Every team will have its own things. It’s own inside jokes that catch on with the fans and players alike. Not all of them will become popular, and most are forgotten immediately following the end of the season, but with the World Series set to begin, we’ve still got two teams going, and each of them brings its own little quirks that you’re going to see on the broadcast. For your convenience, then, what follows is a brief explanation of each, in case you haven’t already picked up on them through the first two rounds of the playoffs.
World Series Help Desk: Claw, Antlers, And Everything Else
The Claw: You'll see this from Rangers players and fans after a big hit. It's intended as a sort of long-distance high five, and it's expected that the player who delivers the big hit will claw the dugout, which will then claw him back. The claw requires that the fingers be curled into a claw-like arrangement, and the arm will generally be raised in a semi-circular motion.
The Antlers: You’ll see this from the Rangers, too. One’s hands are placed on either side of his head, with palms out and thumbs pointing in. Antlers are shown after a hustle play, like a stolen base or scoring from second on a single.
Claw/Antlers shirt: You’re going to see this all over the bleachers in Texas. This is worn by fans who believe the Rangers are in a constant state of hustling and delivering big hits.
The Stooges: As a means of taking accountability, Rangers players will respond to an error or baserunning miscue by running around in the dugout and bopping each other on the head.
The Funny Face: When Rangers infielder Jorge Cantu gets into a game and either makes his first appearance at the plate or play in the field, players in the dugout will put their thumbs in each corner of their mouths and their fingers by each eye so as to make a funny face, acknowledging the fact that Jorge Cantu is spectacularly unattractive.
The Thong: Giants' superstitious first baseman Aubrey Huff has been all about this red thong he started wearing in August for good luck. He has since attempted to distribute similar thongs to his teammates and coaches, with little success.
Torture: “Torture” has become a rallying cry for Giants players and fans since it was used a few months ago to describe their style of play by one of their announcers. It’s unknown whether said announcer is familiar with the definition of the word, as what the Giants have been experiencing lately might be better referred to as “marital bliss”, or “rapture”.
Panda: You'll see a lot of panda signs and hats in the stands at AT&T Park, as beloved infielder Pablo Sandoval was given the nickname 'Kung Fu Panda' by teammate Barry Zito a couple years ago. Less popular are symbols referring to his other nickname, 'Fat Ichiro'.
Running Of The Gimps: Much like Milwaukee's sausage race and D.C.'s presidential race, the middle of the sixth inning at AT&T Park features four physically disabled members of the crowd who attempt to win a race down the right field foul line, done in honor of second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who was born with a club foot.
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