Old School

I know, I know.  Everything old in baseball is new again.  Once upon a time, it was called “showboating.”  Now, we have players “pimping,” as in homeruns.  Either way, I hate it, the bat flip followed by the trot, the hitter’s eyes simultaneously on the ball and himself.  My answer to this would be a fastball under the chin, every time.  Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon is a bit more diplomatic.

Earlier this week, catcher Wellington Castillo homered and went into his act.  According to teammate Javier Baez in the Tribune, Castillo wanted to tell coach (how sad, that) Manny Ramirez he “pimped out.”  In response to this little bit of theatre, Maddon said, “I would just prefer our guys act like they’ve done it before and that they’re going to do it again.”   Amen.

This is what I remember about the Yankees of Mantle and Maris, Berra and Ford—they beat you with cold precision and a minimum of emotion.  If that’s old school, count me in.  Oh, and Clare, too.