Braun-cocky or confident?

[jason21nl]

I tried to find a Braun thread but couldn't so I hope It's ok to start this.

 

I noticed and I'm sure everyone else did on Brauns last two HRs he posed for them a bit. The other night he posed a little longer than tonight, however tonight he did a little bat flip thing. I see a little bit of both in him. He is cocky, but its a confident cockyness. if that makes any sense. I like it from him. He is not affraid one bit out there, he knows he belongs up here and he is producing. I also think that this team needs a little bit of it. not that its going to make them play harder, or better I just think its going to give this team a different look.

 

 

kruk just mentioned on BBTN that he hopes Jenkins sits Braun down and talks to him about the bat toss. That its only his 3rd HR and he shouldn't do it.

[logan82]

I don't like players watching their homers much. I think othe players should act like Prince does when he hits one. He pauses a little bit, but not enough to show up the pitcher. Watching your homers or flipping your bat is a good way to get the next guy in the lineup plunked.

[brettac1]

It's the confidence you develop from working out with guys like A-Rod since you were 19. He's in the bigs and he knows he belongs, which I think is great. Fielder pretty much was the same way - some guys are just born to hit a baseball, and they know it.

 

I am not at all a believer in the "unwritten rules" that a rookie needs to keep his mouth shut, etc. If you're good, you're good, and he is definitely good.

[Crazyk1294]

Watching your homers or flipping your bat is a good way to get the next guy in the lineup plunked.

 

New rule. If you hit a homerun and Cousell is on deck, flip the bat and watch the ball a it's a blonde with monster bombs.

[BraunsBoyfriend]

Definitely a little of both and it's great.

 

When you beat the hell out of a couple balls like that, you have the right to maybe take a pose and admire your work. He's young and new but it's clear he's an MLB player and he knows it.

 

Personally, I love it. You need to go in with respect for those that are there and to also make sure they know you belong. The way he's playing, it's without a doubt.

 

So yes, he's a little of both and it's OK. It's not like he's not doing it and then acting like a jerk after finally getting a hit. He's killing guys all the time since he's been up here.

[endaround]

When the next hitter in the lineup if Fielder, I'm not sure you really have to worry about pitchers hitting him.

[GAME05]

I haven't viewed a Braun AB yet, so is Braun's pose comparable to Sosa's HR hop and then that stupid hand thing he did in the dugout? Did you have a problem when Sosa did that? (not trying to hijack the thread, just trying out a comparison)

[SeriesFinale]

I noticed the earlier pose and thought it might've slipped just over that misty line from confidence to cockiness and I didn't like it.

 

I love the confidence though.

[Crazyk1294]

Did you have a problem when Sosa did that?

 

I thought Sammy's whole act was pretty cheesy. Until Sammy's no habla engles?

[Ayt]

Quote:

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I haven't viewed a Braun AB yet, so is Braun's pose comparable to Sosa's HR hop and then that stupid hand thing he did in the dugout?

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You can watch the 2 run bomb here and the one last night on the brewers.com homepage.

 

milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com..._id=460075

 

He really destroyed both of those pitches.

[SeriesFinale]

His homer tonight is on the front page of the Brewers' site right now. I gotta say, I didn't see much of a melodramatic flip there.

 

HR#2 definitely had a bit of a pose though

[BraunsBoyfriend]

I don't know how many of you played baseball at any level before or how many of you actually hit a homerun. But when you hit one hard, and it feels so good on the bat and you know it's gone, there really isn't much else to do but admire it, flip your bat to the side and take a trot around the bases.

 

I really fail to see what he's doing so wrong. These aren't HR's that just make it over. He's hitting the hitters black and the second deck of the bleachers. What I'm saying is he's crushing them...big time.

[trwi7]

I love it. When I play baseball with friends or in a softball game or something and if I get a hold of one I watch it, not long enough to show up a pitcher but I look to see the pitchers reaction, the outfielders reaction etc.

[trwi7]

Quote:

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I don't know how many of you played baseball at any level before or how many of you actually hit a homerun. But when you hit one hard, and it feels so good on the bat and you know it's gone, there really isn't much else to do but admire it, flip your bat to the side and take a trot around the bases.

 

I really fail to see what he's doing so wrong. These aren't HR's that just make it over. He's hitting the hitters black and the second deck of the bleachers. What I'm saying is he's crushing them...big time.

---

 

Yes exactly right. When you hit the two that Braun hit (the "no doubters") I have absolutely no problem with anybody watching it. Soriano did the same thing yesterday when he hit the homerun, he watched it and flipped his bat.

[SeriesFinale]

I hit a home run only once, in Babe Ruth ball as a teen, and remembering my coach firmly and repeatedly telling us not to showboat, I took my quick trot with my head down and got off the field.

 

Watch HR #2 again...he's just on the wrong side of showboating.

 

I don't have much issue with what he did tonight, although maybe I just got the wrong angle.

[BraunsBoyfriend]

SeriesFinale, I was at the game he hit his second one and was in the upper deck and watching the ball so I didn't see him. My friend watching on TV mentioned he was surprised he didn't get beaned after that one. He did on the first pitch the next day, however. So I assume he was a jerk about it.

 

But if they want to keep putting him on base after crushing a hit, so be it.

 

This is the big leagues. At this point it's fine to slap a dog across the face when you bet him. It's not like he's hitting these off of all time greats. When you crush a guy, if you want to take a bow and trot around for the homer crowd, go for it.

 

When I hit HR's and I knew they were gone (especially with parents heckling, etc at that level) I made sure that trot to first base was nice and slow with plenty of admiration. But after that it was always a nice trot around with my head down usually. Although, if the other team dugout was on third base, it was fun to glare into there on the way to third.

[SeriesFinale]

Well, no personal offense here, but let me just say I'm glad the Brewers don't play like that.

 

When Prince got all worked up a couple weeks back against the Pirates and started taunting, I thought it was forgivable because they nearly took his head off the night before. Otherwise it's classless and unnecessary. One thing that's always stuck in my craw was the way Andujar "gunned down" Gantner during Game 7 of the '82 World Series, and doing things like glaring into the other team's dugout and slow trots, while not as overt as that, just strike me as bush league and obnoxious.

 

To change the subject:

 

At this point it's fine to slap a dog across the face when you bet him.

 

I've never heard this phrase before.

[Fike85]

Bat-flips and extended poses really don't bother me because hitting a no-doubt home run is an extraordinary accomplishment, and it's really the only time in baseball that you will ever seen any showboating.

 

Football is another matter. I get somewhat irked when players feel the need to celebrate even the most pedestrian of accomplishments.

[logan82]

The only time I really don't mind flipping the bat or showboating a little is if it is a walkoff. If you hit a homer earlier in the game to me it is like football players making a big deal about getting a first down in the first quarter.

[steve267268]

Homerun trots and bat flips are every hitters right. With that said, a young player like Braun has to be prepared to face the music if he starts getting dominated by big league pitching. He'll look awful foolish then. But there is a difference between what Braun did and what the Cubs did the first time they played us this year. At least i think it was the first game, the one where they hammered Sheets. Every single one of them acted like little leaguers who had never won a game their first three years of playing baseball and they finally got one. And this was in the dugout after the excitement of the moment was over. There's nothing wrong with getting excited over a real good hit or a real good pitch. But when the play is over it's over.

[saget]

I like how he plays. The only way I'd have a problem with it is if he went Man-Ram or Bonds and stared at it and walked to first base for like 10 seconds seemingly and then trotted.

 

That's a bit over the line.

[Diskono]

I don't understand what the big deal is. Flipping a bat or watching a home run seem like odd, arbitrary things to get upset about. Who decided that these things were considered to be "showboating" in the first place? If he were jumping up and down, pumping his fists, and making faces at the pitcher, then yeah, I could understand people having a problem with that. But freaking out about how he sets his bat down? Who cares?

[Tbadder]

Preception is important, and if a "Rook" is going to break the unwritten rules of baseball, then he's going to get the slap down eventually or alienate others. In addition, athletes get inspired by preceived "snubs" or "showing up" or whatever you want to call it. I don't want to give the opposition fodder for the next time their in town. Plus, in this world, who needs it? Personally, I'm sick of sports figures drawing attention to themselves whether it be in the end zone or at the plate. I think Braun should can the subtle antics lest they eventually develop further and cause him real problems. I hate to admit it but Kruk's right about this one.

[aracko]

Kruk is just jealous cause Braun is going to hit more HR than he did in his career in year 2. Its a game guys - let the kid have fun. He is an entertainer. Who cares if he is showboating. So do alot of greats. Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Big Mac, Canseco, Pete Rose. Vince Coleman, Ozzie Smith. Babe Ruth. The Say Hey Kid.

 

The list goes forever.

 

Let him play.

[1992casey]

Good topic.

 

I remember a few posts before the season suggesting that Ryan may be a bit cocky. After watching him interview last week, I thought, "Geez, this guy is confident." (His "you know" rate is much lower than average.)

 

There's probably a fine line, but I lean toward confident rather than cocky. In the interview, his voice and demeanor exuded confidence, but his words were humble enough.

 

As far as watching home runs, if someone's new at this, who the heck wouldn't be tempted to view his accomplishment? The same thing happened with Prince a couple years ago. Let Ryan adjust to the excitement before citing this as a problem.