Few feelings in baseball parallel that of going yard. When hitters are able to actually get one\u00a0over the fence, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to show emotion, usually in the form of a bat flip. The problem is that sometimes this can cross the line into disrespectful territory, to which opposing teams do not take kindly. The challenge, therefore, is to stay on the respectful side of the fine line separating well-mannered bat flips from impertinent\u00a0ones.<\/p>\n
Part I<\/a>\u00a0explored four major errors hitters make that signify disrespect when flipping their bats: flipping the bat with too much force, flipping the bat with an upward trajectory, staring down the opposing pitcher or dugout, and admiring the dinger. Generally speaking, partaking in any of those four acts is the fastest way to earn a fastball to the ribs in a subsequent\u00a0at-bat.<\/p>\n With that in mind, the\u00a0next step is to take\u00a0a look at some practical examples of both respectful and disrespectful bat flips from MLB games in recent seasons, and break down their key elements. Here are three examples of each:<\/p>\nDisrespectful Bat Flip — Bryce Harper<\/a><\/strong> (Bat Flip at 1:11)<\/h3>\n