Last month, Tim Anderson made clear to us that MLB might not have thought its Let The Kids Play campaign all the way through. It was produced in response to controversy over bat flips both big and little, and other displays of emotion on a ballfield. It was, we were led to believe, institutional approval for players making the sport just a bit more fun.
For that, it worked fine. It just failed to account for whatever’s coming next.
As Anderson showed us, when run-of-the-mill bat flips become routine, players will have to dive deeper, progressing to whatever will grab the most attention next.
We might have seen a preview of that last night.
In the Single-A Florida State League, Royce Lewis of the Fort Myers Miracle—the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft—smacked a ball to the wall in center field for a standup double, and as he reached second base dropped down for some celebratory push-ups. Forget the opposition; even the fans were displeased.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Bradenton Marauders pitcher Gavin Wallace responded later in the game by throwing a pitch behind Lewis’ back, for which he was subsequently ejected.
The Miracle’s official explanation, that Lewis was simply punishing himself for not hitting it out, is about as weak as misguided justification can get. (Batting .233 with no homers in 37 games, perhaps he’s prone to overreach when the rare occasion arises.)
So what does this tell us?
For one thing, at least some of the players who have been crying out for leeway regarding emotional displays are being disingenuous. Even while accepting that tossing one’s lumber can be an expression of uninhibited joy, when the act goes mainstream and players have to up their flip game to draw attention to themselves, that’s exactly what they’ll do. To judge by Anderson and Lewis, they’re already doing it. So it’s not entirely about exuberance. These are type-A athletes who spend their professional lives in the spotlight; Q ratings mean something to many of them.
It should be expected, which is what makes MLB’s failure to expect it especially glaring. Now that the league has embraced showmanship on an institutional level, it’s going to have to figure out how to deal with the aftermath. This is because through it all, pitchers—at least enough of them to matter—haven’t changed a bit. They know better than anyone that some celebrations are simply self-aggrandizement wrapped in a thin veneer of joy, and are commensurately annoyed by them. Guys who pump themselves up at the expense of the opposition continue to be seen as disrespectful, so the reactions of Keller and Wallace should in no way be construed as fringe opinions.
The league ultimately suspended Anderson after his grand bat toss
— not for the toss itself, but for using racially inflammatory language in the aftermath. Perhaps they were trying to send an indirect message. If so, it didn’t take.
“I want to be that guy you don’t want to play against, because I’m a dog,” Anderson told Sports Illustrated. “My team loves it, so I don’t care about anybody else. … I’m bringing something to baseball that’s never been brought, as far as the swag.”
Anderson’s attitude is neither good nor bad, per se. How he brings the swag will make a difference, as will the way his opponents react to it.
This is only the beginning, folks. Settle in for what looks to be a wild ride.
[H/T Bring Me The News.]
The Baseball Codes 
Has anyone asked Rob Manfred about this? How does he reconcile “Let the Kids Play” with what’s happening on the field? Or is all the turmoil actually, perversely, good for the game – no such thing as bad publicity?
Great question. I haven’t seen Manfred address this directly. My guess is that you’re right — there’s no such thing as bad publicity, at least as far as this kind of on-field stuff is concerned — and that baseball as an institution will more or less let players work things out themselves, with the occasional toothless pitcher suspension tossed in for good measure. After all, the unwritten rules have always been accepted and enforced by the players themselves. Not sure that baseball sticking its beak into the pond changes that.
Jason,
Thanks for another great article. The League should have known this was coming. An easily forecasted unintended consequence. But hindsight is 20/20.
Heard you on Household Name’s podcast on the A’s. Nice job. I need to get your book.
Hey, thanks Brian. Available everywhere on June 4. Come on out to the opening-day reading if you’re in the LA area.