Look I don't want to have a big whine & cheese after the Phillies just beat the Rockies in Colorado in dramatic, late-inning fashion. That series, despite the late start times (Shiraz, anyone?), was amazing. One thing that really bothered me though, was the placement and activity of "Dinger," the Rockies' triceratops mascot during the final frame.
Having grown up watching the greatest mascot of all time in any sport, I have an appreciation for the fun these guys can have if they're really good. Mess with the players and coaches a little? Sure, why not. But, time and place, ya know? Yes, if you can believe it, I'm trying to reason with a purple dinosaur about baseball etiquette. Dinger's antics in the 9th inning of the Phillies' clincher bothered me that much. With Scott Eyre and later Brad Lidge on the mound, Dinger wasn't on top of a dugout or out among the fans. He was directly behind the plate in a nook that looked like it was designed expressly for this purpose.
As if a giant Mario Brothers foe isn't distracting enough for a pitcher—in the 9th inning of a deciding playoff game—he gestured repeatedly and actively tried to throw off the pitchers while they took signs and even during the pitch. Not to get too heavy into the California Cabernet here, but I honestly think either the Rockies management or MLB should step in and ensure it doesn't happen again. It just screams "desperation" and "bush-league tactics," and it could have influenced the key moment in a series. That was obviously the goal, in fact.
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The mascot would waive his "hands," spin his mascot head, and, probably worst of all, crouch down as if stopping because pitch was coming, just to flip his hands at the last second as the pitcher wound up.
Obviously, it didn't shake Eyre or Lidge, both of whom came in and shut down the whimper the Rockies put up in the 9th. This whole post is probably somewhat moot on that point alone. But someone in the Colorado organization told that purple moron to go down there and be comical, for sure, but also to try to distract the Phillies pitcher at the climax of the game. Yes, while the Phillies were belting RBI in the 9th, then closing out the Rockies, the home team was sending in a closer of their own. It likely wasn't the manager, nor the players, nor anyone on the field in any capacity who told a mascot to try to disrupt the pitcher. I'm not blaming Jim Tracy or Tulo, both of whom I'd assume would agree this was a bush league gimmick at a major league moment.
I know, I know. Pour another glass of whine. Your team won, shut up about it. But I really feel like this would have pissed me off just as much had it been between two non-Philly teams. Particularly at a moment like this, neither team/organization should be actively trying to disrupt the players on the field. It's just terrible sportsmanship, and I couldn't be happier that they lost anyway.
The Phanatic may not always be on his best behavior, and a gyrating green monster is probably fairly distracting at any point during play if it's in the players' field of vision. But I can't recall ever having seen the Phanatic line up directly behind the plate at any point in a game—much less the 9th inning in the playoffs. Bush. League. And that's why Dinger is golfing right now and the Phanatic is preparing for the NLCS. Hopefully we don't see him behind the plate in the game 3 telecast...
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To answer a question that may be on your mind—Why is the Rockies' mascot a dinosaur? It's actually a pretty solid reason, at least from what some internet research would indicate to be the reason. When excavating the site that would become Coors Field, the fossil remains of a triceratops were found. That triceratops is probably rolling over in his museum over Dinger's BS though.