There has been a ton of talk about Jose Bautista’s bat flip this past week.
I’ve been involved with baseball as a player, writer and umpire for more than 50 years. I didn’t have an issue with it. It came at a big moment, and his homer was a monster shot.
Now if he was trash talking while he rounded the bases I would have had a problem with that, and it didn’t look like he did that. He admired his mammoth homer, yes.
Could there be retribution down the line? Probably. The pitcher who allowed the homer mouthed off. All I can say to him is keep your mouth shut and make better pitches. Bautista didn’t point his finger at the pitcher.
My issue with baseball is it’s operating under some old unwritten rules. The guys playing the game now, whether they’re in the minors or majors, weren’t even a thought by their parents when these unwritten rules were put in place.
Maybe baseball traditionalists need to change; be more receptive to celebrations. I draw the line at pointing fingers and mouthing off, however. If Bautista had hit a HR and he starts mouthing off or pointing a finger, then he’d hit the deck next time up. Other than that, let him have his 15 seconds in the sun.
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And, while we’re on the subject of baseball, I agree with the Chase Utley suspension. If you’re going to protect the catchers, you have to protect the infielders, too. Teams are paying these guys way too much money to have them missing a year like Buster Posey did, or like the Mets’ Ruben Tejada, who suffered a broken leg when Utley took him out at second base. I’m not sure how long it will be before Tejada will be 100 percent. Broken bones can be tricky in terms of healing.
On the replays I saw, it looked like Utley was past the bag when he reached back to touch it. It was like it was an afterthought. I have no trouble with a hard slide into the bag. I’d love to see MLB adopt the college rule where there can’t be any contact past the bag or it’s an automatic double play. If MLB is going to continue to let baserunners go after middle infielders like Utley did, then you have to give the defense the neighborhood play where you don’t make the second baseman and shortstop always touch second base.
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Carson High won’t host state soccer this year. I’m not sure whether this was an NIAA decision or a Carson High decision. The state tournament will now be held at North Valleys.
Are you kidding me? It’s a grass field, and it’s a slow field.
That’s two strikes right there. Crummy weather could make the games a nightmare. Heck, Carson’s grass field is better than North Valleys. Two years ago, state soccer was played at Dayton, Fernley and Carson because all three had turf fields and could handle inclimate weather. That thought process shouldn’t have changed.
The NIAA is saying the site change came because it’s possible Carson High could be hosting a regional football game that night, and that it would put a tremendous strain on CHS personnel who would run the event. Two years ago, football coach Blair Roman offered a later starting time on Friday or moving his football game to Saturday night. Not sure why that wasn’t considered.
It’s a shame because both the Carson boys and girls have a legitimate shot to make state this year. Both teams currently sit in second place entering the final two weeks of the season.
It would have been nice to have a little homefield advantage. Soccer teams don’t travel well, so I wouldn’t expect big crowds, especially on Friday.
Other artificial surface fields (Douglas and Manogue) aren’t suitable because they aren’t wide enough. Damonte Ranch opted not to bid on state or regional soccer.
Carson High, however, will host the regional finals on Nov. 7. North Valleys will be the regional semifinal site on Nov. 5-6.
