LOS ANGELES, CA — There has to be a reason why, in a crucial game in the ALCS, the Astros, who were trailing 4-2, would purposely hit a batter and put him on first in the eighth inning. Here is why…
They were generally pissed off at the antics of Texas’ power hitter, Adolis García, Ciego de Avila, Cuba. Why? Because in his previous at-bat, he did a show-you-up slow walk to first and a big bat slam before a cadillac prance around the bases, and foot slam on home plate after he hit a 396-foot average home run off of future HOF pitcher Justin Verlander in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Texas a 4-2 lead.
ADOLIS GARCÍA! 😱 #ALCS pic.twitter.com/HwhnGrw3ZY
— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2023
Astros’ 26-year-old right-hander Bryan Abreu, Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic, on his first pitch to García in the eighth inning, drilled him with a high and tight 99 mph fastball. That, my friends, is payback for showboating your way around the bases.
Benches have cleared in Arlington. pic.twitter.com/F1abofICpX
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 20, 2023
So, where am I going with this? Many people in the Latino community may not like what I am about to say next, but too bad. Latinos in baseball have brought this flamboyant theatrics to the game. Not all of them do it.
Case in point, future HOF 5’6″ second baseman for the Astros, José Altuve, Maracay, Venezuela, hit what became the winning three-run home run in the next inning (the top of the ninth inning) to give the Astros a 5-4 lead. He put his head down and just ran around the bases like a real pro. He was thinking of winning for his team and fans back home in Houston, not putting on a needless show.
JOSE ALTUVE FOR THE LEAD!! 💪 #ALCS pic.twitter.com/uUlrRc9b5f
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2023
The show-me-up performances need to slow down or stop. It brings about too many instances of bench-clearing brawls, ejections, and, in cases like this game, the possibility of serious injuries when a pitcher retaliates by hitting a batter. I say, stop the madness and just play the game. Your skills are what got you to the big leagues. You don’t need to make the game a circus. Clowns get laughs, big league players get cheers.
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Julio Pabón Pabon
October 23, 2023 at 11:29 pm
Everything you state is true especially about Latino antics in baseball. Clemente, Cepeda and many of those pioneers never did that. However, that was a different world. Today we are living in a fast pace, minimum attention span, adrenalin fan base that thrives on the thrills and antics. That’s how it’s been in the fast-paced games of the NBA, NFL, and MLS. Baseball has been the more conservative, slower, and reserve game. But as you accurately point out, Todays younger Latino players tend to be more expressive, passionate, and hot blooded. They tend to openly demonstrate their feelings and many of the younger fans that MLB needs to recruit enjoy those antics and that is why MLB will not do anything to curtail those feelings. In the Latino community they say that Latino players bring Sazón (The spicy ingredient that gives Caribbean food that spicy taste) and many agree.
On the hitting issue, I and many others would disagree with you that Garcia was hit on purpose. Especially in a key post season game where the team is losing by 2 runs. Why put a man on base when your objective is to keep runners off the bases to allow your team to catch up?