The Pittsburgh Pirates did not appreciate Jordany Valdespin’s celebratory antics on Friday night, so they decided to send him a message the next day.
Valdespin entered Friday night’s game between the Pirates and New York Mets in the top of the ninth to play second base. He got an at-bat in the bottom half of the inning with his team down 7-1. Valdespin went deep off reliever Jose Contreras and decided to admire his work:
The Pirates won the game 7-3, but they took note of Valdespin’s behavior. On Saturday, Valdespin did not start but entered the game in the bottom of the seventh as a pinch-hitter for reliever LaTroy Hawkins. The second pitch he faced from pitcher Bryan Morris was a ball right at his hip:
Valdespin didn’t seem to appreciate getting hit. SNY’s Kevin Burkhardt tweeted that Valdespin threw a fit in the dugout after being hit.
Mets third baseman David Wright says they want Valdespin to continue being who he is, but that he might need to tone some of it down.
Valdespin really does not understand the game if he’s getting upset about that. If you want to pimp a home run down 7-1 like a knucklehead, that’s your business. But don’t get upset when a team hits you the next day in response.
Forearm bash to Bill Baer at Hardball Talk
