Sad news today for people who like fun: Yasiel Puig says that he will stop flipping his bat after he gets a nice hit.

“I want to show American baseball that I’m not disrespecting the game," Puig told reporters (via a translator). In the past, Puig has received criticism for his bat-flips from many in the media -- criticism that is just plain dumb, if you ask us. Puig's just having fun out there, something a sport like baseball, which can get mind-numbingly stoic at times, could use more of, not less.

Puig is one of the game's most intriguing, entertaining and talented players. He plays on one of the biggest stages in the country. Bat-flipping is just one aspect of his game that sets him apart from many of his peers, though he's hardly the only one doing it. In fact, as fun as Puig's flips look, he's got nothing on the players from the Korean league.

This sort of individualism and flair can run afoul of certain commentators, generally older sportswriters who for some reason think flipping a bat is some kind of sign of disrespect. How, exactly? Well, no one ever really explains that part. It's apparently one of the many unwritten rules of the game that players -- no matter where they're from, no matter if they grew up playing with a different set of unwritten rules, one in which openly showing one's enthusiasm is encouraged rather than frowned upon -- must learn and follow.

And that's too bad. Baseball is just a game. It's entertainment. A guy tosses his bat aside in an ostentatious manner -- so what? He did it with a smile on his face. Again, we should be asking for more moments like that in the game, not deliberately draining the fun out of it.

Puig did leave the door slightly ajar for future bat-flips, though, given the right circumstances. "If it's a big home run or if I'm frustrated because I couldn't connect in my previous at-bats or if I drive in important runs for my team, I might do it," he said. "You never know. I can't say I won't do it."

We look forward to it.

Yasiel Puig bat flip
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