Gomez defends HR celebrations: If enjoying baseball is bad, I'm guilty
Known for his colorful antics, Carlos Gomez celebrated after hitting a walk-off no-doubter Sunday, and the Tampa Bay Rays outfielder is defending himself once again.
Immediately after hitting a two-run homer against the Minnesota Twins to give his club an 8-6 victory, Gomez dropped his bat and raised his arms while admiring his game-winning shot. As he rounded the bases, Gomez saluted his own dugout, stuck his tongue out, and whacked his helmet. Then, while approaching his teammates waiting at home plate, Gomez did the infamous Ray Lewis dance.
"If enjoying and having fun in baseball is bad," Gomez told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, "I'm guilty."
Do you think @RealCarlosGomez knew?#RaysWin pic.twitter.com/YrJkNG9CpG
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 22, 2018
The Twins didn't say anything publicly about Gomez's elaborate celebration, though Brian Dozier, Eddie Rosario, and Jose Berrios were recently critical of an opponent for breaking a different unwritten rule: bunting to get on base during a blowout.
"Every day before the game I do the Ray Lewis (dance)," Gomez continued, "so it came to my mind and I did it. ...
"It's something I know a lot of people are talking good about this, that baseball needs more of that. And some people say it's not good."
Gomez added, "I was not trying to disrespect anybody. I was not looking to the other side, not looking at the ball. I was looking at my guys."
If the Twins have something to say about Gomez after the fact, it won't be the first time the outfielder's found himself embroiled in controversy. During his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers, he was involved in bench-clearing brawls against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves.