Joba and the fans, too emotional

What is all the hoopla over Joba Chamberlain pumping his fist in the Bronx yesterday? Was it wrong? Yes. But not to the point where it’s topic #1 on everyone’s lips. We are just fickle folk here in New York. Fans bash Eli Manning for NOT being fiery. The Giants win the Super Bowl, he’s a hero. In ’96, Joe Torre was a steady influence for the Yanks. In 2007, since the Yanks hadn’t won a World Series in 7 years, he was too soft.

I’m all for showing emotion -when it’s warranted and IF that is the personality of the person involved. So, in Joba’s case, that really is ‘Joba being Joba.’ I DISAGREE with the timing. Let’s review:

Tuesday night, David Dellucci takes Chamberlain deep with two on. A potential 3-2 Yankee loss turns into a 5-3 Indians win. Joba is near tears and pulling his hair out in the dugout. It’s one of the few times the kid has failed in the big leagues. He has had a tough time this season off the field, as dad Harlan recovers from illness. Not many of us have our private lives made public. Fewer still have our mental state analyzed on radio and TV: “How will Harlan’s health issues influence Joba’s performance? Let’s go to Billy in Hoboken and see what he has to say…”

Now, when Joba strikes out a guy with a game on the line or wraps up a game by giving Mo Rivera a night off, I have NO issue with the fist pump and celebration. You won-great. Yesterday, though, striking out Dellucci in a 6-3 game with nobody aboard-there was no reason to do that. It’s showing up another guy or team-like when Terrell ran to the Cowboys’ star at Texas Stadium several years ago. That was over the top-and that’s what I’m getting at. Lastings Milledge hi fifing fans after a GAME TYING homer-I have a problem there-and the Mets LOST that game. It’s saying, “Hey, look at ME” instead of, “Wow, we’re back in this game.” Had Milledge WON the game, I’d be the first guy along the rail with a pump fist.

Point is the players on the field, who are there every day and learn about various personalities-they KNOW when it’s called for. So Dellucci was right: the game was pretty much decided anyway. Joba should have just taken the congrats in the dugout and left things at that. I WILL though, give Joba some benefit of the doubt. As I said, his father comes first, and he isn’t used to failure. Chamberlain says he doesn’t plan to change.

He SHOULDN’T change -just learn the proper etiquette on the field.