In latest bat flip flap, big league players side with Little Leaguer
'I thought that was ridiculous. You're going suspend a kid for having fun?' the New York Yankees All-Star infielder said Friday. 'Crazy.'
Marco Rocco, a 12-year-old from Haddonfield, New Jersey, tossed his bat in the air on July 16 after his sixth-inning, two-run homer in the final of the sectional tournament for Haddonfield's under-12 team against Harrison Township on July 16. His father went to court and got the suspension eliminated.
'If it's a game-changing homer, it's fine. Even when I'm on the mound, it doesn't irk me. It's a human reaction and it's good for the game, just like a pitcher doing a fist pump after a big strikeout,' said Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner. 'I side-eye someone if they hit a solo shot and their team is down 5-0. That doesn't jive with me. I don't like it when opponents or teammates do that. I feel the same way about Little Leaguers.'
Rocco was ejected for what his family was told were actions deemed 'unsportsmanlike' and 'horseplay,' and an ejection results in an automatic one-game suspension.
His father, Joe, is a lawyer and his dad filed suit. Judge Robert G. Malestein of New Jersey Superior Court ruled in favor of the Roccos, and
Marco played for Haddonfield against Elmora Little League in a 10-0 loss Thursday
in the opener of a four-team, double-elimination tournament at the Deptford Township Little League complex. Marco went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts.
'I wish nobody would do a bat flip. I'm kind of traditional,' Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before adding, 'But let him play.'
A staid sport for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, baseball has embraced emotion in recent years. José Bautista's bat flip against Texas in a 2015 AL Division Series was featured in the video game MLB The Show 16.
'It's a kid's game, Whether you're a kid or a major leaguer, we're in a have-fun era,' Detroit catcher Jake Rogers said. 'If you earn that moment, you earn that moment.'
___
AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Summer McIntosh goes for her second gold on Day 2 at the swimming world championships
SINGAPORE (AP) — It's Day 2 at the swimming world championships in Singapore. That means it's a chance for Summer McIntosh to add her second gold medal after winning the 400 freestyle on the opening day. The 18-year-old Canadian is trying for five individual golds across the eight-day event in Singapore. On Monday she's a strong favorite to get her second gold, this time in the 200-meter individual medley. She set the world record of 2 minutes, 05.70 seconds at the Canadian trials a few months ago. McIntosh is expected to be challenged by American Alex Walsh. Also in the field is 12-year-old Chinese Yu Zidi, whose age and astounding times are the talk of global swimming. The women's 100 butterfly is another eye-catching race. American Gretchen Walsh — Alex's older sister — is the favorite and set the world record of 54.60 earlier this year. Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium and Australia's Alexandria Perkins will push Walsh. Two more finals are set. Qin Haiyang of China and Nicolo Marinenghi of Italy are the favorites in the 100 breaststroke. The Italian is the Olympian champion from Paris, and Qin won this event two years ago at the worlds in Fukuoka, Japan. The 50 fly final is wide open, but the quickest qualifiers were Maxime Grousset of France and Noe Ponti of Switzerland. There are also three semifinals Monday — the men's 100 backstroke, the men's 200 free, and the women's 100 backstroke. ___
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Summer McIntosh goes for her second gold on Day 2 at the swimming world championships
Associated Press SINGAPORE (AP) — It's Day 2 at the swimming world championships in Singapore. That means it's a chance for Summer McIntosh to add her second gold medal after winning the 400 freestyle on the opening day. The 18-year-old Canadian is trying for five individual golds across the eight-day event in Singapore. On Monday she's a strong favorite to get her second gold, this time in the 200-meter individual medley. She set the world record of 2 minutes, 05.70 seconds at the Canadian trials a few months ago. McIntosh is expected to be challenged by American Alex Walsh. Also in the field is 12-year-old Chinese Yu Zidi, whose age and astounding times are the talk of global swimming. The women's 100 butterfly is another eye-catching race. American Gretchen Walsh — Alex's older sister — is the favorite and set the world record of 54.60 earlier this year. Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium and Australia's Alexandria Perkins will push Walsh. Two more finals are set. Qin Haiyang of China and Nicolo Marinenghi of Italy are the favorites in the 100 breaststroke. The Italian is the Olympian champion from Paris, and Qin won this event two years ago at the worlds in Fukuoka, Japan. The 50 fly final is wide open, but the quickest qualifiers were Maxime Grousset of France and Noe Ponti of Switzerland. There are also three semifinals Monday — the men's 100 backstroke, the men's 200 free, and the women's 100 backstroke. ___ AP sports: in this topic
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Summer McIntosh goes for her second gold on Day 2 at the swimming world championships
SINGAPORE (AP) — It's Day 2 at the swimming world championships in Singapore. That means it's a chance for Summer McIntosh to add her second gold medal after winning the 400 freestyle on the opening day. The 18-year-old Canadian is trying for five individual golds across the eight-day event in Singapore. On Monday she's a strong favorite to get her second gold, this time in the 200-meter individual medley. She set the world record of 2 minutes, 05.70 seconds at the Canadian trials a few months ago. McIntosh is expected to be challenged by American Alex Walsh. Also in the field is 12-year-old Chinese Yu Zidi , whose age and astounding times are the talk of global swimming. The women's 100 butterfly is another eye-catching race. American Gretchen Walsh — Alex's older sister — is the favorite and set the world record of 54.60 earlier this year. Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium and Australia's Alexandria Perkins will push Walsh. Two more finals are set. Qin Haiyang of China and Nicolo Marinenghi of Italy are the favorites in the 100 breaststroke. The Italian is the Olympian champion from Paris, and Qin won this event two years ago at the worlds in Fukuoka, Japan. The 50 fly final is wide open, but the quickest qualifiers were Maxime Grousset of France and Noe Ponti of Switzerland. There are also three semifinals Monday — the men's 100 backstroke, the men's 200 free, and the women's 100 backstroke. ___ AP sports:
