The Great Home Run Celebration Debate

Okay so by now we have all seen the Milwaukee Brewers team celebration following the walk-off home run victory September 6th at Miller Park against the San Francisco Giants.  If you haven’t, you can see it from the stands here http://deadspin.com/5354587/baseball-pretends-to-be-appalled-by-prince-fielders-home-run-celebration or just go to the Brewers’ website for the actual video during the game broadcast.

To sum it up: Prince Fielder hits a walk-off home run in the 12th inning, rounds the bases (with his jersey untucked already of course), and instead of being mobbed by his teammates; he does an exaggerated jump and double stomp on home plate while his teammates fall backwards to the ground in a choreographed “bowling pins” type-move.

I have to admit that I was working when this all went down, and me and my co-workers laughed uproariously.  How could you not smile at the replays with veterans like Counsell, Kendall, Cattalanatto joining the young guys in looking so ridiculous? I spent a good chunk of the night trying to figure out how to adequately portray what I just saw to the viewers at home.  The team had fun with the celebration, so I had some fun with describing it in the highlights.

But you had to know there would be a backlash.  The Giants certainly didn’t like it.  The Brewers have already drawn the ire of the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals for their “untucked celebration” after victories.  Baseball purists have long scoffed at the likes of Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa staring down home runs or celebration antics.  But these days what player hits a home run, circles the bases quickly, and heads to the dugout to receive high-fives?  I would say those guys are in the minority.  Whether it’s pointing to the sky and pounding your chest after touching home (Pujols), or walking half-way to first when you go deep (Griffey Jr.) the best in the game have set the stage for the new generation to add flare to their personal accomplishments.

But this is where this case is different.  This was choreographed, like it or not, but involved the entire team.  This is not Terrell Owens scoring an NFL touchdown, thanks to the help of 10 other guys, then going off BY HIMSELF to perform his celebration.  I bet everyone that continues to sell out Miller Park despite the team having no playoff chance appreciates a team playing with some passion and having fun.  I bet that same atmosphere doesn’t exist in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, or Baltimore.  The Brewers gave the fans a lasting memory that will have them back buying tickets again and again.

I know the naysayers will argue that celebrations like this cheapen the game, and should not happen because it shows up the other team.  Well I don’t think this is something that will continue to happen, and if it does I will not like it.  I think it was a chance to have some fun for a team that has been on the losing side of a lot of scoreboards this season.  Plus, don’t underestimate how much “being a team” matters to an organization, and I think something like this every once in awhile can bring the guys closer together.

I have been a huge fan of baseball my entire life.  I understand the unwritten rules of respecting the game and the other team.  I don’t want to see excessive celebrations catch on.  Honestly, I don’t know what my reaction would have been to another team doing the same exact thing against the Brewers (the team I have grown up watching and rooting for).  But what I do know is for this one isolated, choreographed, exciting and funny moment I was okay with what happened.

And if the Giants aren’t okay with it, they can hit Fielder in the ribs with a pitch when they see them next season (not advised-ask Guerillmo Mota), not allow Prince to beat you in the first place, or simply laugh it off and focus on winning the World Series.  Because you could be there in more than a month, and the Brewers would be watching you celebrate from their living rooms.

In summation: Even the people who did not really like what they saw, agree that what they saw was funny.  Let’s just laugh and move on.  But if this sort of thing keeps happening, especially with a record well under .500, it’s the team that becomes the joke.