Cardinals legend puts Christopher Morel on blast in all-time sore loser home run call
![Jul 14, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Christopher Morel (5) reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off of St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge (27) during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports Jul 14, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Christopher Morel (5) reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off of St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Andrew Kittredge (27) during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6679,h_3756,x_0,y_410/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/229/01j2skn9kjbqhxg0zxzq.jpg)
The St. Louis Cardinals entered Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs riding high. They had just swept Chicago in a day-night doubleheader the day before to improve to 50-45 on the year and in sole possession of the second Wild Card spot in the NL.
They were hoping to enter the break with another series win under their belt and a three-game winning streak, but the Cubs refused to let that happen. The Cardinals stormed out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Cubs scored six of the next seven runs to take a 6-3 lead into the eighth inning. As safe as that might seem, no lead is safe with this Cubs bullpen.
Chicago was looking to tack on some insurance runs and did just that. Ian Happ hit a long home run to center field, and on the very next pitch, Christopher Morel hit a hanging slider well over the left field wall. To say he admired it would be an understatement.
"[Christopher Morel's] celebration is a joke. I don't mind saying it at all. I've never seen anything like it... You're a .229 hitter... and you're running around like you're Barry Bonds." - Jim Edmonds
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 14, 2024
On the fan that caught it: "He's also taking up plenty of room out there..." pic.twitter.com/htFXqljWzB
Morel admired it on the swing, was celebrating while running around the bases, and even let out a dab. Not only did Morel's celebration irk Cardinals fans, but Cardinals broadcaster and former player Jim Edmonds was not a fan of it at all.
Jim Edmonds is the biggest sore loser of all by whining about Christopher Morel's home run trot
Did he go over the top? Yeah, probably. Can you blame him though? Happ had given the Cubs some momentum with his home run, and Morel on the very next pitch hit a no-doubter. His home run gave Chicago a five-run lead. Again, with their bullpen, every run counts. At this point of the season, every win counts.
Morel has not had the year he has envisioned, slashing .199/.301/.368 entering the game after his breakout 2023 campaign. He just had arguably his best game of the year, launching his second home run of the day, and gave his team some much-needed insurance on that one swing.
Edmonds should know just how hard it is to hit a baseball, let alone hit it 394 feet over the fence off of a really good reliever in Andrew Kittredge.
The bottom line here is if you don't like it, get him out. Morel would not be celebrating if he struck out in that at-bat as he has done 93 times this season. Instead, Kittredge gave him something he could hit and Morel made no mistake.
We see pitchers celebrating after getting a big out all the time. We see outfielders celebrating when they make unbelievable catches (like Jim Edmonds did several times). Why can't hitters celebrate when they hit a home run? Morel isn't disrespecting the Cardinals, he's pumping himself and his teammates up! It was a big moment! Would he be reacting this way if a Cardinals player hit the home run? I'd find that hard to believe.
Edmonds comes off here as a major sore loser. It's unfortunate that the Cardinals allowed this player Edmonds thinks doesn't belong to beat them. Maybe it's on them to play better rather than worry about how a Cubs player is celebrating. Morel has no reason not to celebrate having a huge day and helping his team pull off a huge win right before the All-Star break.
Let the kids play, and let the kids have fun. This celebration is fun, and something MLB needs to see more of.
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