Should Millidge be criticized?

[redsfan]

I was watching PTI tonight. They said Millidge got criticized for giving fans High fives on his way out to his position on the field after he hit his home run. Now I can see if he stood at the plate and admired his hit or walked the bases slow, but what did he do that was so bad. He wasn't trying to show the pitcher up. He was celebrating with the fans at the middle of an inning. The manager was reported as saying it was a rookie mistake and it wouldn't happen again. How far is sports going to take this protecting the egos of the opponents. He had every right to celebrate. If the opposing team didn't like it they shouldn't have given the rookie a home run ball. What will be next? Will the NFL get rid of teh Lambeau leap?

[rockin500]

i think he did go a bit overboard, but he shouldnt be harshly criticized. he was just overexuberant. nothing too bad. and it didnt seem like willie was really criticizing him THAT much. just said he got overexcited and not do it again.

I think doing a curtain call would have been more than enough, but again, it wasnt the end of the world.

[Baseball Guru]

i think he did go a bit overboard, but he shouldnt be harshly criticized. he was just overexuberant. nothing too bad. and it didnt seem like willie was really criticizing him THAT much. just said he got overexcited and not do it again.

I think doing a curtain call would have been more than enough, but again, it wasnt the end of the world.

Agreed!

He definitely wasnt showing up the pitcher.. Personally I like a player that excited and into the game and the fans...

[rockin500]

Agreed!

He definitely wasnt showing up the pitcher.. Personally I like a player that excited and into the game and the fans...
joe morgan whom i rarely agree with nowadays said it was a great thing to see. and definitely not terrible for the game. He said he would just say in the clubhouse good going just dont do it too often. and basically wondered how anyone could think it was terrible for the game

[Nanner]

One of the sports announcers on a station here in New York said basically the same thing.....that's it's nice to see a player enthusiastic and reaching out and sharing it with the fans.

He also said, "What do they want, a bunch of robots?"

Most sports announcers are saying basically the same thing. Ron Darling mentioned it during the game last night and also said he didn't see anything wrong with it.

I hope Lastings knows how much the fans appreciated it! :cheer:

[Durango53]

I am one to say who cares. Like redsfan said he didnt stand at the plate, he didnt do the crap Bonds with the cartwheels twists and crap. He slapped hands with the crowd. Hell I would do that every time out to the field if I was in the big leagues.

We blast players when they dont do anything with the fans and now we are blasting a player for celebrating with the fans? He didnt do anything to the other team. He was celebrating as a fan of the game at that point.

[PopTop]

This is the media's whine du jour, that's all. They got to kick Bonds around most of the first two months. They all took their jabs at Clemens last week. And now this. Find something wrong with every little effin thing :angry:

I can understand why a manager or GM, someone like that, might tell the player not to do it again, beginning strictly from a security standpoint. I'm thinking I might have to write the kid's name in for All-Star balloting, even if he is a Met ;) NYM fans should start some movement to get him a buttload of write-in votes. And they should burn the PTI saps in effigy.

[Nanner]

I want to send him a letter. I like Willie Randolph, but I fear him turning the Mets into Yankee-esque, sterile robots. :D

As redsfans pointed out, there was no standing admiring the homerun, no pointing to the Giants' dugout. Did the Giants complain about this, or what? Or is it, indeed, the media blowing it up out of proportion?

[skineg]

I can see where Willie might ask him to not do that too much. He doesn't want his Outfielders looking like WWE wrestlers coming down to the ring. But the action was definatly overblown and if he hadn't done it after hitting a homer nobody would care. It was a slow news day for baseball, so they jumped on it. I personally don't have a problem with it and I've heard enough commentators who are not laid back say they had no problem with it, so I assume this is overblown.

PEACE
Brett

PS What I do have a problem with is Juan Encarcion acting like he invented the wheal when hi hit a homerun. He does this everytime he hits one, stands there for at least 5 seconds, I hated it when he was a Marlin and I hate it now. He's a pretty quiet and humble guy otherwise so it makes NO sense.

[Royce]

They hadn't done anything yet. They tied the game. Did they win? No. That's what matters. If they had won and he gave the fans some high-fives coming in off the field, then I guess there's no problem. I don't think it's a big deal, but that's my only problem with it.

[uj4l]

nothing wrong with it in my opinion, i was watching sc and they brought ity up, i was llike why the hell is this an issue. can he not get excited? i think its a good thing. bringing more exvitement to the fans!

[Nymet31]

Awww let the kid have some fun. no harm no foul Plus with the cost of ticket prices and everything else the fans need a little lovin!

[yagsy]

I have no problem with it now as long as his manager and some of the veterans pointed out how it could look to the other team. The Giants and Benitez, to their credit, for the most part didn't take it as showing them up which is great. Obviously the kid didn't intend to show anyone up. My first reaction was, "Holy SH!T" but after reading the comments from him, he wasn't trying to be a show-boat or hot dog.

I'm really glad that Cliffy and Willie took care of it though. :clap: