Pujols' "bat-throwing" incident (explanation)

[fulldeck]

My 0.002 cents:

 

I do think Pujols was wise to say what he did in the press, to explain himself, because it was out of bounds even by today's standards. Anyone remember a game a year or two ago at Wrigley (I think it was 2004) when Pujols sort of gestured at the crowd after knocking a HR? He commented later that he needed to "shut up some fans" or something like that. Similarly classless, ego-driven, obnoxious and unnecessary (I'm not saying Pujols is classless - only that particular act plus the Perez one).

 

LINK

 

Take that: Pujols had a special answer for some hecklers at Wrigley. As he crossed home plate following his sixth-inning home run on Sunday night, he gave a "Shhhh" signal to some fans seated down low.

 

"A couple of guys said some things that I don't think they should have said," he explained. "To me, they can say whatever they want. I like the fans here in Chicago. I think they're great. Sometimes they drink too much and they say some things out of line. They were saying a couple things that I didn't appreciate about my family.

 

"You don't mess with my family. You can say whatever you want to me, but with my family you don't mess. I didn't like it, so when I crossed the plate I just told them to be quiet. There are some things that I shouldn't say on camera that they were saying. But it happens sometimes. It's part of the game. I think sometimes you drink too much and you say a couple of things that you shouldn't say."

[abuck1220]

i think there's a difference between pumping your fist in excitement (zambrano) and tossing your bat in the air like a pompous jerk (pujols). getting excited isn't showing up your opponent.

 

that being said, zambrano gets a ridiculous amount of slack from most people here, and i get very sick of his antics. for some reason when he acts like an idiot, everyone thinks it's cool and he can do no wrong.

 

and i don't like jones' or ramirez's post homerun style any more than i like pujols'.

[TruffleShuffle]

Personally, I'm shocked that the St. Louis press would buy the Cardinal player's excuse at face value and then make an effort to make him look like a great guy. They hardly ever do that sort of thing.

[Productive Outs]

i love pujols!

[imb]

lololololol his name is Pujols i mean come on

[TruffleShuffle]

lololololol his name is Pujols i mean come on

 

Proper Name: Jose Alberto Pujols

Born: January 16, 1980

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225 lbs.

Age: 26

Pronounced: POO-holes

[gus_dog]

This thread reminds me of threads on CardsTalk.

 

For any other posters not familiar with CardsTalk, the comparison I just made is not very flattering to this thread.

 

Please, lock it.

[Blueheart05]

This thread reminds me of threads on CardsTalk.

 

For any other posters not familiar with CardsTalk, the comparison I just made is not very flattering to this thread.

 

Please, lock it.

 

A Cards Talk thread discussing rivals would have been filled with expletives (among other things).

[K-Town]

This thread reminds me of threads on CardsTalk.

 

For any other posters not familiar with CardsTalk, the comparison I just made is not very flattering to this thread.

 

Please, lock it.

 

A Cards Talk thread discussing rivals would have been filled with expletives (among other things).

 

 

I agree. Cards Talk is FAR worse than anything I've ever seen on this board. It's an absolute joke.

 

Pujols made a mistake. I think we all agree on that, so I'm not sure why there's so much dissention. He admits that he shouldn't have done it. That alone gives him more credibility than about 95% of today's ball players, in my opinion. Watching the game last night, I was reminded that he is the model team player. But yes, throwing the bat was out of line.

[The Voice of Reason]

It seems somewhat hypocritical (at least to me) for Cubs fans who worshipped at the altar of Sammy for so many years and loved the homer hops, the right field charge and the heart taps and kissing for the camera to jump all over Pujols for one incident.

 

The class act that is Ryne Sandberg said it best in his Hall of Fame speech when he opined that the team should be a player's priority not his individual stats, desire to show up the other team or need for fan adulation.

[jjgman21]

It seems somewhat hypocritical (at least to me) for Cubs fans who worshipped at the altar of Sammy for so many years and loved the homer hops, the right field charge and the heart taps and kissing for the camera to jump all over Pujols for one incident.

 

The class act that is Ryne Sandberg said it best in his Hall of Fame speech when he opined that the team should be a player's priority not his individual stats, desire to show up the other team or need for fan adulation.

 

well first, I don't think Sammy's actions were in the same class as Pujols', and I've never been the biggest Sammy Sosa fan.

 

and second, Sandberg would take a look at the ball, then flick his bat away in a very cocky manner when he knew he got one.

 

I haven't seen the development of this thread, but these are things in the class of Pujol's walk 1/3 of the way down the first base line and pointing to the sky after crossing the plate, as opposed to showing up Perez.

[Balsa]

I have no problem with this if he's getting back at Perez.

[Dr. Cub]

lololololol his name is Pujols i mean come on

 

Proper Name: Jose Alberto Pujols

Born: January 16, 1980

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225 lbs.

Age: 26

Pronounced: POO-holes

 

I still don't believe this. It has nothing to do with his extremely receeding hairline, either. It has to do with the skin of his face. If that man is 26, it has been a hard 26.

[The Voice of Reason]

It seems somewhat hypocritical (at least to me) for Cubs fans who worshipped at the altar of Sammy for so many years and loved the homer hops, the right field charge and the heart taps and kissing for the camera to jump all over Pujols for one incident.

 

The class act that is Ryne Sandberg said it best in his Hall of Fame speech when he opined that the team should be a player's priority not his individual stats, desire to show up the other team or need for fan adulation.

 

well first, I don't think Sammy's actions were in the same class as Pujols', and I've never been the biggest Sammy Sosa fan.

 

and second, Sandberg would take a look at the ball, then flick his bat away in a very cocky manner when he knew he got one.

 

I haven't seen the development of this thread, but these are things in the class of Pujol's walk 1/3 of the way down the first base line and pointing to the sky after crossing the plate, as opposed to showing up Perez.

 

I agree. Sammy's over-the-top antics were much worse than anything Pujols has done.

 

I don't recall Ryno ever flipping his bat, showing up another player, showing off, having any altercations with his teammates or having a reputation as anything other than the consumate team player. Can you supply a link to dispute this or back up the "cocky" claim?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It seems somewhat hypocritical (at least to me) for Cubs fans who worshipped at the altar of Sammy for so many years and loved the homer hops, the right field charge and the heart taps and kissing for the camera to jump all over Pujols for one incident.

 

The class act that is Ryne Sandberg said it best in his Hall of Fame speech when he opined that the team should be a player's priority not his individual stats, desire to show up the other team or need for fan adulation.

 

well first, I don't think Sammy's actions were in the same class as Pujols', and I've never been the biggest Sammy Sosa fan.

 

and second, Sandberg would take a look at the ball, then flick his bat away in a very cocky manner when he knew he got one.

 

I haven't seen the development of this thread, but these are things in the class of Pujol's walk 1/3 of the way down the first base line and pointing to the sky after crossing the plate, as opposed to showing up Perez.

 

I agree. Sammy's over-the-top antics were much worse than anything Pujols has done.

 

I don't recall Ryno ever flipping his bat, showing up another player, showing off, having any altercations with his teammates or having a reputation as anything other than the consumate team player. Can you supply a link to dispute this or back up the "cocky" claim?

 

That's because he didn't.

[Chocolate Milk]

I heard an unconfirmed rumor that Pujols was seen dressed up like Delmon Young on Wednesday.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I heard an unconfirmed rumor that Pujols was seen dressed up like Delmon Young on Wednesday.

 

Um, you started the rumor. Of course you heard it.

 

This was Pujols dressed as Delmon Young.

[Chocolate Milk]

I heard an unconfirmed rumor that Pujols was seen dressed up like Delmon Young on Wednesday.

 

Um, you started the rumor. Of course you heard it.

 

This was Pujols dressed as Delmon Young.

 

Ok, so I didn't hear it, I read it.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Ok, so I didn't hear it, I read it.

 

You mean typed?

[Chocolate Milk]

Ok, so I didn't hear it, I read it.

 

You mean typed?

 

I read what I type.

[moorecg]

lololololol his name is Pujols i mean come on

 

Proper Name: Jose Alberto Pujols

Born: January 16, 1980

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225 lbs.

Age: 26

Pronounced: POO-holes

 

I still don't believe this. It has nothing to do with his extremely receeding hairline, either. It has to do with the skin of his face. If that man is 26, it has been a hard 26.

 

Ditto that. I don't see how he's a day under 29...

[CubinNY]

lololololol his name is Pujols i mean come on

 

Proper Name: Jose Alberto Pujols

Born: January 16, 1980

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225 lbs.

Age: 26

Pronounced: POO-holes

 

I still don't believe this. It has nothing to do with his extremely receeding hairline, either. It has to do with the skin of his face. If that man is 26, it has been a hard 26.

 

Ditto that. I don't see how he's a day under 29...

 

Someone should check his rings or do some carbon dating on a liver sample.

 

In all seriousness, I think he is whatever age he says he is. But does it really matter? He's had about the best 5 year begining of a career ever.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Someone needs to photoshop a Napoleon hat onto him for a Spanish American War Hero graphic.

 

Seriously though, there's very little chance he's older than he says.

[jjgman21]

It seems somewhat hypocritical (at least to me) for Cubs fans who worshipped at the altar of Sammy for so many years and loved the homer hops, the right field charge and the heart taps and kissing for the camera to jump all over Pujols for one incident.

 

The class act that is Ryne Sandberg said it best in his Hall of Fame speech when he opined that the team should be a player's priority not his individual stats, desire to show up the other team or need for fan adulation.

 

well first, I don't think Sammy's actions were in the same class as Pujols', and I've never been the biggest Sammy Sosa fan.

 

and second, Sandberg would take a look at the ball, then flick his bat away in a very cocky manner when he knew he got one.

 

I haven't seen the development of this thread, but these are things in the class of Pujol's walk 1/3 of the way down the first base line and pointing to the sky after crossing the plate, as opposed to showing up Perez.

 

I agree. Sammy's over-the-top antics were much worse than anything Pujols has done.

 

I don't recall Ryno ever flipping his bat, showing up another player, showing off, having any altercations with his teammates or having a reputation as anything other than the consumate team player. Can you supply a link to dispute this or back up the "cocky" claim?

 

not sure how you agree with me. I never said that Sammy's antics were worse than Pujols.

 

what I am saying is there is a class of activities that are considered outside the bounds of what alot of fans like to see, but in my opinion do not extend to showing up another player. they could still be considered cocky or showing off. such examples are Sosa's hop, Pujols walk 1/3 of the way down the first base line, and Sandberg's bat flip (he's my favorite player of all time, but this did in fact occur, like it or not). I do agree there are varying degrees of these activities.

 

but there is another class of activities that can only be summed up as showing up other players. Pujols bat toss is one. Bonds doing a little spin down the first base line is another. Derrick Bell standing at home plate, watching his HR and sayin "oh, my god" is another. Jose Lima shooting batters down is another. I didnt' see Perez, but I imagine his antics were another.

 

then again, there's a fine line, because celebrating one's own excellent performance can often be confused with showing up another player. ie I don't think Z ever showed up Bonds on that comebacker a couple of years ago, he was just stoked that he got the best hitter in baseball in a big situation, but it's easy to understand how Bonds would interpret Z's reaction as showing him up. Bonds spin is probably something that sits on this line as well, but it was so overtly outside of the bounds of sportsmanship, it can too easily be interpreted as showing someone up.

 

these are all questions about what was going through the player's minds at the time. sometimes you can tell from the situation, other times you can't. what I do know is that true professionals generally don't retaliate to being shown up. they get their revenge with performance, and that is good enough.

[Dr. Cub]

Someone needs to photoshop a Napoleon hat onto him for a Spanish American War Hero graphic.

 

Seriously though, there's very little chance he's older than he says.[/quote]

 

Why is that?