Jose Valverde is my new favorite pitcher

It used to be Sammy Gervacio.  In years past it was David Cone, Pedro Martinez, and Jose Lima.  I harbor an appreciation for Joba's rookie year, and I respect aspects of John Rocker's career.

In an era of the ubiquitous athlete celebration, baseball has carved out a strange entertainment niche where mutual respect and adherence to unwritten rules of conduct are enforced by both managers and players.  You can't watch an NFL running back gain a first down on a six yard off-tackle rush without being subjected to some ridiculous ball flip and giant karate-chop first-down display.  Kobe Bryant will stare down opponent benches after nailing a 3-pointer, hold it for just a second too long, then break a wry grin and start shaking his head.  The message is clear:  I'm the best player in this arena, and you're watching me happen.  Suck it.  Soccer goals are intricately choreographed affairs, involving one or multiple players sliding on knees and/or chests, sometimes with limbs splayed like airplane wings, and frequently involves nudity.  The most exciting thing that can happen in a football game is when TO or Ochocinco score a touchdown and there's five seconds of bated-breath in anticipation of a penalty- or fine-inducing celebration.  Mo Williams dunking on Rajon Rondo will induce incredulous standing, arm-restraining, mouth-gaping, leaping, and fifteen seconds of childlike revelry on the Cavs bench.

In baseball, a pitcher will throw at your head if you watch your homerun a little too long.  Joba Chamberlain caused some of 2009's (or 2008's?) biggest drama because he fist-pumped and howled after a strikeout.  This earned him castigation from the general baseball writer crowd for disrespecting his opponents.  It's ridiculous, but Joba's apparently earned a reputation for showing something called emotion while pumped full of adrenaline in a major sporting event.  Manny Ramirez is often criticized for dramatically watching his homeruns sail over the wall during a slow trot.  Baseball fans should be enjoying the single event that can cause Manny Ramirez to have any kind of noticible reaction to anything baseball-related.

John Rocker cursed himself into a redfaced fury whenever he gave up a run.  Lima and Pedro had reputations for being particularly jeering and animated.  David Cone pitched with a grin, and is to date the only pitcher I've seen give someone else a hotfoot.

Last night, Jose Valverde, the first time I've ever seen him pitch that didn't involve Sportscenter, struck out the side in the 9th inning against the Yankees in a tight 5-4 game when it seemed the Yanks had momentum.  After each strikeout, which involved Swisher, Texeira, and A-Rod, he demonstrated some variety of excitement.  His first performance was a slide-step off the mound, then a breathless squat on the grass as he removed his cap.  The second was a skip and an identical squat.  The last:  Squat, jump, 180 degree leap, double-fist-pump, kick, then some shouting and staring as he greeted his catcher.

I fucking loved it.

I'm sick of these classy robots like Jeter casually grinding out wins, or battered pitchers calmly explaining their bad luck in post-game interviews.  I want to watch players that behave like human beings.  The Tigers just avoided a sweep against baseball's most illustrious team by striking out the 2-3-4 hitters (involving two probable hall-of-famers) in a one-run game at home.  If your closer can't get pumped for that, then your team isn't worth watching.  It makes no sense for the player to get ripped in the baseball press for a behavior dwarfed by what everyone in the stands was doing at that precise moment.  I want to see Madson break his toe against a chair.  I want to see some more water coolers get their shit kicked.  I want to see as much heart going into playing the games as fans put into watching them.