If you’ve been to the bar before, you probably remember answering this question – or something similar to it – in the past.
Maybe you’ve spent so much time in the various Connolly bar blogs over the years imbibing in the fake swill that you won’t remember what we discussed previously anyway.
So here goes: Let’s talk some Joey Bats. We like potential villains around this dive.
Toronto’s Jose Bautista is one of the better and more consistent players in baseball. He’s got a terrific arm, great baseball instincts and hits the ball into another zip code routinely. He’s also a former Oriole – technically anyway.
He was a Rule 5 pick in 2004 who spent 16 glorious games with the Orioles (3-for-11) before being claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (yeah, it was so long ago the Devil was included).
At some point between then and now, Bautista emerged as a superstar. And also one of baseball’s most despised players by those outside of Canada.
It’s apparent every time he comes to Camden Yards. When Bautista is announced, he is booed. When he catches a ball in right field, he is booed. And, on Tuesday, when he delayed things by stepping out of the batter’s box twice against Mychal Givens, who wasn’t exactly rushing to the plate, the Orioles fans showered Bautista with more boos.
Bautista has mixed it up with Darren O’Day, he’s shown up Jason Garcia and jawed with Adam Jones. And his bat flips, oh his bat flips. Baseball fans are very much aware of his bat flips.
Given the dissatisfaction from Orioles fans constantly directed at Bautista, I’m now of the belief that he has passed New York’s Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez and Boston’s David Ortiz as enemy No 1 at Camden Yards.
Let’s face it, Bautista’s a better player than those three now – and he’s on the defending division champion, so I’m sure that adds a little more buoyancy to your verbal disenchantment.
I’m not a fan, though. I just know what I hear. So let me know if I’m right.
Tap-In Question: Is Jose Bautista now ‘Public Enemy No. 1’ at Camden Yards?
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Joey Bats is no doubt a great player. If he was an Oriole, fans here would love the guy and his bat flips. He is a show off but that's fine but I wish he wouldn't intentionally or unintentionally show up the pitcher with the glare and stare after he hits it out. That shows a lack of respect. Which is why he shouldn't get mad when he is drilled for it.
That's probably an even better question. If Bautista were an O, would you like him then?
Yes he's a very good player but his lack of respect and showboating is thoroughly irritating. Cannot imagine how he'd ever fit into the Oriole clubhouse. So I for one am content to not have him on our team. I was at the game on Tuesday and Bautista appeared to relish the booing. As an O's fan, the booing from our section made us feel united.
He loves it. He's a showman. They are the opposing fans. It's part of the gig.
honestly to me he is one.that proves how bad our scouting and front office was.thankfully we have fixed those week areas we have a real coach that we didn't have since Davey Johnson who I will always have a warm spot in my heart for.
I get what you're saying about past scouting, but the O's saw enough of him to pick him up in the Rule 5. Props there. But he was very raw, and had to stick in majors all year. He was with 5 different teams that year, 2004. So 3 others made the same mistake in the same year.
The reason why we hate this guy and respect his swag at the same time is cause he's a baller. He is an in your face kinda guy, intense and passionate. His non-verbals are always a glimpse away from taunting and his skill set speaks even louder; throw me the wrong pitch
and I will punish you with my bat, hit the ball near me and I will punish you with my hustle and my arm. So I guess to answer your question Dan, yes Jose is qualified to be Camden Yard's PE#1. Guess it's just a matter of choice if you chose him. Let's not whine,
Agreed. And, yeah, I think fans here would eventually warm to him if he produced for the Orioles.
if he wore orange and black we would love him!
I wouldn't like him even if he were an Oriole. He doesn't handle himself like one, or even a respectable baseball player at that. He's arrogant and continually adds to the list of reasons to dislike him. The other guys you mentioned don't do that, at least not as often.
That's kind of the sense I got from other fans as well.
He may PLAY the game right, but it's all about how he handles himself in between plays. So yeah, public enemy number one in my book. No doubt.
He's not the same player since he tore his shoulder trying to back pick Delmon. Plus, he's old and stuff.
And he hit 40 homers and had a .913 OPS at age 34. He can play a little still.
I guess it depends on who you ask. Yes, Bautista is more talented than A-roid and Ortiz at this point in time, but I don't think Baltimore fans hatred for them has waned much either. Ask the phone in the visiting dugout and it's public enemy #1 will still be Ortiz. I think its fair to say that until Ortiz and Rodriguez are gone from the AL East, they will all be in a 3-way tie for Baltimore's most hated visiting player.
Ravens fans don't hate the Steelers any less when they don't make the playoffs, we hate them just as much.
Come on 19. A three-way tie? Is hatred really that even?
Okay, if you're going to force me to pick one, its going to have to be Rodriguez. I was at too many games where his juiced up home runs single handedly beat the O's.
Dan - do you remember the game on Fireworks night where Rodriguez was up with 2 outs and 2 strikes in the 9th, O's winning and Rodriguez hits a go-ahead HR? It was so loud in OPCY from the Yankee fans that the fireworks operator accidentally set off the home run fireworks thinking it was an Oriole that hit it. That painful memory is forever seared in my head, so Arod is my Public Enemy #1.
I do remember, tho I don't remember it being that dramatic of a situation. I remember the Orioles pitcher was ticked, though.
I would hope that if he was an O the rest of the players and coaches would temper his arrogance as not how the Orioles do things. I think we would cheer when he deserves it but wouldn't treat him like we do Adam, Manny, Chris or Joey Baseball.
I'd probably agree with that.
For the most part, fans look the other way when it comes to their own players' faults. You're talking about Baltimore fans, the same people who embraced Ray Lewis. I'd go so far as to say that he is beloved by most Ravens fans. So yeah, given he's never been charged with double homicide, I think O's fans would have zero problem rooting for Jose Bautista if he were an Oriole.
The Blue Jays are my least favorite AL East team right now because of a) their recent success and b) a lot of the more vocal (re: annoying as all hell) recent (re: bandwagon) fans on the twitters and such. And Bautista is the "face of the franchise" so yeah, I hate that dude the most. His "look at me" antics are tiresome. I'd be pretty ok if the O's and Jays got into a Strawberry/Benitez-style throw-down.
Addendum: I was at a game a few years ago and between innings I shouted "Hey, Jose!" at JoeyBats out in right field. He turned to acknowledge me, much to my surprise. I had not thought of what to say next, so I just said "what's up, man?" and sat back down, feeling stupid. So, yeah, I also hate him for making me feel stupid. :)
Test
JDSax...I am not sure what picture of Baltimore fans you are trying to paint with the Ray Lewis analogy...but certainly "charged" does not equal "guilty" and Lewis is/was respected as much for is on-field play as for his off-field leadership in the locker room and his activities in the community - much of which occurred after January 2000. So will fans discount the transgressions of the home-town star? Sure, just about every team has an example. But I also think in the case of Lewis, there is the admiration of a person that acknowledged his mistakes and went on to be a positive force on his team and in his community.
Bring this full circle to Bautista, I only know of him by how he plays (very well), and how he acts on the field (sometimes like a jerk). He wouldn't be my favorite player, but if he is a leader on and off the field, he would earn my respect (grudgingly or otherwise).
Look at that, it is after noon and after that long (winded) post, I need a cold beer. Natty Boh for me, please.
There's no doubt Ray cleaned up his act and as a Ravens fan I totally recognize that, and I've made that argument to many people, but let's be honest - if he'd played for the Steelers or Pats or Bears for that matter, we would have reviled him as much as any opponent if not more so. It's just what fans do.
JDSax...I think the question was, would you support player X if he was on "our team." My point was that some, perhaps many, fans take a nuanced approach to such things and look past the color of the uniform. Now, in regards to players on other teams, I think you are probably right - and that could be because we only see that player from one perspective and don't know more about them.
Good discussion...
Great discussion. Love it when the patrons talk among themselves. Allows me to flirt with the fake waitress.
I'm not a big bat, hair or any kinda flip guy. Except for maybe a back flip from Ozzie during the intro to TWIB. I can still here that intro music in my head. I digress.
Bautista IS public enemy#1 and a great baller. I respect JB because he can play the game. I don't like him cause he doesn't respect the opposition. When the other team pitches inside, flips something or just in general showboats it, it is no go for Joey Bats. He is the first to start jawin' back instead of just shutting up and playing the game. So Joey if you want to dish it out you need to be able to take it.
Would we like him as an Oriole? Absolutely. He is a great player on both sides of the ball. And because almost all of his antics would not be tolerated by this Orioles team he'd fit the mold. I can remember when we all came down pretty hard on Manny during his 'dark' bat throwing / getting tossed period. So the JB that we now know and 'hate' would be a totally different showman. More like the #13 we have now.