors, citing the numerous championships won since the halcyon days of Ruth, as if to prove their self-professed loyalty somehow extends prior to birth. They whine when their team loses; they whine when their team wins. This spoiled fan base wants an All-Star at every position, and needs to see the Yankees win the Series each and every year; otherwise, it's a lousy season. It will then largely bail on the team to root for a rival who wins, like one Beantown loudmouth-turned-Yankee shill/broadcaster Suzyn Waldman, who reminds us that the only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner.

Anonymous said...

Well said, El Conquistador, very eloquently stated.

Paul said...

El Conquistador, just a brief point of respectful disagreement.

As I read your description of the bandwagon fan, if you didn't specifically use an "AROD" shirt as an example I'd have thought you were talking about the Sox fan base since 2004. So I don't disagree with your overall description - but I do disagree that it is solely a Yankee thing. I also don't think it is representative of this blog and most of the regular readers.

I'm a Sox fan by the way.

Cheers from Boston!

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