Culture Clash

Cubs’ catcher Willson Contreras was named National League Player of the Week after going 10 for 22 with 5 homeruns and 13 RBIs.  When Contreras isn’t stopping to watch what he hits, he’s shouting about it.

Oh-oh, this must make me old school, or worse.  OK, I’ll cop to the first but not the second, and here’s why.  White Sox players have never been known for bat flipping and other such nonsense.  Tell you what.  Consider ex-Sox greats Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko and Frank Thomas.  Those three accounted for 1285 home runs between them, vs. 33 so far for Contreras.  I dare anyone to point out a time that one of those three stood in the box to watch the ball clear the fence or flipped his bat to start his run around the bases.

Better yet, someone have Contreras go to YouTube and watch Konerko’s performance on September 16, 2010.  The Twins’ Carl Pavano hit Konerko in the face the bottom of the first inning.  Konerko refused to come out of the game.  Instead, he had trainer Herm Schneider stuff his nostrils to prevent bleeding. Next time up, Konerko homered.  There was no grandstanding or bat flipping, just sweet revenge.  I’d be willing to bet both Dye and Thomas would’ve done the exact same thing had it happened to either one of them.

This is how they play the game on the South Side, regardless of color, or used to in the years before the great rebuild.