Dallas Braden: Green Collar Hero

Amen to DB for ferociously taking on the great jerk A-Rod.  We hate to use this term, but A-Rod is a dbag.  And Braden is the best, craziest, A's-iest gamer out there.  We just couldn't love him anymore than we do right now.

Go Oakland!  Go Braden!

Comments

[HoHoOAD]

Some must-read links on the situation:

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/04/22/dallas-braden-to-a-rod-this-is-my-house/

http://itsaboutthemoney.net/archives/2010/04/23/unwritten-or-not-arods-response-was-wrong/

A-Rod is a prissy, patronizing, numbers-obsessed horsemuffin (a word used by Bob Feller in a great print interview a few months back).

I wasn't lucky enough to witness this great game, but a Yankees fan I know had front row seats facing the Yanks dugout. He confirms that not a single Yankee budged out of the dugout as Braden was yelling at A-Rod and A-Rod dismissively waved back at him. Are they fed up with his antics and chain of baseball etiquette violations (the glove slap, the hollering at the Blue Jay trying to catch a pop-up, etc...)?

Braden is not some hot head (Zambrano) prone to volcanic eruptions...he is classy on the field and doesn't call out teammates (Lackey) nor throw fits about umps or make gestures, etc...sad that the media is emphasizing the cup-kicking and glove throwing and not his measured comments after the game.

I'm just thrilled that the young A's have an emerging on-field leader. Chavey is too much of a beta male, and Ellis is too quiet for the job.

Braden: Stockton's favorite son.

[Oakland Si]

I love Dallas Braden.

[themacinator]

i wish i could see the video :(

we were behind home plate and couldn't see braden- it sure seemed like arod was making a big scene. even if braden was in the wrong (and i sure don't think he was!) i will never ever take the side of a yankee. you tell him, braden.

[gyfs]

Yankee fans do get annoyed with A-Rod but in this situation it has nothing to do with him walking over the mound. It was the dismissive hand gesture and post-game comments about Braden's number of wins that was annoying. A-Rod should have just said he's not sure why Braden was mad but he's sorry if he offended him. This will certainly be unpopular here but Braden's reaction was way over the top. He acted like a child and even more like a dbag than A-Rod.

[HoHoOAD]

What about Braden's reaction was so allegedly dbaggy? That he barked at A-Rod as he walked off the field? All he did was say "stay off my f***ing mound". He didn't get in A-Rod's face or start a fight or throw at a guy the next inning, etc... Yes, he kicked a stack of gatorade cups and threw his mitt onto the bench, but that doesn't seem too extreme. The only downside to Braden's reaction was that he showed that A-Rod "got into his head". Had he only barked at A-Rod, and nothing more, he woulda looked like a more cool customer. However, I can't argue with the results of his fired-up reaction. He ended the inning on 1 pitch after the mound-crossing and is now the most recognizable guy on the team. I bet you anything that the average baseball player now holds him up as a hero for upholding the etiquette of the game and for taking a stand against A-Rod's cluelessness/self-absorption. Maybe Braden went a touch too far in his comments in post-incident interviews, but he didn't say anything as offensive as A-Rod's "handful of wins" comments. Braden is an articulate, funny, compelling guy, and I chalk up any oddball comments to him being a lefty. In the end, net positive for Braden and the A's, net negative for A-Hole.

[MoMoney]

A-Bag is nothing more than an annoying horsemuffin slimeball. Its got EVERYTHING to do with him walking over the sacred mound, his dismissive hand gesture just proves he's a narcissistic scumbag, all he needed to do to top the wave off, is pop his collar and brush the dirt off his shoulder, class act that A-Bag. His smug comments after the game just cement the fact that he is pathetic.
Dallas Braden is a bulldog!!
Go A's!!

[MoMoney]

Green collar HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think its Braden's year!!!

[Oakland Si]

yes you can love him more. He is one of only 19 pitchers in all of MLB history to throw a perfect game! And he did it on Mother's Day and had his grandma there to see it!