Aroldis Champman's Somersault Celebration, Fun or Bush League?

[A_Pharis]

I think bush league applies more to stuff that actually affects the game - like yelling in a fielder's ear or slapping gloves to knock a ball out. I'm all for celebration and intimidation, though, unless the guy hasn't really been proven.

 

[sheetskout]

"Reds Tell Chapman To Stop Rolling"
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...cincinnati-reds-aroldis-chapman.ap/index.html

 

[Wes]

i see nothing wrong with it. If you think that's bush league, you better say Brian Wilson's thing after a save is bush league, also.

I just see it as potentially his new save trademark. I bet the Reds have told him to knock it off so he doesn't DL himself one day getting hurt somersaulting.

Pointing to his father in heaven is really bush league?

 

[Pine Tar]

Crusty thought it was bush league I guess
http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=22620985&topic_id=8877986&c_id=cin

"Reds Tell Chapman To Stop Rolling"
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...cincinnati-reds-aroldis-chapman.ap/index.html

I told you in my post above "CRUSTY" does not like this Shat.............His job is on the line...so when the Reds tank later this season.......so he is going to quash them from having fun along the way now........

 

[hive17]

Brewers didn't say anything about it; I doubt (I hope anyway) they retaliate tonight. I don't care. The game is over. And the Reds vets taking him aside is refreshing, but it doesn't change anything for me. The professionals were professional all around, and that's good to see. The blogosphere is the only place this discussion is happening.

If, and BIG IF, I were to have a problem with celebrations, I guess i would have more of a problem with individual celebrations, versus whole team memes. Mobbing at homeplate, the shirt untuck, or even Prince's "splash down" are less offensive to me than Braun's bat-flip or exuberant fist-pumps by closers.

 

[nborton]

I doubt he would have done it if he didn't have struggles here recently. I think it was a release of tension, and pressure he felt from sucking so bad.

 

[A_Pharis]

Yea, the poor guy probably did it without even thinking. He was just so damn relieved to not get smashed, again.

 

[markakis8]

If that's taunting there isn't any celebration you can get away with. Nothing could be more innocent or silly.

Agreed. I took it as this: He blew like what...3 saves recently? It was more of a "sigh of relief" and spurt of the moment. It was more of a celebration for himself and his team and in no way do I think he was showing up the other team.

Could he have been more professional about it? Sure. But we forget sometimes that these guys still have hearts of a kid too. They've been playing the game since they were kids.

EDIT: I see I was just reiterating what others had already stated.

 

[dp33]

He didn't need to do a tuck-and-roll to show us up. He did a good enough job showing us up with 98 mph fastballs at our back foot that we flailed at pathetically.

 

[Brewer Andy]

A couple thoughts:
a) a fist pump seems to me to simply be an outward display of "YES!", which just sort of happens in the excitment of the moment. I don't really consider a fist pump to be "showing someone up". In fact, if you fist pump after getting a guy out it probably means you respected the hitter enough to take it pretty damn serisouly. Bat flips and Chapman's sommersaults are probably pretty similar. I don't think hitters, or Chapman, in this case really think about it in the moment although the rolls were pretty lametastic. Blowing kisses to the pitcher however is probably thought out.
b) Ozzie Smith sommersaulted while taking the field on opening day or in the playoffs/all-star games didn't he? I think showing some excitment for getting a big game started is just fine and didn't even occur after the first pitch was thrown. Ozzie never did sommersaults while rounding 3rd after one of his few homeruns. Did Ozzie flip during regular, midseason games, I wouldn't know TV was limited back then?
c) Prince's bowling ball routine had to be discussed and planned ahead of time, making it pretty sopXXXXric and sad to begin with. (edit-I can't say s0ph0m0ric?)

Basically I'm ok with bat flips and fist pumps assuming they don't occur when you're down by 6 runs (or trailing at all) or your power rating is equivelent to Jim Gantner. Forward rolls are not the next big thing but I doubt any disrespect was intended

 

[Bill Bray Collector]

I'm much more worried about the fact that in his last few outings (in which he got hit pretty hard/had zero command) Chapman has been hovering around 96-97 with the fastball and refusing to throw the slider/changeup. There were also quite a few rumors of a "tight back" causing these issues, so if that's the case I hope maybe the somersaults got the kinks out of his back...

 

[packbusta]

It's funny that this wasn't even the first "unnecessary" somersault between these two teams.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14160903&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_14160903&v=3

 

[rsmath]

Pointing to his father in heaven is really bush league?

I had a "IF" in my earlier post statement. I was addressing to those that think that Chapman's roll was bush league, then you have to think Brian Wilson's save celebration is bush league and you'd have to think some of the other things closers do to celebrate a save would be bush league, too. (either group all of the closer celebrations together was bush league or group them all as not bush league but rather done as a celebration).

I don't think Chapman's act was bush league, thus I don't think Brian Wilson's act is bush league, either.

 

[Wes]

I had a "IF" in my earlier post statement. I was addressing to those that think that Chapman's roll was bush league, then you have to think Brian Wilson's save celebration is bush league and you'd have to think some of the other things closers do to celebrate a save would be bush league, too. (either group all of the closer celebrations together was bush league or group them all as not bush league but rather done as a celebration).

I don't think Chapman's act was bush league, thus I don't think Brian Wilson's act is bush league, either.

I got that it was a conditional, it's just a bad comparison. Either way, we agree on the Chapman thing.

 

[BBCgalaxee]

Ladies & gents, I present to u one of the sp cards to be found in topps highlights.

The "keep rollin rollin" chapman card!

 

[vwnut13]

Nick Swisher smiles and Met's fans call for his head.