Chicago Cubs

Jake Arrieta reveals the one situation when a bat flip might really upset him

Published Mar. 8, 2017 12:21 p.m. ET

Chris Bahr

Jake Arrieta isn’t completely opposed to bat flips … unless you’re a young hitter who hasn’t exactly earned the right to launch your lumber.

Arrieta was a guest on ESPN Radio in Chicago on Tuesday and explained some of the fine print in one of baseball’s infamous unwritten rules. Arrieta on whether he would be upset about a bat flip after he served up a homer:

“Some of that might have to do with the situation, the magnitude of the game and who was doing the bat flipping. If it’s a young guy, he might not have earned that right yet. Somebody might wear the next one in the ribs.

“But if it’s a guy like [Jose] Bautista, somebody who’s been doing it for a number of years, then you got to tip your cap. Certain guys have earned the right to do that. It’s something that I think the fans enjoy. It just shows some enthusiasm. In big spots like that, there’s so much on the line and sometimes it’s nice to see guys lay loose and let that excitement really show.”