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Talk baseball all season long with SI.com's Jacob Luft in Baseball Chatter, a journal for hot topic debates, Sabermetric ramblings and reader-driven discussions.6/05/2006 05:49:00 PM Mostly Harmless
Hot dogs and baseball go hand in hand, but how do you feel about hot dogs in baseball?
Lastings Milledge must not be fond of the old saying that a rookie should be seen and not heard.AP
If nothing else, Mets phenom Lastings Milledge's premature victory lap at Shea Stadium on Sunday puts fans on notice that there is a new showboat on the major-league scene. The kid had already been told by his manager to tone down the bling, and now he pulls a Cal Ripken Jr. impersonation after his first big league home run, high-fiving the fans down the right-field line before taking his position for the top of the 11th inning.
Depending on what side of the strut spectrum you favor, Milledge's display was either an innocuous display of youthful enthusiasm or a blemish on all that is holy with the grand old game. I lean toward the former -- mostly harmless. It was funny, really.
Besides, it can't be easy learning everything in baseball's book of unwritten rules, especially for a rookie caught up in a genuinely exciting moment. The amount of attention you can call upon yourself is dictated by the game situation. For example, if a reliever comes in with the bases loaded and no outs and strikes out the side in a close game, he can pump his fist and dance his way to the dugout. But if his team is down nine runs, he'd better just walk off quietly. If Milledge's home run had beaten the Giants instead of tied the game in the 10th, high fiving the fans would have been colorful. He'd have been a SportsCenter hero instead of the whipping boy of the Baseball Tonight crew.
It's not as if baseball has not had its share of hot doggery through the years. Reggie Jackson wasn't the first guy to flip his bat and watch his home runs leave the yard -- he credited Harmon Killebrew for showing him how it's done -- but Reggie did it with the most style; I never did care much for Bret Boone's bat flipping, however. Willie Mays made fancy catches, as did Rickey Henderson and Andruw Jones in later generations.
Ozzie Smith backflipped his way onto the field and nobody winced. St. Louis fans broiled with anger, though, when San Francisco's Jeffrey Leonard brought his "One Flap Down" act to town in the 1987 NLCS. Few people seemed to begrudge Sammy Sosa his hop during his heyday, and Manny Ramirez can get away with any type of silliness on -- or off -- the field on the grounds that it's just, "Manny being Manny."
What would Babe Ruth's called shot in the 1932 World Series be, if nothing else, than the ultimate example of showing up the opponent? Alas, the story was apocryphal, but the Babe's true intent was the same -- to humiliate the NL champion Cubs.
Still, there are others who prefer the grace of a Joe DiMaggio, a superstar so stoic that he created a fervor with his "aw-shucks" kick of the dirt after Brooklyn's Al Gionfriddo robbed him of a key hit in the 1947 World Series.Comments:
dont like manny? strike him the hell out. dont like ortiz ? ditto. this is the game today. live with it or stop watching. i wish it wasnt, but it is. you pay to see morons charge the stands. you pay to see cell phones tucked into goalposts. you pay to see faux moons. the only sport that doesnt have this crasp? hockey. i not a big fan, but its the truth.What a looser. I've seen the kid play and he has an ego the size of Shea Stadium. Not exactly the attitude you want from your promising young stud. But anyway.
Now, as far as for hot dogs...Jose Guillen tops anybody. And i enjoy pretty much watching him.
But those things make sports nowadays. Stop complaining..I agree with Mr. Luft. This is a tale of a young kid getting excited after a big moment and sharing it with a few fans, nothing more. He had made a great catch over in front of those same fans earlier in the game, and I'm sure they chatted him up and cheered him on then, too. Lastings Milledge's name has been said many times over the last couple years in New York, and now both Lastings and the fans are excited to see the potential turn into results on the field. They weren't celebrating a victory over the Giants, they were celebrating a victory for (so far) fulfilling potential. Good for you, Lastings. Enjoy your time in Queens.milledge it seems is going to be a superstar. at least all the teams frothing at the mouth when trades with the mets are mentioned seem to think so. so give the man his due. as the other post says, this is the era that we live in. big mouth = big contract. see keyshawn. see owens. see moss. dont get me wrong, these guys are good. far above average. but this is the climate and the culture. you pay to see it. it fills the house. every time. you vote for it with your dollar. and so, you get what you pay for.he's just a kid. hopefully the harsh words from his manager (one of the classiest guys in the game) will teach him a lesson and he'll learn to be more humble. However, like you said, it was his first big league homer, a feat the majority of people in the world will never get to experience, and no doubt an exciting one. I would only be worried about him if he ignores the advice he's receiving from Randolph and his teamates and continues to showboat. Nobody ever said there weren't things a young player has to learn in his first stint in the big leagues.they discussed this on mike & mike this morning. they both agreed and made perfect sense. at a time when steroids are still the talk of baseball and fans of wary who they can trust, what could be more perfect than a young kid attaching himself with the fans? this was a show of youthful exuberance, not cockiness. baseball needs more players like milledgeActually, Ruth never did really call his home run - he was pointing down the the Cubs dugout and bullpen because they were taunting him pretty harshly when he came to the plate.
However, at least you do not talk about it every single waking moment of the day like Jon Miller and Joe Morgan.Milledge was just excited at the time. In fact, directly after the homer, the Met announcers were disappointed he didn't come out for a curtain call (the crowd wanted one badly). He was going to look arrogant either way (he either shows up the crowd by ignoring them or the other team by coming out). Cut the kid some slack.What do you think the fans thought as he ran by them, slapping their hands. Probably the best game they ever went to in the their lives. Everybody cares about the egos of a few millionaires and forgets the fans who pay 70/ticket working for 12/hr, frankly if this kid did it every home run that side of the field would selll out every game!Talk about a Lastings impression. So let me get this straight: unlike Albert (Joey) Belle or Rob Dibble, he didn't throw a ball at a fan. Unlike Frank Francisco he didn't throw a chair at a fan, and we're wondering if this is a bad thing? Baseball has reached a tired state when it concerns itself with innocent celebrations that make the fans a positive part of the game.Give me a break. Correct me if im wrong, but don't we see basketball players give high fives to fans all the time? Don't football players leap into the stands after touchdowns? In both cases, these celebrations lead to player/fan comraderie. But for some reason, in baseball its taboo to interact with fans in a positive way. I don't get it. Lastings is the man.Must be a slow news day. I didn't think it was appropriate at the time, but i'm not going to think any less of the guy for doing it. I'd be pretty excited too.
Anyone else wince a little when Benitez gave up those homers? It gave me a sudden flashback to the 2000 WS, that he cost us.it's refreshing to see a pro athlete connect with fans for the joy of the game and not for money and autographs. mets fans in ny should be proud to support at least one player who's not too aloof to be gauche for their sake!I am not sure if it was youthful exhuberance or simple showboating but the the thing that stands out to me is that an athlete recognized the fans who cheered him and gave them back some of the "love" that was given to him. In a world where athletes detach themselves from their fans all too often, this is a refreshing change of pace.When did Baseball stop being a GAME? I agree with the previous comment. Football has people jumping into the stands, Basketball has people attacking people in the stands!! And the some sports writers are going to make a big deal out of this?? This should be looked at as a good thing. I hope this young player becomes a great player and continues to do this every time he hits a homerun!Milledge portrays todays athlete, morons. What happened to professionals like Ripken and Gywn. Kids today don't need to see people like Bonds or Owens who break records by breaking the rules or single handedly tearing down a franchise because of money.They don't need to see show offs either.Theres no need to flaunt because you jacked one deep or made a diving catch. Just make the play, be professional and celebrate with your teamates after.Half those nitwits on baseball tonight are idiots anyway.
My questions is, why does anyone listen to steve phillips.
He failed and ran the METS into the ground. Why anyone would listen to him on baseball matters is beyond meThe kid hit a big homer in a big spot and it was his first. Its not like he went out of his way to high five fans. He went to the outfield and slapped some hands on his way out. Why can't more players interact with fans? I bet those fans will forever rememeber Lastings Milledge high-fived them after his first big league home run. Thats what sports are all about, the fans and memories. He didnt show anyone up, he didnt run around like a banchie. This is so blown out of proportion. I hope the next time I go to a game my favorite player high fives me, i'll remember it forever.Last night when Ramirez played an easy out into a two-run double, the Yankee announcers had the best response: "Manny being Manny."
As for Milledge, it's not earthshaking, but you know, it's the same old Mets. Go a few games over .500 and they act like they've won the pennant. Or 26 world titles.How dare a MLB player interact with fans, terrible precedent. Next thing you know, the fans will want autographs.It sounds like most people commenting are basing their opinions on what they've heard about the one incident. I agree, if it were only the one moment of high-fiving fans on the way to the outfield, that's not too bad. But it's everything about the guy: his attitude in interviews (one in which he says HIS 2 rbi's weren't enough to win the game), the fact that Randolph had to speak to him before about issues, I mean, the kid hasn't DONE anything yet. Why is he being treated like he's practically a god just because he has the POTENTIAL to be great?Hey, at least Lastings didn't do it right after his home run! So he's running out to his position, it's extras, the fans are still in the stands, what a great way to market the game. Yes, it probably was not what Dear Abby would do, but at least he is showing his love for the game. And no matter if it didn't win the game, it kept his team in the game.
OH, and I HATE the Mets.It's not the interacting with fans that's the problem. The problem is that Milledge obviously thinks too highly of himself even though he hasn't proven himself yet.
IF 5-10 years from now he's a huge star, lets see how willing he is to autograph balls for kids before you write this off as proof of how much he cares about fans.The problem is this kid comes with a baggage.. he had a ruff minor league time with ego-related issues..
the local papers and the team themselves have said this kid's head is bigger than his stomach..
youthful whatever.. i will give that when he raised his finger like BONDS after rounding first base.. its his first HR and he has had all of 10 seconds to think.. so pointing with ur finger was ok..
but after 10 mins?? u trot down a detour and high-five a game thats not in the bank??
well.. how exactly focussed was he after the HR?? u can say he is a kid.. but this was not looked at in the minors?? good lord.. and we complain when these guys grow to showing-up monsters like David Ortiz or Manny Ramirez..There is a reason why the "unwritten rules" are unwritten. Their stupid & outdated! Milledge hits his first major leage homerun, ties the game for his team, and on his way out celebrates a bit with the fans (Not taunting the opposing team). The fans pay these guy's salaries. Baseball is entertainment, and he was entertaining, and showing that he was having a good time.
In this day & age where get get bombarded by steriod stories, some kid showing a genuine enthusiam for the game is refreshing.Watch the Joe Morgan interview on ESPN. If he doesn't care, neither do I.The guy was excited.
John Kruk needs to be quiet and call Jenny Craig.
People need to relaxThe guys you mentioned, Reggie, Manny, Harmon, are or will be HOFers This Milledge kid id good but hes got a LONG way before you can mention him in the same sentence with those other guysThe young man is living every kids dream and enjoying it, in turn it gives the fans someone to enjoy themselves as he includes them in his excitement. I've been to plenty of games, sitting close to dugouts, and Fernando Vina is the only other player that has even acknowledged fans as fans and people.
If more players did this, baseball WOULD be America's #1 sport again. Imagine having a Pujols, A-rod, Jeter, Manny, Clemens, etc. to slap five with. All games would be sold-out with a chance to feel like more a part of the game or actually interact with what many people, children and adults, see as hero's! I'm proud of the kid, baseball needs guys like him.Isn't Steve Phillips on Baseball Tonight? Then how can you take anything they say on that show seriously?Last summer I attended a Camden(NJ) Riversharks game. We cheered for the home team. One of the guys hits a home run. He comes around and doesn't even look up to acknowledge the people cheering for him. I said it was the last time we'll go see those no-name players. Good for Millidge, baseball should learn the fans want exuberence not arrogance, hustle not steroids.It bothered me that some Mets teammates said later that they would talk to him, show him how to act like a big-leaguer, but when the crowd was going nuts for a curtain call not one player had the sense to let him know. I was watching the game, no one came over and said anything to him. Where was the guidance then?Steve Phillips was patting himself on the back this morning because he signed Millidge can you believe that??? This is the same guy who traded Isringhausan for Billy Taylor (who???), signed Mo Vaughn when he hadn't played in two years and never even made A-Rod an offer. Who is this guy kidding?Be careful what you wish for. I remember a young Ken Griffey Jr., smile beaming, as he ran in from the outfield after making that highlight reel catch on Jesse Barfield. He got so hurt by the criticism, I don't think I've seen him smile since, except for the end of the '95 Yankees series.Now let me get this straight...
We're complaining about a rookie outfielder giving high 5's to fans after he hit his first homerun, tying a game? We could be complaining about Barry Bond becoming the incredible Hulk on steroids, fights between a baserunner and catcher blocking the plate, the KC Royals and Florida Marlins stinking up the game with their "paid" amateurs, plus a potential baseball strike if the next collective bargaining agreement is not agreed upon?
Give me a break. Besides, it will be more interesting when he plays against SF next. He might start by lying on the ground before the the first pitch because that is where he will be at if hot heads prevail! Hope he has some life insurance.It just seemt to me that some players are persecuted and some are embraced. Either stop all hot-dogging altogether, or just let it be, with limits of course. If it doesnt interfere with the pace of the game, I suppose we just have to adapt. Todays game has performance-enhancing drugs, off-the-field drama, contract disputes, showboating, and misloyalty, and we just have to take it with a grain of salt and watch the game.You want class, look across town. Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, these guys are making big time plays right now for the biggest team in sports, and they smile, and they look like they're having fun. And they're all about business on the field.
Willie talked to Lastings because Willie knows what champions are like. They're not robots. Jeter talks to fans on the on-deck circle all the time. But they go about their job and win. Words you hear about Milledge: ego and immature.
Words you hear about Cano: professional.
But watch Robinson play a game, easy to see he's having fun.
That's why I love the Yankees.You shouldn't be too surprised that people do not know the meaning of "apocryphal" (just read the guy who was eplaining what Babe Ruth really was doing). This seems especially true when people can't spell "loser". So, you might consider using only single syllable words from here on out. :pI am only 25 but i have an old spirit I guess. the is celebration and than just plain ignorance. i don't care if you grandma was in the stands you don't run over to the stands. if the crowd wants to celebrate with you come out of the dug out tip your cap and get back into the game. People are to willing to accept these attitudes as part of them game.It doesn't bother me that his teammates would "talk to him later." You have to say that. They probably said "Big hit, kid, keep it up, just don't wind up on someone's bulletin board." That's what good teams do, and I'll put up with a little high-five hijinks after suffering through the Dallas Green Mets (Saberhagen, Murray, Bonilla, Kent - all surly, joyless, and overpaid).
As long as he doesn't stick it all up his nose like Straw, it's all good.Maybe it's the Green Bay Packer fan in me, but I don't see what the big deal is. I agree that it is wrong to show up an opponent, but between this and Larry Bowa getting offended at Corey Patterson for stealing with only a five run lead, things are getting a bit ridiculous here. Fans really don't care about "unwritten rules" , and people in baseball need to see how silly they look by bringing it up constantly.San Francisco players who get all bent out of shape because of Milledge's antics need to take a look in the mirror. They're harboring one of the biggest showboats in baseball, not to mention a cheater (Barroid Bonds). Steve Kline reacting to what the kid did is a joke... the dude overreacts to everything and is a headcase. The kid was just enthusiastic... I think it's good for the game, considering all the negative talk that has surrounded it due to steroids.We're having this converation because the Mets lost. Mets win, even if it was later, no discussion. Therefore it can't be that bad.It's funny how only the Yankee fans seem to take umbrage with what Milledge did. This "unprofessionalism" will actually bring more fans to the game unlike the the stuffy boring nature of the Yankees. Hell, Johnny Damon is one of the more boring players in the game now that Yankees have stripped him of his love for the game. C'mon Yankee fans, let the players bring some life into the game and actually make baseball fun to watch again."the only sport that doesnt have this crasp? hockey."
Um, that's because no one watches hockey...I find it ironic that the San Fransisco Players were angrier about him doing that than they were about Barry Bonds cheating. Pathetic.Babe did not call that shot.It’s funny that we complain about an athlete being to stuck up if he won’t sign autographs or give a head nod to the fans cheering him on the way to the field, yet an excited kid high fives some fans and he has the biggest ego this side the SF Giants LF. How dare this kid go over and acknowledge those fans and how dare those fans show him love for it. We forget sometimes because we love baseball so much that it’s a game. It should be as fun for the guys getting paid as it should for our little leaguers, which by the way let us not forget that Lastings is not to far removed from little league himself. He did not show anyone up by involving the fans, if he had watched his homerun from the batters box or crawled around the bases, I would have been upset but not this. As far as the folks on baseball tonight, if Kruk did his turning his helmet around and batting right handed against the big unit in today’s all-star game we’d have people rioting about maybe costing their team home field. Let’s not forget Steve Phillips, I think he has some history with the Mets, one that no Mets fan will or every should forget…. Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano. After a deal like that the guy should be glad he’s working at all.Hey the mets lost the game - maybe he should have went and high fived the giants after they won the game to.
Whatever happened to pitches brushing back these punks? Manny would spend less time being manny showboating at the plate if a pitcher threw a 95 mph fastball at his large mellon head."You shouldn't be too surprised that people do not know the meaning of "apocryphal" (just read the guy who was eplaining what Babe Ruth really was doing). This seems especially true when people can't spell "loser"."
Or spell "explaining" as well...How about focusing on the game? I don't doubt it was due to the excitement of hitting your 1st home run in a big spot but the game was only tied and potentially there could be a lot of innings left to play. Celebrate when you win, anything before that makes me question where his head is before the final out.There was nothing spontaneous or innocent about his antics. His arrogance and lack of respect are so very apparent. Never show up your team,the opposition,or the game. Remember Don Mattingly going for a pop-up down 1st base line that wound up in the crowd? When he got to the stands he reached into a little kids popcorn tub and had a snack on the way bk. to 1st base. A memory to last that kids lifetime. You think Milledge went to the fans for their benefit or theirs? Exposure & $$$ is what he is after. See his BIG picture in the BIG APPLE?With that simple act of enthusiasm, Milledge endeared himself to millions of Met fans. The kid may not know it, but that was a brilliant move, despite what the media or his teammates say.Someone said that "unprofessional conduct will bring fans back to the game"? And that the stuffy, boring Yankees don't breathe any life into baseball?
Do people think about what they write? Who has the largest home attendance in baseball? Who continually sells out parks on the road? I believe it is those same "stuffy" Yankees who make baseball so boring and unwatchable.
Man, I hate being a fan of a team that spends all of the money I spend back into the system. And I certainly hate this boring team, that keeps winning, and somehow produces young stars who come out of the minors, ego in check.
People, think before you write this stuff, because you sound ridiculous.Didn't anyone notice that Yankillaz can't spell loser. Leave the kid alone unless you want your ignorance and excitement called out too.
Mostly harmless.I'm far less bothered by what Milledge did than that Juan Pierre stole a base with a seven-run lead. In the olden days that would have gotten him a fastball in the ear the next time up.I am amazed to see how many psychics we have commenting on his actions. Every person who is attacking him seems to be stating that they know exactly what was going on in his mind at the time. As far as the Yankee bashing, I’m a die hard Mets fan and for that reason I’m not supposed to like the Yankees, but I’ll tell you this… I’d rather have 1 Yankees team than 10 Royals or Marlins. You and I can wish the Yankees to lose every game, but I’ll at least be honest and say I do respect them.The ultimate "hog dog" has written a book about his and others steroid use.
His name was Jose Canseco.Pass the mustard--five cases for that hotdog.You know, if the Mets had done the right thing and sent Milledge to Oaktown for Zito none of this would be an issue.For all of this supposed hotdogging in baseball, it is by far the least of the three major sports. Limiting touchdown celebrations or hanging on the rim after a dunk have become part of the rules of their sports.Milledge was just having fun. Watching him reminds me of Ernie Banks -- not in talent, since that's not determined, but in the way he clearly loves playing baseball. It's been a long time since I've seen a player who seems to have so much joy with playing the game.
And that's good for baseball.Milledge was doing something not seen before in many awhile at a baseball field. For all of the incidents between Gary Sheffield and Frank Francisco getting into a fracas with other fans, it was quite refreshing seeing a young kid who hit his FIRST HR acknowledging the fans in harmless spirit. As a Met fan who has seen her full share of players who has seen many playyers isolate themselves from us fans, I'd take what Milledge did in spirit. Great way to ignore a loss. Maybe Yankee players shoud've done that during their last few games.Recent Posts
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