So You’re Angry at Javier Baez’s Actions Again. Now What?

Monday night, current Cub Javier Baez hit a long fly ball that drove in the winning run. The pitch was from Amir Garrett, who has a sordid history with Baez. Javy sauntered toward first, using his bat to mimic a broom while shouting at Garrett. It ruled. Yeah, I’m biased. I love Javy. But the attention the clips of the moment have received is objectively great for baseball. Still, there are many of you who are mad at Baez for his actions. I am here to help.

Just to catch everyone up to speed, here’s the moment in question. If you’re cranky and don’t want to see it again, just scroll on past.

There are a few reasons you probably feel this way.

• Your days ahead are fewer than your days behind and the closing darkness of your mortality has you all angry at anyone and anything that resembles the youth you once had and took for granted
• You played baseball, and were told you shouldn’t showboat or gloat because it’s disrespectful to your opponent so you see someone who has made it SO MUCH FURTHER than you doing it and it really boils your potatoes
• You’re probably a little racist and the sight of a coolass Puerto Rican covered in tattoos, one of which is the MLB logo that he got waaaay before he made the bigs, makes you worry that some kid named Devin Blanderson won’t get a shot even though he plays the game “the right way”
• You’re Amir Garrett
• You think that baseball was pure before all these “thugs” 😉 started playing (see point 3 for more info)
• You believe that baseball players should be held to a higher standard than other sports because you saw Cal Ripken Jr. tip his cap once in 1989 so you think that’s how all baseball players should act
• You don’t enjoy fun, and you’re generally a miserable person

Whatever the reason, I believe they can all be cured by three options. Now, you don’t HAVE to take my advice. You are an adult, and I hope you’re capable of making your own decisions. Just understand that your soul will be better off if you do.

• Stop watching baseball. It’s clear you don’t enjoy it currently, or enjoy where it’s going. So just stop. You’ve probably said “I’m done watching baseball (or other sports)” a hundred times already. So do it, you coward.
• Take a good, hard look at the last 100 years of baseball and realize that liars, cheaters, bastards, shit heads, assholes, and trash talkers have ALWAYS been a part of the game. Come back and enjoy the modern game
• Continue to whine about the sport that you grew up loving and die sad because you peaked playing travel ball around the age that Baez was winning the NLCS MVP award

It’s your call. Just know that those of us who enjoy the pimped homers, pitcher taunting, and overall sentiment of youthful energy that has permeated baseball in the post-steroid era… we’re happy watching the sport we love.

Why would anyone ever watch something that they don’t enjoy?