Close Menu
Soup.io
  • Home
  • News
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Science / Health
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
  • Contact Us
  • Write For Us
  • Guest Post
  • About Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Soup.io
Subscribe
  • Home
  • News
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Science / Health
Soup.io
Soup.io > News > Entertainment > Ex-MLB star lauds the Impact of Latin American Players on Baseball
Entertainment

Ex-MLB star lauds the Impact of Latin American Players on Baseball

Cristina MaciasBy Cristina MaciasSeptember 1, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Ex-MLB star lauds the Impact of Latin American Players on Baseball
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

It would be fair to say that Major League Baseball is going through a significant cultural identity crisis at the moment.

On one side of the fence are the traditionalists – people for whom the game symbolises respect and a certain decree of decorum.

Their views fly in the face of a new generation who are trying to drag America’s favourite pastime kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

With their over-zealous celebrations and willingness to bait opponents, they are the polar opposite of what baseball traditional stood for. Interestingly, many of them are from a Latino background.

Nearly 30 percent of players on Opening Day rosters were born outside the United States, with the Dominican Republic (99) and Venezuela (67) responsible for the biggest proportion.

Professional baseball has long featured Latino players, but they have historically been encouraged to tone down their public expressions of joy.

Things have been changing in recent years, with Latino players shrugging off the shackles to express themselves with ever increasing doses of freedom.

While speaking to Betway, former MLB star Jose Bautista said the cultural shift has made professional baseball more entertaining to watch.

He believes that Latin players bring a different flavour to the MLB driven by their individuality, cultural traits, signs of where they grew up and the type of personalities they possess.

He draws comparisons with soccer and other sports, saying different regions of the world play differently, which is great for the overall wellbeing of the sport.

Bautista insists that bringing more energy and passion is not better or worse or not right or wrong, it’s just different.

The ex-Toronto Blue Jays star is undoubtedly well-placed to comment on baseball’s cultural shift having been responsible for one the most iconic sporting moments in 2015.

Bautista was playing against Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series with Game 5 tied at 2-2 as the teams went into the seventh.

A mistake by Russel Martin, Jays’ catcher, led to the Rangers taking a 3-2 lead. Jays star Josh Donaldson helped tie the game, but it was still all to play for.

Two Blue Jays remained on first and third base when Bautista came into bat. JB hit a three-run home run, sparking pandemonium in the stands as the Jays snatched victory from seeming defeat.

Bautista then introduced the ‘bat flip’ – a move that sparked wild celebrations amongst Toronto fans and left viewers watching MLB streams gobsmacked.

The Rangers were extremely unhappy, describing his antics as ‘unsportsmanlike’, while many pundits dubbed the move as ‘disrespectful to the game’.

Despite the criticism, Bautista’s celebration laid the foundations for a seismic shift in the way players behave on the baseball field.

The 41-year-old has no regrets about flipping his bat, arguing that celebrations of this nature help to engage fans emotionally and get them to show passion from their stadium seats.

Bautista believes that now that some time has passed by, a celebration like ‘bat flipping‘ can become an iconic moment in games, much like iconic celebrations in other sports.

He insists he is glad that it has happened and is delighted that most people don’t see it as rule breaking or bringing the game into disrepute. Rather, if it brings the fans closer to the game and the players, it must be good for the game.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleExipure. Dietary Supplement. How And Why It Works So Effectively. Its Benefits And Why All People Should Use It
Next Article Different Ways to Send Money from India to the US
Cristina Macias
Cristina Macias

Cristina Macias is a 25-year-old writer who enjoys reading, writing, Rubix cube, and listening to the radio. She is inspiring and smart, but can also be a bit lazy.

Related Posts

Legion TV Show Blu Ray: Superhero Films with Legion’s Blu-ray

July 11, 2025

Cloud Gaming Is Transforming Entertainment for Every Lifestyle

July 11, 2025

5 Essential SEO Podcasts to Elevate Your Strategy in 2025

July 10, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from Soup.io

Latest Posts
Best AI Detectors Reviewed
July 12, 2025
How Mark Seruya and Best-in-State Teams Build National Impact
July 11, 2025
Hire Anywhere: Entity vs. Employer of Record (EOR) Explained
July 11, 2025
Security Cameras with Facial Recognition – Pros and Cons
July 11, 2025
Cox Cable Contour Package: The Future of Internet
July 11, 2025
Leon Cooney on How Weight Rules Shape Every Stage of a Boxer’s Camp
July 11, 2025
Fubo Multi Screen: Multi-View Capabilities with Fubo on Roku
July 11, 2025
Legion TV Show Blu Ray: Superhero Films with Legion’s Blu-ray
July 11, 2025
Cloud Gaming Is Transforming Entertainment for Every Lifestyle
July 11, 2025
From High-Altitude Precise Measurement Of Dam Deformation To Border Intrusion Monitoring, K40T’s One-Machine-Multiple-Purpose Capabilities Analysis
July 11, 2025
How to Identify the Perfume Bottle Quality?
July 11, 2025
John Munro of Hilton Head Island’s Guide to the Best Places to Visit in Florence
July 10, 2025
Follow Us
Follow Us
Soup.io © 2025
  • Contact Us
  • Write For Us
  • Guest Post
  • About Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.