The Reverse Jose Bautista Staredown

Screencap of Animated Gif courtesy of James_in_TO

Last year he popularized the Jose Bautista Staredown, and apparently the trend must be catching on because people are starting to give it right back in what can only be described as the Reverse Jose Bautista Staredown.

@James_In_TO graciously posted the animated gif from Jose Bautista’s called strike three from the top of the seventh, and after briefly arguing the call, Jose heads back to the dugout but not before Tim McLelland burns a couple of holes into Bautista’s back with his eyes.

Bautista had every right to dispute the call as we can see from the Pitch F/X; pitch one and four were almost at the same location outside, yet pitch five which was even further off the plate was called strike three.

Pitch F/X courtesy of Brooks Baseball

It’s true that Jose Bautista has definitely given the home plate umpires lots of grief over called third strikes this season, and I’m a little shocked somebody hasn’t tossed him out for arguing balls and strikes.

Jose Bautista staredowns are typically reserved for instances when your opponent buzzes a fastball by Bautista’s head, and then in his next at bat he goes yard. But as Tim McLelland has demonstrated, Reverse Jose Bautista staredowns are used when punching out Bautista on called strike three.