Who is this guy? I know the Nattos are young, that is what makes them exciting despite the fact that they have the worst record in the league. I don't think that after 162 are played they will be close to being the worst in the league, but I'm an optimist. So in the midst of coming out of what is hopefully the worst stretch of the season and soundly kicking around the Mets last night, I would hope the young Nats would be excited.
L. Nelson Figueroa did not like it when they did get excited and their bats got hot. I don't know what the L stands for but it seems like every time I check the box scores and he is pitching there is an L next to his name. To quote the one guy who could get an entire team out of a hitting slump; "they were cheerleading in the dugout like a bunch of softball girls. They could show a little bit more class, more proffesionalism....they are who the are." I have trouble making it through a regular season NBA game because frankly, they don't care. I ran into Chris Samuels the week after the draft and when I asked him about it he said he "didn't care but he heard we got a big receiver which is good." To see pro athletes so excited about a stupid win in May is what makes these Nattos so exciting. They have been excited about winning for both themselves and for us since they set foot in DC. Everyone said we were going to be the worst team ever, literally, last year. They spit in the face of that. They spit in the face of everything that comes there way and keep punching even if they are cut open above both eyes.
What is funny is that the most over the top exuberance in the league right now comes from a pitcher. Jaba Chamberlain is a little excessive with his celebrations. Great you struck a guy out, now go get the other two. But at the same time it is his right. If I went yard against him though, I'd take my sweet time getting around the bases. Then I would probably take it in the back next time I'd bat and nothing could be done to Chamberlain, which is one of the huge reasons why NL ball is superior to AL ball. Maybe because I grew up without pro ball in my city (because Baltimore will never ever be my city) I don't know the proper etiquette. It just seems that everyone is making much ado about nothing.
It has gotten so bad that people are going after college ball and this kid and manager at FSU. Believe me I grew up Irish-Catholic and lifelong Notre Dame fan and watched FSU rob us of the '93 National Title despite the fact that we stomped them; I look for reasons to hate FSU more. However, his kid went in against Savannah St. and played all nine positions over the course of the game under orders from his manager. The manager usually has to decide wether to put him at short, catcher, or relief pitcher every day. So playing six more positions in a game really isn't that much of a stretch he is already a third of the way there. What some are taking offense to is that it was against Savannah St. Last I checked college teams get to choose who they want to play out of conference so they get what they asked for. I just thought it was cool that a guy played all nine positions in nine innings, it never occured to me that that could be offensive.
Maybe I don't know baseball etiquette so what i'm about to say may break yet another rule, I don't know. If I was a pro Baseball player and somone called me a "softball girl" I might put one in their back tonight. Figueroa tore the jersey out of Jesus Flowers' pants last night and then hit one more of our guys. Save the next get-even beanball for September when we see the Mets and possibly Figueroa again. If Figueroa keeps pitching like he has been he won't be there, so just bean whoever is wearing 27 just for good measure. Keep rooting for the scrappy pro athletes who aren't there just for a payheck and keep punching.
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