Much has been said recently about the Los Angeles Dodgers and their level of sportsmanship following their playoff-clinching game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On Thursday, the Dodgers received criticism from baseball fans and public figures like Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) for celebrating in the Diamondbacks’ swimming pool at Chase Field.
McCain tweeted that it was a “no-class act by a bunch of overpaid, immature, arrogant spoiled brats. The Dodgers are idiots.”
Diamondbacks infielder Willie Bloomquist added to McCain’s comments by saying the Dodgers “have a lot of veteran guys on that team that I though were classier than that.”
Although some may believe celebrating in another team’s swimming pool is unsportsmanlike, the Dodgers meant no harm.
The event was as innocent as swimming in the pool, giving each other high-fives and taking funny pictures.
If people are to be held responsible for the incident, it should be the Diamondbacks executives.
According to the Los Angeles Times, some Diamondbacks team officials pre-emptively warned the Dodgers not to celebrate on the field after celebrating in the dugout.
Why warn a team to not celebrate on the field if they haven’t expressed any desire to?
Diamondbacks executives planted the seed in the minds of most Dodger players to celebrate on the field.
Another important note is that the Dodgers waited to celebrate on the field until most of the Diamondbacks fans had left.
Still, this decision upset Diamondbacks upper management.
“I could call it disrespectful and classless, but they don’t have a beautiful pool at their old park [Dodger Stadium],” Diamondbacks President Derrick Hall told the LA Times.
Regardless of any Dodger explanation, the Diamondbacks will believe what they want to believe.
After many sources picked up the story, much negative attention and focus has been placed on the Dodgers.
Instead of talking about the Dodgers’ dramatic turnaround from a record of 30-42 to 89-66, others have focused solely on this incident.
If the Dodgers meant any ill-will toward the Diamondbacks — of which there is no evidence — then it is likely a result of an ongoing rivalry between the two teams.
According to AP, an incident erupted between both teams in June when Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy hit Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke with a pitch.
The drilling led to a bench-clearing brawl that ultimately resulted in eight suspensions, according to the AP.
Following the incident, Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Eaton said “what goes around, comes around,” according to the AP.
In that sense, Eaton is right. The unnecessary bad blood held by the Diamondbacks over this celebratory incident will likely carry over to next spring.
Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor at the Daily 49er.