Opinions on Carlos Gomez

[QuevedosTongue]

I'm not looking for opinions on his playing ability, i'm looking for opinions on his attitude. Wall know that Carlos gets in the middle of crap, unfairly in my opinion. It happened again last night when the Yankees, while down 9-0, whined that he "showed up the pitcher" when he tossed his bat and [expletive deleted by moderator] at himself after a flyout. That lead to a small gathering on the field that didn't amount to anything. This happens with Gomez, but i'm inclined to blame the douchebaggery on others that seem to be against any display of emotion. Anone else have opinions?

[pacopete4]

I think you're going to get dinged for language but you make some good points. He plays with a different emotion than most and when it shows in a fashion such as this, players don't like it.

[tmwiese55]

I'm generally on his side. He made a mistake and was mad about. No different than a bball or football player angrily spiking or slamming the ball after a mistake. The yanks then yell at him and confront him and he's the bad guy. For the most part this is how his issues have gone, he doesn't do anything specific to anyone yet they come after him and he defends himself.

[CheezWizHed]

Linkto an article from ESPN:

 

"When [Gomez] came back, he started yelling at me," Girardi said. "I wasn't the guy who said anything. He is a kid, who plays hard, but there have been a number of clubs who have taken exception to some of the things he does on the field. It just got a little heated.

 

"I just told him, 'Play the game the right way.' They are kicking our rear ends, show a little professionalism to the pitcher. I know you missed a pitch and you are frustrated by it. I just think it is a little too much."

 

This is what I hate about "playing the game the right way". Gomez is mad at himself for missing a pitch. He isn't showboating or even talking to the other team. And they take offense. Please. Grow up and understand that some people are doing their best even when you think they should coast. If you don't like getting clobbered, then play better. If you don't like someone watching a homerun, then pitch better.

 

The thing I've not liked about Gomez is that he can't walk away from and argument, so things like this blow up worse.

[MrTPlush]

Bat flipping and pointing to your dugout on a double is no different than on a homer. Why people were so upset over that is really dumb. The amount of players that do this is incredibly high he just gets all of the attention. A lot of times it just makes the other team look like some whiney losers(Gerrit Cole incident).

 

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

[Thurston Fluff]

When multiple teams have the same issue with a player it probably means that player is at least partially to blame. That said, considering baseball is supposed to be entertainment, too many teams have a very boring view of how the game is supposed to be played.

[brewmann04]

last night they said the yanks were upset and he disrespected the game as well as the Yankess. The Yankess play the game Right and a bunch of other nonsense

[I Heart Brewers]

I don't know that there is any 'blame' to go around. Carlos just doesn't play by the rules of the establishment and therefore he's called out on it every once and a while. Either way, my guess is the game will evolve and eventually his type of enthusiasm will become more commonplace and baseball's unwritten rules will change. Just like any other type of culture's eventually does.

[MadScientist]

last night they said the yanks were upset and he disrespected the game as well as the Yankess. The Yankess play the game Right and a bunch of other nonsense

The Yankees must think they are the Cardinals.

 

Yelling at himself when he missed a pitch, when he's been mired in a slump since the trade is not showing up a pitcher. I hope he gets 2 HR's today and Houston wins 25-0.

[MrTPlush]

last night they said the yanks were upset and he disrespected the game as well as the Yankess. The Yankess play the game Right and a bunch of other nonsense

The Yankees must think they are the Cardinals.

 

Yelling at himself when he missed a pitch, when he's been mired in a slump since the trade is not showing up a pitcher. I hope he gets 2 HR's today and Houston wins 25-0.

 

Does that not happen 5 times every game though. Players are always yelling at themselves and throwing their bats when they miss a pitch. This is all total non sense.

[tmwiese55]

One of the things that used to get me the most with the Cardinals is they would take any offense to our young guys actions, especially if Braun celebrated a HR in anyway or watched it for one or two steps. Yet Pujols back in his glory days was probably the worst HR watcher/walker/poser since Bonds. Personally I don't care if he did it, but then what gives you the right to plunk Braun intentionally multiple times each season

[Bombers]

I agree with most. I can't stand some of the "unwritten" rules of baseball. Gomez shows passion and emotion. He doesn't stare the pitcher down or bark at the pitcher in a 9-0 game. He is mad at himself for knowing he can play better than what he is showing. I think in this case the Yanks are just frustrated with their own playing, losing a game and now falling back a game behind the Jays. Toronto is one of the hottest teams in baseball and the Yanks will need a whole lot of luck to end up in first. I think they are just frustrated with all that and they need someone to take it out on. So insert any item that can be interpreted as "showing" up my player and they get to bark and yell about how you should shut up and do your job. But the flip side to it is, Yanks maybe if you did your job you wouldn't have gotten blasted 15-0.

[Bombers]

One of the things that used to get me the most with the Cardinals is that would take any offense to our young guys actions, especially if Braun celebrated a HR in anyway or watched it for one or two steps. Yet Pujols back in his glory days was probably the worst HR watcher/walker/poser since Bonds. Personally I don't care if he did it, but then what gives you the right to plunk Braun intentionally multiple times each season

Same. This drove me banana's

[reillymcshane]

Carlos can flip as many bats and get angry/be happy about anything he wants in my book. He was upset at a missed opportunity - big deal. How's that 'showing up' pitcher.

 

'Playing the game the right way' is mostly (but not all) crap. Not every person should be a cookie cutter of old school white players. A pitcher pumps his fist after a strike out - big deal. It's not like the pitcher is pointing at the batter and taunting him. A batter watches a sure HR for a second or two, or flips his bat on an HR - big deal. It's not like he's taunting the pitcher or doing a salsa dance around the bases. If a pitcher is so offended by that they shouldn't serve up tatters. Of course there are lines of etiquette that get crossed. People can be jerks. Anytime you focus something at an opposing player (pointing, taunting, whatever) you are at risk.

 

Carlos has probably crossed the line a few times in his career, but stuff like Girardi is complaining about is crap. Girardi's team was getting stomped and he was in a bad mood. With no dog to kick, he went after the low hanging fruit with Gomez. In my opinion, it's pretty silly.

[1992casey]

Carlos just doesn't play by the rules of the establishment and therefore he's called out on it every once and a while.

 

Actually, I think he does… mostly. There've been notable exceptions where he should have reigned himself in a bit, though. Nothing's been enough to turn him into a jerk.

[I Heart Brewers]

Carlos just doesn't play by the rules of the establishment and therefore he's called out on it every once and a while.

 

Actually, I think he does… mostly. There've been notable exceptions where he should have reigned himself in a bit, though. Nothing's been enough to turn him into a jerk.

 

Correct, I didn't mean to imply that he doesn't play with decorum. He's not running around like an idiot out there. He just gets, unfortunately in my opinion, tagged as a kind of rabble rouser character based on an emotional reaction at times.

 

Side note, I really wish there was an 'and 1' or something similar on this board. Lot's of thoughtful comments.

[JohnBriggs12]

Aren't we all forgetting Brian McCann is on the Yankees? He didn't play yesterday and was probably the guy who first shouted at Gomez.

 

McCann thinks he's the arbiter of the unwritten baseball rules.

[dlk9s]

Baseball is the only sport where players are not allowed to have fun.

 

Also, I guarantee that if Gomez was white, he would be applauded for his "heart" and "motor."

[dlk9s]

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

We need more of Gomez in this game. Players that play 110% and just love playing everyday.

 

Also, this.

[JohnBriggs12]

Baseball is the only sport where players are not allowed to have fun.

 

Also, I guarantee that if Gomez was white, he would be applauded for his "heart" and "motor."

 

Harper plays with the same type of passion. He could have 3 HR in a game and his team up by 10 but if he misses a pitch he thinks he should damage, he shows it.

[phnxcrew]

I wish maldonado was still knocking people out for carlos. And i'd love to see carlos get a shot on somebody too next time a boring/old fashioned/ white team pulls this crap. Mccann, yadier molina, chris carpenter, cole- all of them need a good beating. Hunter pence too. Just because of how he looks though.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I wish maldonado was still knocking people out for carlos. And i'd love to see carlos get a shot on somebody too next time a boring/old fashioned/ white team pulls this crap. Mccann, yadier molina, chris carpenter, cole- all of them need a good beating. Hunter pence too. Just because of how he looks though.

 

 

Hunter Pence and all his twitches and blinks and crap BUG me. good lord.

 

 

That aside, back on topic. I mentioned this in another thread, but baseball needs to get over itself. LIke someone else said, the "old white guy" mentality needs to go, and players need to get over the fact that it's not 1920 anymore.

[TheCrew07]

I have a hard time with the "have fun" arguments.

 

Gomez like Braun (especially early in his career) was never my kind of guy, I don't need any antics, I much prefer class and treating your opponents with respect than "pimping it" as the college kids I've been working with call it.

 

I preferred Hardy and Hart to Gomez and Braun... in the same way that I preferred Donald Driver to Terrell Owens.

 

Race has nothing to do with anything and I honestly resent the implication.

 

I certainly appreciate the production those players provide, but they aren't the type of guys who's jerseys I would go and buy if I were into that sort of thing.

 

I actually think these issues are more along the line of; if he plays on your team then he's exuberant and plays with passion, however if he plays against your team you think he's an arrogant douche.

 

As a player I was the kind of guy who just handed the ball back to the referee after scoring a touchdown, or just went right into playing D if I hit a 3 instead of leaving my arm in the air, or when I got a game winning hit in baseball I was looking to take the extra base if something happened at home. Scoring points and doing good things were simply what I was supposed to be doing as an athlete. I don't have anything against people who aren't that way but I'm not going to gravitate towards those players or people either.

 

I'm a low key, laid back, congratulations for doing what your supposed to do kind of guy and those are the kind of athletes that I end admiring... like Steve Yzerman who played many years for the Red Wings in the NHL.

 

I think the dividing lines on these kind of issues fall along personality lines more so than race, but it's incredibly easy these days to go to the race card for any perceived slight.

 

Gomez would show up players in A ball while on rehab assignments with the Rattlers, there were multiple instances of him ending up jawing with opposing coaches. Dude you're playing 4 levels down, you're a MLB all-star, most of these young men will never get a sniff, none of this is necessary or even proper. If some MLB player pimped a HR on a rehab assignment against one of the T-Rat pitchers I would be just as pissed. It's like a senior in high school going down and playing Babe Ruth, then pimping his every success.

 

Right before I quit coaching football I had a QB who would always gesture and do some antics on the field after something bad happened. About mid season we were watching film, just the 2 of us, and I asked him why all the theatrics and he said, "Coach the fans and parents need to know that wasn't OK!", and I simply said "Why would they think otherwise?". He didn't have a response... and that's where I come from on these issues.

[CheezWizHed]

Also, I guarantee that if Gomez was white, he would be applauded for his "heart" and "motor."

 

I tend to disagree with this. I think it has more to do with being on certain teams more than others.

 

As others have said, Bonds, Pujols, nor Molina were castrated for showing emotion. While Braun has always been for any peek at a HR ball.

[tmwiese55]

Nothing wrong with what Crew said, perfectly reasonable but I would just rather let people enjoy themselves, celebrate when they succeed at something they've worked very hard at than to give them grief for it. And on the flip side when you mess up, like Gomez did here you should be competitive enough to be pissed at yourself. No one gives guys like Brady or Manning when they're fuming after an INT.

 

But for Braun I don't know what he did other than peak at a HR now and then, which nearly every single player does if you watch closely. Or even if you just watch SC highlights, this actually struck me just the other night when the Mets hit 8 HRs, they stood at the plate for every one. The only times Braun did anything beyond would be for walkoffs, especially the two playoff clinching bombs he had where he turned to our bench to celebrate. Beyond that I don't know what he did. Come to think of it, I remember the Cardinals taking issue with him putting his head down and not watching as they thought that was too cocky, after they drilled him and made an issue he'd make a point to immediately put his head after hitting a no doubter and start jogging without looking up. Of course he was doing it to make a point, but they took issue with that too. Can't win with those guys.

 

Beast Mode thing was mostly a Fielder thing initially ripped on by the old school, but now it's kind of stuck around as a phrase all over sports.