Yasiel Puig: To Beam or Not To Beam
Yasiel Puig gloated a bit at the plate last night. He celebrated a home run that didn’t even clear the fence and then rubbed it in the Cardinals face by legging out a triple anyway.
St. Louis right fielder Carlos Beltran wasn’t too happy about the display, saying he didn’t like it and that the young Cuban star has to “…act with a little bit more calm."
So, Carlos, what are you going to do about it?
Puig’s exuberant display in last night’s victory has quickly become the biggest story of the Major League postseason, much in the way that Puig’s infectious and polarizing style of play dominated the landscape of the regular season. All morning long pundits and journalist and experts have debated whether or not Puig’s antics were fair or foul, and if the Cardinals really had a right to take offense. Cardinal players have been asked about it, and Dodger players have been asked about it, and honestly, none of it matters. All that matters is whether or not the Cards want to actually do something about it.
I don’t want to hear Beltran or any other Cardinals players complain about the youthful ignorance of Yasiel Puig. I want to see if they hit him.
Baseball is a game of unwritten rules, and one of the greatest and longest lasting rules is that if someone shows you up you let him know about it by delivering a fastball right to the small of his back. But baseball is also a game of written rules, and one of those puts that player on base once you do so. So, in game three of the NLCS, the Cardinals need to figure out just how badly their feelings are hurt. Are they willing to risk putting a potential run on the base paths in an effort to salvage some pride and “police the game?”
I doubt Mike Matheny will allow his club to take such petty action in such a big game. St. Louis is a franchise that understands how to win, and they’ll be professional in the way they approach this situation. And that’s all well and good. But if you’re not going to take matters into your own hands, then don’t open your mouth and complain about the way someone else plays- ‘cause I don’t want to hear it. Talk is cheap.
Then again, maybe the Cards will plunk Puig tonight, or at some point during the series. There’s only one way to find out, and that's by watching the games or listening to them on 104.5 The Team.
It’s time to put up or shut up in Los Angeles.