Sunday, May 11, 2008

Gossage Tells Joba to Act Like a Yankee

In my post about Cashman and Girardi defending Joba’s fist pump yesterday I ended it by writing, “OK, I'm down talking about this fist pump nonsense. . . Well, at least until the next idiot complains about it.”

Well, we’ve found our next idiot; former Yankees and soon to be Hall Of Famer Goose Gossage.

From Bob Klapisch:
"I'm on Dellucci's side. That's just not the Yankee way, what Joba did. Let everyone else do that stuff, but not a Yankee," Gossage said by telephone on Saturday. "What I don't understand is, the kid's got the greatest mentor in the world in Mariano [Rivera]. He's one of the leaders of the team, so you'd think it wouldn't happen on that team.

"But there's no one to pass the torch anymore, no one to teach the young kids how to act. The Mets did a lot of that [celebrating] last year, and look how it came back to haunt them."
Did he happen to notice that Jose Reyes hasn't been the same player since Randolph told him to stop celebrating so much? Sometimes players need to be themselves, Joba is one of those players. He's 22 and he's got a bold personality, that's the type of person he is, don't change him.
"Today's players, everyone tiptoes around each other, afraid to say what they really think. I'm sure some of the [Yankees] thought Joba was wrong to do what he did, but they're afraid to say so."

"I'm trying to think of what would've happened if I did what Joba did, especially if I was a rookie," he said. "The veterans would've sat me down so fast, it would've never happened a second time. Truthfully, there would've never been a first time."
Yes, Gossage may be right; had he done this back when he was a rookie the veterans on the team probably would have sat him down and told him not to do it, but this isn't 1972, it's 2008, and this is how the league is today. Players show a lot more emotion on the field than they did years ago, get over it and let's move on.

Klapisch himself wrote something that bothered me as well:
Chamberlain has a chance to be an elite-caliber pitcher for years to come, but if there's anything that might hold him back, it's his immaturity and stubbornness.

Perhaps the kid will outgrow the antics. Maybe he'll learn the hard way. Gossage said, "The last thing you want to do is stir up the other team. You do that enough times, it'll come back to you. Eventually everyone gets humbled, believe me."
How have fist pumps hurt K-Rod, or Jonathan Papelbon, or Dennis Eckersley, or any of the other countless players who showed emotion on the mound and were very successful?

Fist pumps are not going to suddenly make you a worse pitcher. If Joba continues to throw 98 MPH heaters with that filthy slider, dropping in the occasional curve, he could do cartwheels on the mound and hitters would still have trouble hitting him.

Another former Yankee who doesn’t like the way some current Yankees act is Roy White, he has a problem with the way Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano celebrate after a HR or a win.
"I saw that 360-thing he did with [Robinson] Cano at the end of one of the games and I was shocked. I was like, 'Are you kidding me?' " White said by telephone. "I'm sorry, that's just too much. I'm guess I'm old school, but there's a professional way to play baseball, there's a Yankee tradition, back to [Joe] DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

"You hit a home run, act like you've hit one before, not like it's the first time in your life."
I can understand where White and Gossage are coming from, but they need to understand that this isn't the 70's, and this is how the game is today, so once again, get over it and move on.

13 Comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think you can simply write it off by saying "Get over it". There's an issue these old-school guys are bringing up here. The Yankees ARE different.

And I have to agree: the way Melky and Cano carry on at times is pure bush league. Celebrate afterwards in the clubhouse.

Anonymous said...

Sorry. I agree with Gossage and White. I hate show-boating. I hate watching it when other teams do it. I certainly hate it more when my team does it.
Grow up and have some dignity and self control.

Unknown said...

Dignity? Self-Control? Relax.

Get to know a few Dominicans first and tell me Melky n Cano are anything out of the ordinary...

Matter of fact, look at a majority of the Dominicans in baseball and tell me they act anything out of the ordinary...

Given to Fly Photography said...

Well also in the 70's if you stood admiring one of you homeruns you got plunked the next time up. But you see guys admiring homeruns and sometimes not a homerun all the time these days.

Unknown said...

Good point Bill...

And with Bob Watson handing out Detention slips like they were bourbon chicken samples at Costco, pitchers are reluctant to make hitters pay.. Manny especially wouldve recieved the Kirby Puckett treatment by now.

Greg Cohen said...

Anonymous 1,

Please tell me how the Yankees are different? Is it because Gossage and other Yankees like to say they are, or is there actually something tangible? Because besides that silly rule about hair length, I really don't think there is.

We sit here and pretend that the Yankees are this organization, better and classier than all others, when it simply is not true. At least the classy part.

The Yankees tradition is only about one thing and it's not class, it's about winning.

Anonymous 2,

I really don't think this has to do with dignity or self control, it's about kids having fun playing baseball. Remember, none of these players we're talking about are older than 25.

And this is how the game is today, you cannot expect the Yankees to be the only team that doesn't enjoy themselves.

Anonymous said...

"We sit here and pretend that the Yankees are this organization, better and classier than all others, when it simply is not true. At least the classy part."

Huh???

Anonymous said...

When you win the world series, don't hug each other on the field. When you win the division... walk slowly to the clubhouse, acting like you didn't win, then celebrate. What the hell is this "Yankee way" people keep bring up? Derek Jeter, a classy guy, pumps his fists when he wins. He's not trying to show anyone up, just expressing his emotions. The Yankees are not robots, everyone is different, and I don't think Goose should come out and call Joba Chamberlain immature. It's like someone coming out and saying what Ivan Rodriguez does before every at bat is immature. He should not do the cross thing because it disrespects people who do not believe in Jesus, or shows up the pitcher because it might means that God is not on his side. It's just ridiculous.

Unknown said...

Alright...

Can SOMEone pick a nickname on here? all these anonymous' (or is it anonymi?) are confusing the hell outta me.

Anonymous said...

Since when is a someone in their 20s considered a "kid"?
And what does a players' race have to do with whether a celebratory display is acceptable or not. I hate this kind of behavior from anyone. Race isn't an excuse for this kind of thing.
One of the things I enjoy about baseball is its traditions. Show-boating has always been frowned upon. If I want show-boating I'd watch WWE.
Oh and I'm not saying don't ever celebrate. But Dellucci was right in his assesment of Joba. It's May, not October.

Greg Cohen said...

'We sit here and pretend that the Yankees are this organization, better and classier than all others, when it simply is not true. At least the classy part.'

"Huh???"

The idea that the Yankees are a classier organization than any other team is a myth. It's not true.

Greg Cohen said...

"I hate this kind of behavior from anyone."

Really, you "hate" this kind of behavior? Come on man, you gotta relax a bit.

"One of the things I enjoy about baseball is its traditions. Show-boating has always been frowned upon. If I want show-boating I'd watch WWE.
Oh and I'm not saying don't ever celebrate."

What about Babe Ruth running around the bases tipping his cap after HR, was that show-boating? He would also taunt other teams occasionally as he rounded the bases, especially teams that would call him names from the opposing dugout.

Unknown said...

I didnt say his race had anything to do with it, I did not say Hispanic, I said Dominican, his nationality.

And I have a right to do so. I'm half Puerto Rican, half Dominican, I've lived in Brooklyn, I've lived in Washington Heights, I know 23 year old Dominicans who play baseball, and ones that dont.

We celebrate, we goof, we know that when we play games, we like to have fun. These guys are having the time of their lives. If you knew anyone who grew up the way these guys did, you would know why they love doing these ritualistic hand-shakes and dances and leaps and chest bumps etc etc...

And you especially would not have so much to gripe about.

You. Need. To. Relax.