Kinsler Issues Wave Heard ‘Round DFW

The Texas Rangers have famously spearheaded a campaign in Globe Life Park to stop fans from doing The Wave during games.

Apparently, Ian Kinsler didn't get the message.

Kinsler, of course, was shipped to Detroit in November for Prince Fielder and famously took some shots at the Rangers' front office this winter in a magazine article. He also whined about being asked to be a leader and mentor young players and proclaimed his hope that the Rangers would go 0-162 this season, which obviously was tongue-in-cheek.

But in his return to DFW on Tuesday, in his first at-bat against longtime teammate Colby Lewis, Kinsler sent one of his patented homers over the left field wall, flipped his bat with some gumption and then issued a wave with a smile toward the Rangers dugout as he was trotting down the first base line.

Ron Washington didn't like it, and added in his postgame press conference the gesture "miffed" Lewis.

"I have no comment on that," Washington said. "I keep that between us."

In Kinsler's next at-bat, he popped up and while jogging back to the visitor's dugout exchanged some words with Lewis. Lewis said he was saying "nice to see you again," and Kinsler declined to comment on what was said. Judging by Lewis' facial expression during the exchange, you can draw your own conclusions.

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Kinsler said he was "just having fun" with the wave.

"The dugout. Just saying hi," he told reporters. "It was nothing personal at all, I was having a good time. It was my return home and to get lucky enough to ... have it go over the fence it was a good feeling and I was just having fun. I was just having fun. I wasn't thinking, I was just enjoying the moment and that's what happened."

To be frank, the unwritten codes in baseball are pretty ridiculous and petty. With that said, Kinsler knows those codes and is a part of them, and it probably wasn't in his best judgment to do something that could be seen as taunting to a bunch of guys he was teammates with for years, and to a manager who stuck by his side through thick and thin.

Lewis admitted to being disappointed in Kinsler's gesture.

"It's unfortunate, I feel like it's unfortunate but that’s just me," Lewis told reporters. "I'm not going to sit here and bad-mouth Kins, I really enjoyed Kins and I enjoyed my time playing with him and I enjoyed him as a teammate; disappointed, that’s the word. That’s all. I love Kins, that’s all. I was just disappointed a little bit, that’s all."

Don't expect the Rangers to throw at Kinsler — an unwritten law for breaking unwritten baseball codes — on Wednesday or Thursday, the last time they'll meet this season. But would it shock you, either?

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