So I generally consider myself an “old school” baseball fan. Maybe a “purist” if you will. But what even is a purist anyway? Just baseball’s version of the old man get off my lawn. A baseball Karen? Maybe that’s a story for a different day.

I grew up watching baseball in the late 90s into the 2000s. The last era that if a guy hucked his bat into the dugout, he or one of his teammates would get a heater to the ribs.

So I’ve been pretty anti-bat flip. Not necessarily anti-fun. But I’ve just been out of the “act like you’ve been there before” camp. And that hasn’t changed a whole lot.

I still think the MLB promotes the bat flips and crazy celebrations way too much. I don’t need to see “The TOP 10 BAT LAUNCHES of 2025.”

And maybe I also just got sick of watching Odubel Herrera bat flap duck fart singles, after fiddling with his batting gloves for 38 seconds in between pitches. (I’m still bothered).

All that to say, this World Baseball Classic has been electric. The games have been exciting. Italy has been a fantastic Cinderella story. The powerhouse U.S. brought some negative attention to themselves, but then battling and fending off another juggernaut in the Dominican.

But the atmosphere has been what this is all about. Even Aaron Judge called the crowd “better than the World Series.” I can see some Yankees fans getting upset over that comment.

It’s the passion that these fans bring to back their country. The cheering, the drums and music, players screaming and running onto the field. And yes BAT FLIPS.

These fans care and these players care. You just cannot fake their emotions. Baseball is king in these countries. Especially the Latin American countries.

When Abreu hit the homer to give Venezuela the lead against Japan the entire dugout absolutely erupted. In the 6th inning.

David Bednar getting out of the 7th inning by getting two big strikeouts, and then jumping off the mound pounding his glove gave me chills.

And all of this is in March. Before the season has even started.

I know this can’t be replicated over a 162 game schedule. And I still wouldn’t like to see Wilyer Abreu’s same reaction in a 6th inning homer in June.

But what can be encouraged is the fans to get more into it. More drums. Maybe teams get a band? Even just once a week. Encourage some rowdiness. Encourage the passion.

Lower the ticket prices. Increase the fan involvement. It would at least be worth a shot to help grow the game. Especially in a places like Miami and Tampa. You know there’s ball fans down there. Get them to the games. Get their kids to get engaged and hooked on baseball.

It could also put some butts in those empty stadiums…

I’m no expert on marketing, but after watching the WBC this year Major League Baseball would be missing out of something if they didn’t at least attempt to implement some more fan rowdiness.