Reds’ Castellanos upset with suspension
When Nick Castellanos went to dinner after Sunday’s game, the waiter at the restaurant showed Castellanos the background on his phone.
The background?
Castellanos flexing over St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jake Woodford when he scored on a wild pitch in the second game of the season. Castellanos was suspended two games for his actions in that photo, shouting, “Let’s (expletive) go” because it led to the benches clearing and some shoving around home plate. Castellanos never made contact with another player.
The suspension was upheld Monday after an appeal process.
Health and safety protocols were cited as the reason Castellanos’ suspension was upheld. The agreement between the league and players’ union says, “prohibitions against unsportsmanlike conduct will be strictly enforced to prevent unnecessary physical contact and support physical distancing between individuals on the playing field.”
“They kept on saying safety and health protocols, and super-spreader events,” Castellanos said. “I don’t know, a lot of legal stuff. I’m very happy that I’m not a lawyer because that seems exhausting.”
Castellanos and his representatives argued that he wasn’t disrespecting anybody else; he was just fired up trying to help his team win.
“All of my energy was just focused on winning baseball games, that’s it,” Castellanos said. “That was pretty much our case. I don’t really know how else to describe it. I wasn’t out here trying to provoke anybody to figh.
“If I’m playing kickball or something with my friends or brother in my neighborhood, similar things would happen. It is what it is, man.”
Major League Baseball has ad campaigns, including “Let the kids play,” that celebrate the emotions in the sport. Castellanos noted it’s been a part of the sport forever, “Kirk Gibson was pretty fired up hitting that walk-off.”
Is it contradictory to highlight emotions in dramatic moments to promote the sport, but then suspend Castellanos?
“From my perspective, yes,” Castellanos said. When Castellanos was asked whether he needed to tone down his emotions in light of his suspension, he responded that it was a tough question.
“Obviously, I really take pride in being myself,” he said, “but I also do not like being fined and suspended. So I guess in anything, there needs to be a balance.”