Do You Have a Problem If A Power Hitter Admires His Home Run After He Hits It?

Question

my friends and I are debating if a home run hitter like Ryan Howard Should be Able to watch his Home Run after he hits it

Answer 1

Personally I don't think it's any different from a pitcher fist-pumping when he strikes a guy out swinging.
I can't understand why people get all antsy about hitters admiring the home run as it disappears - makes no difference to the game as far as I can tell, and any pitcher who wants to cry about how it's not fair that he's been shown up by the batter should try and remember that the part that shows him up is the ball disappearing over the outfield fence, not the hitter dancing the rumba or any other thing once it's already happened.

Answer 2

Good luck with that.... If you research professional baseball's prolific home run hitters (Aaron, Ruth, Bonds), you'll find that they also led in the number of strike-outs and walks for batters and this has historically been the trend. It's also pretty common to find that a power home-run hitter will regularly hit many foul balls when they are up to bat. So that would give you a pretty wide variety of players to choose from. If you'll indulge me and to add a touch of reality.... Make Jeremy a complete unknown (Where did they find this guy?) and give him some oddities like stepping outside the batters box regularly to "chase a pitch" and/or an unusual batting stance. It's also a good idea to make him strictly a pinch hitter/pinch runner/utility player because, power hitters will always end up in the regular line up.

Answer 3

Yes I do have a problem with it. I've always felt that when an athlete does something like hit a home run, strikes out an opposing player or (sorry for a football reference) scores a touchdown, he should actually act like he's done it before, and should simply act like he is just doing his job. Years ago, before umpires started tossing pitchers out any time a pitch came near a hitter, it would have been perfectly acceptable for the pitcher to either throw one right in the ear of the next hitter, or drill one at the player who showed him up during his next at bat. My thought is you should run hard until that ball lands in the seats. I've seen too many players stand and admire balls that hit off the fence and end up with either a long single or get thrown out at second.

Answer 4

I admire the way Joe D circled the bases, head down and on the run, never showing up the pitcher. Of course in those days had a hitter stood at the plate and watched the next better would have been drilled by the pitcher. I especially have a problem with it when a batter misjudges how well the ball is hit and it stays in the park when he's been standing in the box watching it.

Answer 5

I don't have a problem with it but the opposing pitcher usually does, they think the hitter is "showing" them up. The very best thing for a hitter to do, when he hits one out, is to run around the bases as quickly as he can and go directly to the dugout. By doing that you won't have a pitch coming at your head the next time you come to the plate.

Answer 6

Problem? No. It's frankly a weak gesture, and the hitter had better be VERY sure it's going out, because when it clanks off the wall and he barely manages a single, well, then he looks like a chump AND should get a lot of static for it.

Bonds certainly has heard it.
Griffey, and he has done this, never does. Nor will the mediots mention it, because their agenda demands excoriating Bonds, but luvving Junior.

Answer 7

Its ok to watch it as you're running around the bases. I think its cocky to stay in the batters box and watch the ball land, and then slowly start to trot around the bases. Its one thing to be proud or happy that you hit a home run, but most of that should be hidden. To me its comparable to a pitcher staring down a player after striking him out. Its a form of taunting and it shows a lack of sportsmanship. A guy like Ryan Howard could hit 500 home runs in his career, he needs to act like he's hit one before and he's going to hit one again. On a side note, the ball may get held up in the wind and not go over the fence. If you end up only getting a single out of that, it is pathetic and your teammates and fans will be upset at your lack of hustle.

Answer 8

nobody should ever watch a home run unless it's already out of the park, because the wind can carry it or sometimes someone will think it's a homerun and not run at full speed and then maybe get a double out of it.

He can look while he runs, but standing there isn't smart baseball, I don't really think it's as cocky or unsportsmanship like if that's what you mean.

Answer 9

But what if ends up not being a home run?... Then instead of a multibase hit you just get a long single, or even out.

But other than that, yeah, let them stare at it... And on top of that, they should to the California Raisin dance around the basepaths like in that commercial years ago...

Answer 10

I'm old school and you should put your head down and run (not trot) around the bases and get back into the dugout. Watch it on Sportscenter later that night! Same thing goes to all football players who celebrate like they've won the Super Bowl after every stinking play!

Like Mets fan above, I would drill the guy the next time I faced him, but in today's game, I'd probably get ejected right away. Back in the days of Bob Gibson or Don Drysdale, if you pulled that crap on them, they would stick one in your ear the next time you faced them.