Matt Cain is good. Correction, Matt Cain is very good. He may very well win the Cy Young Award this year.But ultimately he's a Class A punk.
The hat tip during Saturday's game sealed the deal for me. I believe Cain didn't throw at Wright on purpose or at least he wasn't trying to hit him in the head. He was visibly upset about having done that, but then he had to go and tip his hat to the irate Mets fans who were obviously, and deservedly, angered at Cain for almost killing the face of the franchise while sending him to the hospital.
Andrew Baggarly at the Mercury News had this to say in defense of Cain's hat tip:
"Cain tipped his cap as he came off the mound, which I’m sure the Mets fans didn’t appreciate. What they couldn’t have known is that the small contingent above the Giants dugout that stood and cheered him weren’t just any group of out-of-town Giants fans. They were the minority owners of the club, along with their families. Bill Neukom, Larry Baer and many of the investors accompanied the team to New York for the series. After Friday night’s loss, they were glad to have something to cheer — finally.
I’d tip my cap to the people who sign my checks, too."
But here's the thing, Cain isn't saying that's why he tipped his cap. In fact he's changing his story. On WFAN's Joe & Evan in the Mid-day, Evan Roberts noted that Cain when asked about tipping his cap after the game originally said something to the effect that "hey, this is New York" alluding to the fact that fans often prey on players and players in turn play to the crowd.
But Roberts went on to say when Can was asked again later about whether or not he tipped his cap on purpose Cain said, "I was just adjusting my cap" and that he wasn't tipping his cap to the crowd.
Now if he was tipping his cap to the Giants fans behind the dugout, then fine, but why not say so? Why change your story? Just come out and say you're a punk and it was probably not the right thing to do. End of story.
I don't care if the Mets don't face Matt Cain for another two seasons. The next time he's up at the plate, he should be put on his back. Then we'll close the case on this one.
The only good thing about this is it gives us something else to be angry with other than this ball club. Kinda nice for a change of pace.
Update 4:15 p.m.
I guess I've confused some people with this post because I say Cain appeared to regret hitting Wright, but then I'm angered by the fact that he tipped his cap. So which body language is correct?
I admit it's difficult to sentence someone for "body language" but I think the second act (a.k.a the hat tip) added to the fact that he's changing his story when asked about why he did what he did that makes me think he showed no regard for hitting Wright. Cain basically wanted to be a punk to the fans and tell them to shut up because he was leaving the game with the lead.
It's just stupid to react to negative fans. No good can come from it. Any action you do is not going to help you in any way. It just adds fuel to the fire. And that's what Cain did.
Updated August 18th, 11:23 a.m.
Thanks to Wendy over at Bleacher Report for updating me with the following: "Bochy, Molina and Cain all called him on Sunday and spoke to him in person yesterday to let him know that they wish him well and that the pitch was not intentional." Looks like Cain isn't as much a punk as I originally thought or is at least making amends. Good to see.
6 comments:
"The hat tip during Saturday's game sealed the deal for me."
This implies that you'd thought he was a class A punk before. As a Giants' fan who sees Cain as very mild mannered and polite, what previous incidents made him a punk before this?
Pat - probably poor sentence structure on my part. What I was trying to express is that when he hit Wright I didn't think he was a punk or it was intentional but the hat tip pushed me over the edge.
Leave it to a Mets fan to turn something innocuous into a morality play.
Matt Cain is a quiet kid from Tennessee who was obviously upset when he hit Wright. The tip of the cap was just as obviously not intended to offend, although it is certainly easy for anybody to misperceive the intent if they choose to do so.
I guess it's easier to turn your attention away from your team's obviously incompetent management than to face the years of walking through the desert that you have to look forward to.
"I guess I've confused some people with this post because I say Cain appeared to regret hitting Wright, but then I'm angered by the fact that he tipped his cap. So which body language is correct?"
Calling someone a "punk" is not confusing.
"it is certainly easy for anybody to misperceive the intent if they choose to do so"
Uh, Katman. You just made my point. And I'm with you on the incompetent management. Anyone who reads this blog knows that so no arguments here.
Katman: "I guess it's easier to turn your attention away from your team's obviously incompetent management than to face the years of walking through the desert that you have to look forward to."
And the Giants last won the World Series when?
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