Alex Gordon leaves coach Mike Jirschele hanging after home run

Home run celebration shenanigans are nothing new in MLB.

For example, when a rookie connects for his first career big fly, more times than not he’ll be greeted in the dugout with complete and utter silence as his teammates purposely ignore his presence or the significance of the moment. Sometimes his teammates even clear the dugout, leaving him alone to share the moment with no one in particular.

It’s a form of hazing, though obviously harmless in nature. It’s really just an unofficial welcome to the big leagues, which all players strive to earn.

What we saw on Wednesday night in Minnesota was nothing like that however. In fact, in this case it was a veteran, Alex Gordon of the Kansas City Royals, who hit the home run and then got one over on his third base coach Mike Jirschele.

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After connecting on a three-run first-inning home run off Minnesota’s Kyle Gibson, Gordon rounded third and extended his hand to Jirschele as every batter does. However, Gordon pulled back and left his coach hanging right there on live TV.

It’s the old “down low, too slow” routine in baseball. Which really isn’t too far off Ric Flair’s old wrestling routine where he’d extend his hand to a fan or opponent and then pull it back, run it through his hair and cap it with the customary “Woo!”

Gordon didn’t woo — that we know of — but it was still an unexpected heelish move that we can all appreciate.

Though as Micah Peters of USA Today’s For The Win indicates, perhaps it wasn’t unexpected. Afterall, it was Jirschele who held up Gordon during Game 7 of the World Series last season, leading to what if debates that likely still exist in Kansas City.

Seriously though, we don’t think a professional like Gordon would hold a grudge for that. If he did, there are several other wrestling holds that would have served as more effective retribution.

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