Jay Payton's middle finger

[cindyluvsbrady]

Well, thanks to Jay Payton, I got to explain to my 5 year old what giving the finger to someone means.

After Payton popped out to second to end the fifth inning, he returned to left field. A fan behind me yelled "Way to get a clutch hit, Payton", at which point Payton put his middle finger against the back of his hat for all to see. This prompted a shout of "Nice PR, Payton", a bunch of commotion from the fans, and the question from my son.

Now, I'm not suggesting I wouldn't have to answer the same question from my son the next time I drive on the Jersey Turnpike. I've also been given the finger by Rickey Henderson (better left fielders than you, Jay Payton!) and was at Memorial Stadium when Bert Blyleven made two obscene gestures while leaving the field.

I've just never seen that from a home player before. Sure, Payton was subtle, more subtle than Doug Jones was a decade ago when he got into it with the fans. But what a classless way to handle himself. It was one comment, for crying out loud. I'm sure it's frustrating to fail with runners in scoring position, but you can't get rabbit ears out there.

For a guy who has talked before about "playing the game the right way" (a way that must involve swinging at every first pitch), he sure didn't seem to care about carrying himself the right way.

Jay was NOT nice!:angryfire:

I am sorry for your experience with your son!

[wickedwitch]

Professional athletes get heckled. It's part of the job, which is unfortunate, but they all should know how to deal with it and not respond like that, especially veterans.

[WildDave]

I was sitting in left field today and I didn't see anything like this going on, so I don't think it was all that big an incident. There wasn't any general uproar or anything.

[Big Mac]

I was sitting in left field today and I didn't see anything like this going on, so I don't think it was all that big an incident. There wasn't any general uproar or anything.

What section were you in?

[WildDave]

What section were you in?

85 and I thought about what point of the game I got up for a hot dog, so I was there at that point.

[Big Mac]

85 and I thought about what point of the game I got up for a hot dog, so I was there at that point.

Well, I was in 80, which is right behind Payton. It wasn't incredibly obvious, over in 85 you wouldn't have noticed it.

He just kind of put his hand behind his hat and flipped the guy off.

There wasn't really a huge uproar just a few people started shouting at him.

[El Gordo]

Jay has being pissing me off this whole season. I have never seen a player i HATE more. I wish he would just go somewhere and rot. He is not a team player at all. We had a lead off double he comes up can't even get the runner over. He thinks hes a right handed version of Griffey. I can't stand seeing him anymore in an O's uni. I felt this way before this thread started but didn't feel like starting a new one for it. In all my years of watching this team. No other player pisses me off than him.

Jay Payton is not alone in this particular failing. I'd say 90% of our team is:angryfire:.

[MNAFETSC]

All this over a subtle middle finger? I could understand the uproar had he done a Jack McDowell.

[MorMarkTej]

I had tickets today right by first base. Adam Jones grounded out with 2 runners on and as soon as soon as he got to first base he yelled "F***" at the top of his lunges for everyone to hear.

Lets jump on him also... Oh thats right, since he is our future star its okay for him to do but not our aging outfielder.

[Mike B]

(Sigh) did anyone else actually see Jay give the finger here? Or are we all just jumping on the OH whipping boy?

Very good point.

[blueberryale77]

I just Hate everything thing the Man stands for. Hes just a wast of life. His behavior and personality is just disgusting. Hes a first class A HOLE. I was there when he hit the Grand Slam ealier this year and even then i hated him. And no one here should ever feel like backing up this dumb person who thinks he is GOD.

All I can say to this is, "Jay Payton looks a lot better when he's not wearing a baseball uniform." :mwahaha:

[cindyluvsbrady]

All I can say to this is, "Jay Payton looks a lot better when he's not wearing a baseball uniform." :mwahaha:

LOL!!!

[blueberryale77]

I had tickets today right by first base. Adam Jones grounded out with 2 runners on and as soon as soon as he got to first base he yelled "F***" at the top of his lunges for everyone to hear.

Lets jump on him also... Oh thats right, since he is our future star its okay for him to do but not our aging outfielder.

Never mind that swearing at yourself in the heat of the moment because you're upset with your performance is slightly less mean-spirited than directing a gesture at another person. Anyway, it's not that the one act by Payton was so terrible... it's just that he does so many little annoying things and he's not a good enough player to make up for it. Tike Redman could do his job just as well and radiate sunshine all over the clubhouse while doing it.

[24fps]

IMO, the argument isn't whether or not the loudmouth deserved it. Most of us will probably agree he did. It's about acting like a professional. I don't know many people who can go to their job and start giving people the finger.

I don't expect athletes to act like angels, but they should act like professionals when they are on "company time". If this happened at a nightclub, I really wouldn't care.

If I were management and had proof of this, I would definitely give him a fine. Nothing monumental, just something to let him know that its not acceptable behavior.

Well said. It really doesn't have to be any more complicated than this. It's a small thing, but even so, there's no excuse for this behavior.

[oriole_way]

1. I don't condone what Jay Payton did. I agree that it's unprofessional.

2. That said, I thought that the opening poster's point was that it was wrong mostly because he was upset that his 5 year old son saw it and now he had to explain the meaning of this gesture to him. To that I would say if a parent feels that strongly about something like this, then he/she shouldn't take their son to a sporting event. Inevitably, you're going to hear someone (player or fan) shout an expletive or see someone use a vulgar gesture. Unless you live in a bubble, almost every kid is eventually going to be exposed to this kind of stuff.