Friday, May 9, 2008

Dellucci: Joba Antics Are 'Bush'

Shockingly, it looks like not everyone is as receptive to Joba Chamberlain's exuberance as Frank Thomas was:

“That’s what gets him going and that’s what everybody likes to see, but if a hitter was to do something like that they’d probably say it was ‘bush (league)’ and you shouldn’t do it,” Dellucci said. “It’s kind of funny how a pitcher can get away with it.”

..."It’s no disrespect to the hitter,” Chamberlain said. “It’s no disrespect to the game. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve done it. That’s just who I am and that’s the way it’s gonna be.”

Dellucci, a 13-year veteran who played with the Yankees in 2003, has a more old-school approach.

“If he wants to yell and scream after a strikeout and dance around, I guess that gets him going,” Dellucci said. “My home run was in a much bigger situation, more a key part of the game and I didn’t dance around and scream.”

All fair points in my mind. However, if this type of emotion is a key cog in Chamberlain's mentality and approach while on the mound, it's doubtful the Yankees brass will request a ceasefire on the fist pump front. That is, until Yankees hitters start taking fastballs to the shoulder blade on a regular basis.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So I guess we should endict Jeff Nelson, Melido Perez, and Roger Clemens as well, all effective emotional pitchers.

Not to mention the reactions of Coney, Gooden, Abbott and Seaver when they threw no hitters/perfect games. Its not going in the direction of the hitters-I think its more for the fans that don't pay good dollars to watch a bunch of robots.

Bronx Liaison said...

First of all, I was at the stadium when Jim Abbott pitched that no-hitter and comparing that type of performance with ONE scoreless inning is asinine.

However, I am not disagreeing with the idea that emotion has a place in the game. Furthermore, I believe this ridiculous comparison to Manny Ramirez's antics is a bit skewed. Posing at homeplate and watching a homerun ball each and every time seems more "hot dog" than a pitcher celebrating the end of an inning.

Peering in at a batter and gesturing toward him after striking him out would be bush league - pumping a fist to end an inning does not seem so bombastic.

Then again, the other side of the argument could say Manny is a future first-ballot HOFer while Chamberlain has pitched 50 big league innings. If Yankees fans want to criticize Dustin Pedroia after he complains (as if he is a veteran) than the same type of culpability could be expected of Joba.

Either way, the topic is so played out it's become nauseating and it will not change anything until, like I said, opposing teams feel the need to retaliate.

Hopefully it won't be Richie Sexton and his Odd Job impersonation.