Although there were many memorable moments last night, the most shocking and surprising turn of events came in the middle of the sixth inning. With the Dodgers leading the Diamondbacks 7-1 and Chris Davis at the plate, the game changed suddenly and violently. After receiving a line drive directly to the heart, Chris Davis was removed from the game. On his way to the dugout, he dropped his batting helmet and fanny pack. It was only after the dust settled that we found out what had happened: Chris Davis was ejected from the game after he bet on his own team. This is definitely one of the most bizarre stories of the 2019 MLB season. Let’s examine the details and find out more about Chris Davis and the incident that got him suspended.
What Was Chris Davis Doing?
As mentioned above, we don’t know the details of what led to Chris Davis being ejected from the game. It could be argued that the game changed after he hit a grounder to the shortstop. Maybe he was aiming for a double play. It’s hard to say for sure. What we do know is that he intended to bet on his own team. That’s enough for a pitch, strike, or walk in any league. In the eyes of the baseball gods, that’s a three-pitch at-bat, and Chris Davis was ejected for the crime of ‘showboating’ after he bet on his own team.
Is This The First Time This Has Happened?
Last year, we saw the Astros’ Carlos Beltran ejected for the same reason during a game against the Athletics. In that case, the pitcher asked for Carlos Beltran’s autograph after he hit a key home run. After a few minutes, Carlos Beltran got up from his seat and approached the mound. While he was doing this, the umpires decided to throw out Carlos Beltran and issue a warning to the pitcher. It was a strange moment, to say the least.
This is not the first time this has happened. In fact, it’s one of the most frequent ejections for ‘showboating.’ In 2018, five players were ejected from a game for throwing their bats or puffs after hitting a ball. In addition to Davis, Beltran, and the Astros’ Bo Melhiser and Forrest Whitley, Kansas City’s Hunter Dozier was also tossed. Whitley caught the attention of fans and media with a wild pitch in the ninth inning that deflected off the bat of Yolmer Sanchez and struck Sanchez in the head, causing him to leave the game.
What Is Showboating?
In baseball terminology, showboating is the art of drawing attention to yourself with exaggerated swings with the intent of getting a base hit or walk. In other sports, players use various techniques to gain an advantage. In American football, for example, some players will ‘flash’ the opposition. That is, they will run around with the ball in their hands, pretending it’s a game of catch. This might confuse or distract the defense while giving their team an advantage.
Baseball players use a variety of methods to gain an advantage, including but not limited to, waving their arms around and using their bat to deflect opponents’. Some even stick their tongue out at the infield when they’re expecting a pitch. This is considered bad form, and players who do it repeatedly are often ejected from games. In fact, during the 2018 season, the Rockies’ Gerardo Parra was thrown out of six games after he showed up his opponents by sticking out his tongue during at least two plate appearances.
Is Chris Davis’ Suspension Related To Last Night’s Incident?
It’s possible that last night’s bizarre incident is related to Chris Davis’ suspension. According to his biography on MLB’s website, the outfielder was suspended for the first five games of the season for “conduct detrimental to the baseball season.” MLB has not released the reasoning behind his suspension, but we know that he threw his batting helmet and fanny pack into the stands after being ejected from the game. It’s been reported that this is a continuation of his feud with Aaron Judge. After the Yankees shortstop criticized him on social media, Davis reacted by throwing his helmet and fanny pack into the stands after Judge struck out looking on Friday night. It was later reported that both benches cleared, and the incident resulted in five players being injured and forced to leave the game.
If you pay close attention to the video of last night’s game, you’ll see that Aaron Judge is visibly irked by something that Chris Davis is doing. After the benches clear, Judge points directly at Chris Davis and says something along the lines of ‘that’s why he gets paid the big bucks.’ Whether or not this is relevant, we don’t know, but it’s certainly interesting to note. However, Davis’ ejection was not the only noteworthy moment in last night’s game. The play of the game came when Brandon McCarthy hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning. McCarthy’s bat flipped in the air after he connected with the pitch, and he caught it on the bounce before slamming it against the wall. It was an impressive display of raw power that many fans had never seen from the pitcher. McCarthy earned a loud ovation from the Dodger fans in attendance. Even the usually stoic Joe Buck commented, “What an incredible play by Brandon McCarthy.” On top of all that, McCarthy’s girlfriend gave birth to their first child last night. Congratulations!
To this point, the Dodgers have won four of the five games since this strange incident, and they currently lead the Diamondbacks by a game and a half. Despite all this, one thing is for sure: we will never know the real identity of the man ejected for ‘showboating’ last night. That, my friends, is half the fun of loving baseball.