Federal Baseball

• WORST HR CELEBRATION BATTLE: Some might have thought it was a joke when they first saw it, like the mythical spinning baseball in the early renderings of Nationals Park. They were wrong. The artist's renderings which came out before the Miami Marlins began to build their new spaceship of a ballpark included what Miami Herald writer Lomi Kriel described at the time as a, "... psychedelic roulette wheel of jumping marlins, diving seagulls and the wild colors." SB Nation writer Grant Brisbee was quoted in that Miami Herald article as well, describing the monstrosity as, "what would happen if Vikings attacked a Gloria Estefan concert by catapulting flamingos and marlins into the pyrotechnics display." Unfortunately for us all, it's actually real and it's fantastic...

The Miami Marlins' HR sculpture is almost complete [there's a video simulation below]. Marlins' owner Jeff Loria's [spits!]™ Red Grooms-created assault on the eyes has been brought to life, begging the question, is it the worst HR-celebration creation amongst NL East rivals? The Nationals have their submarine horn. The "AOOOOGA!" heard each time a National goes yard. It's a nod to their location at the Navy Yard and to the nation's capital's large military population. The New York Mets have their HR apple (The Big Apple, get it! [winks]), which once rose out of what appeared to be an upturned top hat and now just rises of the batter's eye each time a Met hits one over Citi Field's outfield walls. The Philadelphia Phillies have their swinging Liberty Bell which rings for dingers and is of course a nod to the Lester and Pack-designed iconic cracked bell which resides at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The Braves...they have that annoying-a•• HR song...

"They have that tomahawk-chopping cow, but that doesn't have anything to do with home runs," a Braves fan I know said when I brought the topic up recently. "How about you ask," he suggested, "'Which team has the least ostentatious home run celebration?' The Braves are known more for their pitching anyway rather than HR's."

"I though chicks dug the long ball?"

That ended that conversation. Yes, Atlanta would likely win the "least ostentatious" home run celebration contest, but that doesn't mean fans of other NL East teams don't dislike hearing the Braves' HR song blaring over Turner Field's speakers each time Larry "Chipper" Jones or another Brave trots around the bases after yet another Turner Field home run. Give the Braves' song a listen and remind yourself, then check out the rest of the HR-related celebrations and vote below. Which NL East team's HR celebration is the worst? Have the Marlins outdone the competition? The Miami Herald article cited above included a quote by a Miami resident who said the sculpture was enough to make Mike Stanton start bunting to avoid setting the celebration off...So who's got the Worst HR Celebration in the NL East? Don't worry, we'll be back to discussing who'll get that coveted spot on the Nats' bench if they're not comfortable with Lombardozzi tomorrow...

• Atlanta Braves' HR Song:

• New York Mets' HR Apple:

• Washington Nationals' Sub Horn:

• Citizens Bank Park Liberty Bell:

• Miami Marlins' "psychedelic roulette wheel of jumping marlins, diving seagulls and the wild colors" [ed. note - "I wonder which stadium they borrowed the audio of cheering fans from?"]:

• Which NL East Team's HR Celebration Is the Worst?