Ryan Braun's 28th HR...

[BuckyTuba]

I've just finished watching the braun and fielder homers about 10 times back to back each. I love it! That's the kind of swagger this team needs to start carrying.

[TracyThom]

Although cockiness is not tolerated in any sport, but when was the last time the Brewers had a guy with some swagger out there?

Alex Sanchez? I guess you could call his cockiness swagger.

 

I was 100% surprised he did not get plunked between the numbers.

[TooLiveBrew]

I was actually surprised, too.

 

EDIT: joshjs - in typical classy fashion, whatever Ned had to say he did so with his back turned to the cameras. He had his hand on Braun's shoulder, iirc, and the only lip-reading that could be done was something to the effect of, "It's all right." He then gave him a supportive pat on the front of the shoulder, and went back to managing the game. It seems like #8 was told how unneccesary his antics were, but that the emotion is appreciated, if I may so speculate. (Others may have different thoughts)

[JoeH33]

Who cares! As long as Braun keeps performing he can do whatever he wants. There's no point in being so sensitive about every single reaction. You don't hear Packers fans going nuts everytime a LB performs a celebration dance after stopping someone for a 2 yd loss.

[bobskube]

Who cares! As long as Braun keeps performing he can do whatever he wants. There's no point in being so sensitive about every single reaction. You don't hear Packers fans going nuts everytime a LB performs a celebration dance after stopping someone for a 2 yd loss.

Even though he went a bit far, I dont have much problem with it. Yost got on him a bit and he apologized to Munson. I think that made up for the

"little extra" in the hot dog trot.

 

Like Joe H. said though, he is backing up his cockiness. Now if Kevin Mench or Kevin Stocker do this, I have more of a problem with it. I kinda laugh when fans get carried away with this type of thing and think it is bush league. Bush League is drilling a guy in the head or a player flipping off the fans. Let's not overreact to a kid who is getting it done with the bat that quickly realized his mistake.

 

 

 

[Diskono]

cocky players look at their home runs like this, non-cocky players look at their home runs like this

[Patrick425]

Some posts have asked how is this different that what Pujols or what other players do? This was different in a 2 or 3 ways:

A. Instead of standing and looking at the ball, he looked at the dugout as to say "Wow, did you see how far I hit that? Can you guys beat that?" As if it's batting practice or something. As an opposing pitcher..I'm not going to be really thrilled about that.
B. I believe that HR made it 6-0. If it was a walk off HR, or a HR late in the game that put the Brewers ahead or tied the game or even made it closer, it might have been a little more acceptable
C. He's a rookie

It was clear in his next AB that he apologized.

The first guy I remember doing this kind of stuff was Reggie Jackson. And even though my friends and I all hated him because he played for the dreaded Yankees, we all copied him when we got together to play baseball or strikeout. The way he would fling his bat down and slowly step towards first was like "Wow, can you believe this guy?" Now, every big hitter seems to do this in some form or another. The novelty wore off a long time ago for me.

[PlayerHader]

Definitely mixed emotions for me. I loved it when he hit it. At the same time I said to my roomates, "That was pretty bad." Regardless, as others have said, it is nice to finally have the guy who is able to legitimately "show up" other teams. It was fun to watch, but I'll take his fist pumping and screaming excitement that he showed after the 9th inning Houston HR any time. That was just pure excitement.

[Invader3K]

I like that someone on the Brewers might be getting under the other teams' skins a little bit, but in that instance it was probably a bit overboard.

 

I think if he was playing for the Yankees or Red Sox, everyone would be praising him, but because he plays for the Brewers, who are just finally starting to break out of a decade and a half of losing, people call him on it.

[brewcrew00]

I have no problem with it. It's good for Braun, it's the emotion this team was lacking (which some of you wanted to blame Ned for lack of emotion, now it's here and the guy does it and some are ripping him). I don't care if he watches every single home run he hits in a relevant situation, just win. Who knows, maybe this will trigger something and they'll roll off one hell of a road trip.

[BrewCrewForever]

It's hard for me to have a take either way. I don't think it was right and it is kind of showing the other team up. But at the same time I loved it deep down and thought it was great!

[JJHardy7]

I understand how some didn't like it. I don't really thing it's a big deal and it looked more directed at the dugout and maybe was a flat out mistake.

 

This team does need some swagger in my opinion after the bad few months we've had. It just needs to come off in a different way for most people. Braun is a little too young to be called on to do that, but it's nice to see somebody show some joyous emotion (even though I can see why it rubbed people the wrong way).

 

Maybe it was his way of saying "look at my bat bfnetters and keep me at 3rd and not in the OF!"

[TauPentaRei]

The way everyone is literally expecting a beaning, it sounds like Braun pointed directly into the Astros' dugout, yelled, "That one's for your Mom, Pence!" and then proceeded to throw his head back and laugh and pat his belly as he rounded the bases.

 

This was by far my favorite comment from last night's IGT... I was chuckling as I was lying in bed. Still fresh.

 

The only justification I posed was that Braun was "paying a bit of Braunian-styled respect" to Prince with the dugout-aimed preening. But then again, Prince was in the on-deck circle. If Prince and Ryan want to have an on-field pissing contest to see who can hit more dingers, I think that is wonderful. If Ryan takes one on the Ulna because the rest of the league despises him, I would be less than thrilled.

 

Go work on your defense rook.

 

[Katuluu]

I just don't agree with the notion that looking at your own dugout is showing up the other team. In all my years of playing and watching sports, whenever myself or another player directed anything at their own bench/dugout, it never had anything to do with showing up the other team. It was always about getting your own teammates pumped up and having fun out there. That this happened in the middle of a pennant race is even better, as it demonstrates that the Brewers are starting to play loose and free again, and when this team was last playing like that, they had the best record in baseball.

[twobrewers]

I am normally very much against such things - however, I think we have had MANY worse instances during the year already. I have called out Bill Hall several times for watching balls that DIDN'T get out of the park.

 

The other part I am not really against is that Braun wasn't staring down the pitcher or anything, he seems to be playing with the dugout. It didn't look like he meant to show up the pitcher - but was rather giving a "See that one Prince?" to the dugout.

 

No big deal - but Ned still did the right thing and told him to knock it off.

[homer]

He was staring at his own dugout, but it was still pretty Bush League. He flipped his bat and walked a good fifteen feet before getting into his trot. If you disagree, ask Lance Berkman or the Astros message board.

[Klements Bratwurst]

If I put myself in an oppossing team fan's shoes, I hate Braun the same way I hate zambrano. But as a Brewer fan, I love him.

I think some people feel exactly as you said, but man this I think is a bit rough (see link)

 

Inside the Ivy

[Patrick425]

This is one of those issues that I would like to see broken down by age. I'm 41 and I'm not a big fan of what Braun did.

[hawing]

I'm also 41 and would like to see Ryan tone down the reaction.

He should not tone down his tendency to hit dingers, though. http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif

[Fatter than Joey]

I like that someone on the Brewers might be getting under the other teams' skins a little bit, but in that instance it was probably a bit overboard.

 

Agreed -- I think the tired cliche "Act like you have done this before" applies here.

 

Kudos to Ned and Ryan for apologizing.

 

I certainly do not think Braun was really out of line -- but you don't want to rub it in to a team you are beating the poop out of either, especially a division rival.

 

It's got to be hard for Braun to remember he is a rookie sometimes.

[trwi7]

If I put myself in an oppossing team fan's shoes, I hate Braun the same way I hate zambrano. But as a Brewer fan, I love him.

I think some people feel exactly as you said, but man this I think is a bit rough (see link)

 

Inside the Ivy

 

I like the last comment from flatball8.

 

he absolutely crushed that ball. i would've done the same thing. yeah he'll probly get thrown at, but that's about as pretty of a HR as it gets. hardly something you can "hate" someone for.

Now I know why he's one of my favorite posters on that board.http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif

[brewcrewnation]

I am 37 and I don't have a problem with it. I do have a problem with Lance Berkman saying saying something to Braun as he passed first base, that is not his place to say anything.

[brewcrewnation]

If any player or fan is upset by this they need to grow thicker skin.

[Patrick425]

I do have a problem with Lance Berkman saying saying something to Braun as he passed first base, that is not his place to say anything.

I think just about any veteran 1st baseman would have said something and rightly so.

[JJHardy7]

I think it was for Prince...since that home run tied him for the Brewers single season home run record by a rookie....with Prince at 28.