Joe Maddon Concludes Yunel Escobar Did Nothing Wrong

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon says that after reviewing video from yesterday afternoon’s game and having a conversation with shortstop Yunel Escobar, he doesn’t think that Escobar did anything wrong, and he is right.

“He did nothing wrong,” Maddon said.

Escobar, made a gesture after hitting a home run Monday, slashing his arms in an exaggerated safe signal as he crossed home plate.

After the game Maddon commented, “I love him on this team. I love him in the clubhouse. I love everything about this young man,” Maddon said (TBO.com), “but I still want to talk to him about the reaction after the home run, and I’m certain you’re not going to see that again.”

Finally some semblance of common sense. Escobar’s celebrating after a home run  really isn’t all that different than say a closer Rafael Soriano ripping his shirt out after  recording the last out,  or yet another closer Fernando Rodney shooting an imaginary arrow after a save. The Rays themselves have taken to shooting  imaginary arrows towards their dugout after a base hit.

Maddon added “He did nothing wrong. People that want to say that he did, that’s a fabrication on somebody’s part based on your own personal judgements, period. He did nothing wrong yesterday.”