Updated: May 14, 2008, 10:52 AM

Vote: Are players showing too much emotion?



Is Joba Chamberlain out of line?
Tom Hanks taught us there is no crying in baseball, but is celebrating also verboten?

Celebrating success to excess is a hot topic in baseball these days. New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain has become a poster child for the issue, thanks to his fist-pumping strikeout celebrations and criticism from Hall of Famer Goose Gossage, but he's not alone. It seems everywhere you look, hitters and pitchers are eager to admire their own work.

When is it permissible to show emotion on the field, SportsNation? Below are some scenarios involving displays of on-field emotion. What's acceptable and what isn't?
  • 1) Scenario: With his team leading 4-1 in the seventh inning, a pitcher repeatedly pumps his fist after striking out a hitter.
  • 2) Scenario: With his team leading 4-1 in the seventh inning, a pitcher points his fingers at the batter after a strikeout and mimics firing a gun.
  • 3) Scenario: In the above scenario, a pitcher on the opposing team intentionally hits a batter in the back during the next half-inning.
  • 4) Scenario: A team gathers at home plate, jumping up and down, as a hitter rounds the bases after a game-winning home run.
  • 5) Scenario: With his team trailing 7-1, a hitter flips his bat and points toward the stands after hitting a home run.
  • 6) Scenario: In the next at-bat for the hitter in the above scenario, the pitcher intentionally hits him in the back with a pitch.
  • 7) Scenario: After hitting a double with the bases empty, a hitter taps his chest three times and points at the sky.
  • 8) Scenario: With his team leading 6-3 in the fifth inning, a hitter pauses just outside the batter's box to watch his home run clear the fence.
  • 9) Scenario: After hitting a home run, a hitter rounds the bases significantly more slowly than a typical home-run trot.
  • 10) Scenario: With their team batting, several players in the dugout begin to cheer, clap or stomp in unison.
  • 11) Scenario: After hitting a home run to tie the game in the bottom of the 10th inning, an outfielder high-fives fans along the first-base line while returning to his position for the top of the 11th inning.
  • 12) In general, how does the level of emotion displayed on the field compare to the past?
  • 13) Which would you most like to eliminate from MLB?

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