{{Short description|Baseball flourish}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}} thumb|upright|A baseball bat rotating in the air as the result of a bat flip In baseball, a '''bat flip''' is the throwing of a baseball bat after a hit so that it travels an unusual distance or rotates more than once before landing. It is typically done by a batter to show off after hitting a home run, and contrasts with the usual practice of simply dropping the bat as the batter begins running to first base.
==Asia and Latin America== Bat flipping is popular in Asian and Latin American baseball leagues.<ref name="akeh">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/16/sports/baseball/bat-flip-bautista-blue-jays.html|title=Baseball reaches a flipping point|last=Keh|first=Andrew|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 15, 2015|access-date=November 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022161250/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/16/sports/baseball/bat-flip-bautista-blue-jays.html|archive-date=October 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In South Korea, the bat flipping tradition dates to the 1990s,<ref name="ESPN-LettingGo-Oct2016">{{cite news|last1=Kimes|first1=Mina|title=The Art of Letting Go: The great Korean bat flip mystery|url=http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/17668845/korean-bat-flip|access-date=4 October 2016|work=ESPN.com|date=October 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005062036/http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/17668845/korean-bat-flip|archive-date=October 5, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and has become increasingly frequent in the Korea Baseball Organization.<ref name=keh>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/03/sports/baseball/bat-flipping-draws-shrugs-in-south-korea-but-scorn-in-america.html|title=Bat flipping draws shrugs in South Korea but scorn in America|last=Keh|first=Andrew|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 2, 2015|access-date=November 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101055128/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/03/sports/baseball/bat-flipping-draws-shrugs-in-south-korea-but-scorn-in-america.html|archive-date=November 1, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ESPN-LettingGo-Oct2016"/> It is not considered disrespectful and there is no retaliation in the Korean League. In the Korean language, bat flips are referred as {{Transliteration|ko|ppa-dun}} ({{langx|ko|빠던}}), a portmanteau of the first syllables of the words for "bat" and "throw".<ref name=keh /><ref name="ESPN-LettingGo-Oct2016"/> The practice is also common in Japan and Taiwan.<ref name=keh />
==Canada and the United States== In Canada and the United States, bat flips have traditionally been considered rude and inconsistent with baseball etiquette.<ref name=keh /> Traditional etiquette and the unwritten rules of baseball espouse humility and discourage actions that may be interpreted as arrogant or showing up the opponents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thebaseballcodes.com/tag/bat-flipping/|title=On the benefits of embracing the moment, or: Not all bat flips are created equal|last=Turbow|first=Jason|publisher=The Baseball Codes|date=October 15, 2015|access-date=November 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115012346/http://thebaseballcodes.com/tag/bat-flipping/|archive-date=November 15, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Torii Hunter, a retired Major League Baseball player and fan of bat flips in Korean baseball, has said that a player throwing a bat in such a manner during a game in the United States would likely face retaliation in a subsequent at bat, such as being hit by a pitch.<ref name=keh /> In April 2015, Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig said that he would flip his bat less frequently because he wanted "to show American baseball that [he's] not disrespecting the game."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-yasiel-puig-cut-bat-flips-20150414-story.html|title=Dodgers' Yasiel Puig wants to cut down on bat flips|last=Hernandez|first=Dylan|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 14, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118201447/http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-yasiel-puig-cut-bat-flips-20150414-story.html|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
However, bat flips can also be seen as creative<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ranking the greatest bat flips in history|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/greatest-baseball-bat-flips|website=MLB.com|access-date=2025-11-28|language=en}}</ref> and exciting <ref>{{Cite web|title=Shohei Ohtani's bat flip might be the breaking point for baseball boomers|url=https://fansided.com/mlb/shohei-ohtani-s-bat-flips-might-be-the-breaking-point-for-baseball-boomers-01k8m7ymevz0|website=FanSided|date=2025-10-28|access-date=2025-11-28|language=en-US}}</ref> There has also been criticism of criticism about bat flips given how they are often celebrated by leagues for promotional purposes.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Father Of Suspended Little League Star Marco Rocco Speaks Out|url=https://thespun.com/mlb/father-of-suspended-little-league-star-marco-rocco-speaks-out|work=The Spun|access-date=2025-11-28|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250725040822/https://thespun.com/mlb/father-of-suspended-little-league-star-marco-rocco-speaks-out|archive-date=2025-07-25|language=en}}</ref>
===José Bautista bat flip=== During Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto outfielder José Bautista executed what Andrew Keh of ''The New York Times'' described as possibly "the most ostentatious bat flip in MLB history" after hitting a go-ahead, three-run home run off Rangers relief pitcher Sam Dyson.<ref name="akeh" /> The benches would clear twice in that inning after the home run. Bautista was criticized for the bat flip, which he attributed to a failure to understand differences in cultural backgrounds of players, which he said was unplanned and was "caught up in the emotion of the moment".<ref name="Bautista">{{cite web|url=http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jose-bautista-bat-flip/|title=Are you flipping kidding me?|last=Bautista|first=José|author-link=José Bautista|others=The Players' Tribune staff|publisher=The Players' Tribune|date=November 9, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117050001/http://www.theplayerstribune.com/jose-bautista-bat-flip/|archive-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> He said he "didn't plan it. It just happened", and that he was "caught up in the emotion of the moment" when he flipped the bat.<ref name="Bautista" /> Emotions among players and fans had already been high prior to Bautista's bat flip, as earlier in that inning a routine toss from the Toronto catcher back to the pitcher unintentionally struck the bat of Texas's Shin-Soo Choo which allowed Rougned Odor to run home to score the go-ahead run, causing an 18 minutes delay as angry home fans tossed beer cans and garbage onto the field while video review overturned the call on the field and permitted Odor's score.<ref name="meme">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/jose-bautista-defends-bat-flip-1.3314865|title=Jose Bautista says bat flip flap down to 'gap' between Dominican and North American players|publisher=CBC News|date=November 12, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116170128/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/jose-bautista-defends-bat-flip-1.3314865|archive-date=November 16, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
The Bautista bat flip became an internet meme.<ref name="meme" /> Fans posted numerous responses to the event on Twitter, and shared videos on Vine and other social media websites and mobile apps.<ref name="akeh" /> It was etched onto jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://m.es.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/10/18/154853842/jose-bautistas-bat-flip-is-now-a-jack-o-lantern|title=Jose Bautista's bat flip is now Halloween-ready as a jack-o'-lantern|last=Clair|first=Michael|publisher=Cut4 (Major League Baseball)|date=October 18, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118221053/http://m.es.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/10/18/154853842/jose-bautistas-bat-flip-is-now-a-jack-o-lantern|archive-date=November 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> printed on T-shirts and Christmas sweaters,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/texas-rangers/headlines/20151015-scare-rangers-fans-at-halloween-with-new-jose-bautista-bat-flip-t-shirt.ece|title=Scare Rangers fans at Halloween with new Jose Bautista bat flip T-shirt|newspaper=The Dallas Morning News|date=October 15, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117121349/http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/texas-rangers/headlines/20151015-scare-rangers-fans-at-halloween-with-new-jose-bautista-bat-flip-t-shirt.ece|archive-date=November 17, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/joey-to-the-world-bautistas-bat-flip-gets-christmas-sweater/|title=Joey to the World: Bautista's bat-flip gets Christmas sweater|last=Singh|first=David|publisher=Sportsnet|date=25 November 2015|access-date=26 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229221253/http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/joey-to-the-world-bautistas-bat-flip-gets-christmas-sweater/|archive-date=February 29, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and was also the subject of a thigh tattoo for an Oshawa, Ontario man.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2015/10/16/toronto-tattoo-artist-immortalizes-jose-bautista-bat-flip.html|title=Toronto tattoo artist immortalizes Jose Bautista bat flip|last=Kestler-D'Amours|first=Jillian|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=October 16, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119035122/http://www.thestar.com/sports/2015/10/16/toronto-tattoo-artist-immortalizes-jose-bautista-bat-flip.html|archive-date=November 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.durhamregion.com/sports-story/6033390-oshawa-man-has-no-regrets-about-jose-bautista-bat-flip-tattoo/|title=Oshawa man has no regrets about Jose Bautista bat flip tattoo|last=Szekely|first=Reka|newspaper=Oshawa This Week|publisher=Metroland Media Group|date=October 23, 2015|access-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025172617/http://www.durhamregion.com/sports-story/6033390-oshawa-man-has-no-regrets-about-jose-bautista-bat-flip-tattoo/|archive-date=October 25, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> It was commemorated on a Topps 2016 Series 1 baseball card.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jose-bautista-bat-flip-topps-card-1.3432774|title=Jose Bautista's bat flip commemorated on Topps baseball card|publisher=CBC News|date=3 February 2016|access-date=26 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303064437/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jose-bautista-bat-flip-topps-card-1.3432774|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> A corn maze in the Canadian province of New Brunswick was designed with the likeness of the Bautista bat flip.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/joey-bats-bat-flip-is-memorialized-in-a-canadian-cornfield-c198820618 | title=The Joey Bats Bat Flip has now been memorialized in a Canadian cornfield | publisher=MLB | date=August 31, 2016 | access-date=September 10, 2016 | last=Monagan | first=Matt | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914014906/http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/08/31/198820618/joey-bats-bat-flip-is-memorialized-in-a-canadian-cornfield | archive-date=September 14, 2016 | url-status=live }}</ref>
The bat flip fueled the rivalry between Toronto and Texas. Presumably in retaliation for the bat flip, Texas pitcher Matt Bush hit Bautista with a pitch in the eighth inning of a game on May 15, 2016.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2016-05-15 |title=Bad blood: Odor socks Bautista to set off brawl |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/15554767/texas-rangers-rougned-odor-lands-punch-face-toronto-blue-jays-jose-bautista-brawl |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Shortly after being hit by the pitch, Bautista made a late, hard slide (the variety of which had been made illegal after a separate incident during a National League Division Series game in the same postseason as the bat flip) into Texas second baseman Rougned Odor.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Rymer |first=Zachary D. |title=Rougned Odor Landed the Punch, but Jose Bautista Deserves Strong Punishment Too |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2640613-rougned-odor-landed-the-punch-but-jose-bautista-deserves-strong-punishment-too |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> Odor took exception to the slide and shoved Bautista.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=A year later, Rougned Odor has not allowed Jose Bautista punch to define him as a player |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/ml/a-year-later-rougned-odor-has-not-allowed-jose-bautista-punch-to-define/2324028/ |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref> Bautista stepped toward Odor and appeared to cock his arm, whereupon Odor punched Bautista in the face knocking his glasses and helmet off.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":22">{{Cite web |date=2016-05-17 |title=The 21 funniest memes from Rangers-Blue Jays brawl, including Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2016/05/17/the-21-funniest-memes-from-rangers-blue-jays-brawl-including-donald-trump-and-bernie-sanders/ |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref> Odor received an eight-game suspension (later reduced to seven) and Bautista was suspended one game. Like the bat flip, images of the punch stoked an internet meme.<ref name=":22" /> Fans posted numerous images and references on Twitter, Vine, Reddit, and other social media websites.<ref name=":22" /> Odor has declined to sign images of the punch.<ref name=":22" /><ref name=":3" />
The two teams faced each other in the ALDS again in 2016, and the Blue Jays won in a 3-game sweep; in Game 1 Bautista hit a three-run home run and then emphatically slammed down the bat in celebration.
== Cricket == In cricket, the term bat flip refers to the tossing of a bat, instead of a coin, to decide which of the 2 teams in a match will be given the option to decide whether it wants to bat or bowl first.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11577021/bat-flip-to-replace-coin-toss-in-this-winters-big-bash-in-australia|title=Bat flip to replace coin toss in this winter's Big Bash in Australia|website=Sky Sports|language=en|access-date=2018-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224025417/https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11577021/bat-flip-to-replace-coin-toss-in-this-winters-big-bash-in-australia|archive-date=December 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/46511774|title=Big Bash League: Bat flip to replace coin toss for 2018-19|date=2018-12-10|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-12-23|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225021257/https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/46511774|archive-date=December 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, instead of calling "heads" or "tails", the player calling the toss will call "hills" or "flats" depending on which side of the bat they think will land facing up (i.e., the flat side of the bat or the raised side of the bat).
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{youTube|-UdsVO7HaJg|José Bautista's 2015 ALDS bat flip}} *[https://www.mlb.com/cut4/get-ready-for-the-50-greatest-bat-flips-of-all-time-c264954294 Get ready for the 50 greatest bat flips of all time], which includes Bautista's bat flip *[https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/17668845/korean-bat-flip Korean bat flip] {{portal bar|Baseball}}
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{{Toronto Blue Jays}}
Category:Baseball culture Category:Batting (baseball) Category:Throwing