If you really want Derek Lowe to stop making lewd gestures to you and your bench, maybe you should win a playoff series once in a while.
Major League Baseball has been saturated with people angry over on field antics, or how some players might make more elaborate celebrations than others in the past. Of course, this makes it sound like baseball's past is filled with staunch examples of gentlemanly gamesmanship.
Take Ty Cobb for example.
Granted, Lowe was acting a little excessive in his celebration on the mound after striking out Terrance Long to end that devastating American League Divisional Series against Oakland. He deserved to act like that. The Red Sox were down 0-2 - in a five game series no less. If you get three turns to close the deal, you close the deal. Tejada should get some knocks in if he really wants to stop Derek Lowe from embarrassing his family in the stands.
Embarrassing your family, Miguel? They're embarrassed that you keep losing playoff series that you should sweep.
What about Terrance Long? You've got to swing at that. Derek Lowe can bring some filthy stuff to the mound, no doubt, but a 3-2 count with two outs demands your swinging expertise. Get the stick off of your shoulder and take a hack at it.
For some reason, Major League Baseball more than any other sport takes excessive celebration personally, at least the people who pose to act in its best interests do. Baseball is like every other sport in that it has its showboats and its stone faces. Sammy Sosa's post-home run leap and Manny Ramirez's marveling at the plate have all been brought up in conversation. Even Alfonso Soriano was guilty of that earlier this year. In a game as competitive and macho as the MLB, it is natural that guys are going to want to show up other guys.
If you don't want to be shown up, don't give anyone the opportunity to show you up. Follow through on your execution, finish what you start, and win a five game series when you are up 2-0. If Sammy Sosa jumping after his homerun disturbs you, strike him out.
Tejada was seen crying after the A's loss to Boston. Once again, there is no crying in baseball. With that out of the way, Tejada himself is one of the most energized players on the field when he plays. When he asks other players to tone it down, he should ask that question to a mirror first.
