John Baker on playing the right way

[David]

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/playing-baseball-right-way-depends-three-factors-when-who-where-061615

 

The longer I played baseball, the more I realized that across America, that cliché – Play the game the right way – actually means something very specific: Play the game MY way.

 

After the 2011 baseball season, I accepted a contract to play baseball for the Toros Del Este of La Romana in the Dominican Republic. I’d just completed my tenth pro season, but had missed most of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

 

When I arrived in the Dominican, one of the first people I met was a young, power-hitting American first baseman in the Padres system. He had been called up for a month or two the year before, but really struggled, and was down in the Dominican for more at-bats. After the usual pleasantries, we boarded a bus to San Francisco de Macoris to take on the Gigantes. On the way, we had a conversation I’ll never forget. (I am paraphrasing here, because I can’t remember the exact wording. So much for never forgetting.)

 

Him: “Bro, wait till you see a game here. It’s incredible.”

 

Me: “Whaddaya mean? Like, the atmosphere or something? I’ve seen a lot of games.”

 

Him: “No, everyone pimps everything down here. Everything: groundball base hit in the four hole: huge bat toss, and wait until you see the antics after homers. It’s unbelievable, I love it. I can’t wait to hit a homer and pimp the hell out of it. The best part is that no one cares. It’s just part of the game down here. The pitchers will do ridiculous fist pumps after strikeouts, and infielders will pimp ground balls. It’s crazy!”

 

Me: “Seriously, all of that is just part of the game?”

 

Him: “Yep. Part of the game.”

 

At a truck stop in the middle of our long drive, a vendor was selling handmade jewelry, including brightly painted rosaries. My new friend bought one of the rosaries and then outlined his plan.

 

“I’m going to hit a bomb today, pop this rosary out of my jersey, and spin it around my neck before I walk halfway down the line.”

 

When the game began, it didn’t take long for this Ruthian prophecy to come true. He hit a towering home run 450 feet, stood there, popped the chain, spun it around his neck, looked at me in the dugout and walked half way to first. My first instinct was to look into the other dugout, where the Gigantes seemed to find the display funny, as did our dugout. He came in after his trot around the bases and we laughed and laughed. Baseball is supposed to be fun, and we were having fun. Had the same thing happened during a game in the U.S., the other dugout would have freaked out, both teams would have to play the “Hold me back, no hold me back” posturing game we play when we’re all too scared to fight (everyone except Jeff Samardzija). There was no fake posturing, nobody’s feelings were hurt, the pitcher didn’t care. Just a part of the game.

 

i love rizzo

[jersey cubs fan]

that's fine in their country but we're in [glow=red]AM[/glow][glow=white]ER[/glow][glow=blue]ICA[/glow] now, you play our way.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm too lazy to do anything but skim this, so I'm going to assume it's anti-the Right Way:

 

http://i.giphy.com/5MDk34NOY6ili.gif

[jumbo]

Someone post John Baker pimping his walk with a fist pump

[Guest]

http://i.imgur.com/XN8Lzvt.gif

[jumbo]

There it is!

[Epsteenie]

http://i.imgur.com/XN8Lzvt.gif

 

I don't know how I've never seen this before, but that is awesome.