Ryan Mountcastle guzzled some H2O through a funnel after hitting a dinger
One of the random fun things about the 2022 Orioles season was the appearance of the home run chain. The team quickly turned its use into a marketing opportunity, adding chain replicas into the team store that you can still buy even now that it’s 2023. The chain ringleaders, Rougned Odor and Robinson Chirinos, are not with the team any more and it seems like this year’s players may have moved on.
In Monday’s game against the Athletics, Ryan Mountcastle blasted a home run that cleared Walltimore, a home run that was exciting both for giving the Orioles the lead in the game as well as for surmounting the fence in a half-inning that saw two other Orioles batters hit pre-Walltimore home runs/current flyouts to the left fielder.
Mountcastle, in the dugout, did… this:
Come for the home run, stay for the celly. pic.twitter.com/WVtTCQYzRy
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 10, 2023
Let’s break it down. This is a device that is instantly recognizable to anyone who engaged in a particular stereotypical part of the American college experience. Instead of beer, it’s a bottle of water being poured into the funnel by someone, I’m not clear who but am assuming a coach. Mountcastle then took some gulps of the water. It’s good to stay hydrated.
On MASN, my honorary cousin Kevin Brown, perhaps uncertain about using the phrase “bong” on air, described the celebration as the “home run funnel” and later as “home run refreshment.” People with the benefit of not having to describe the thing on television on short notice can more directly call it what it clearly is: The home run water bong.
Something tells me they’re not going to be selling that one in the team store any time soon, but who knows? Both the MASN Orioles Twitter account and the Orioles team Twitter account – seen above – rallied quickly to provide a GIF or video of the strange moment. Later in the game, Adley Rutschman also successfully scaled Walltimore and the funnel was once again deployed. This thing might be here for a little while.
What do you think about the home run water bong? Is it stupid? Are you delighted? Do you think that it could stand to have a catchier name than “funnel,” “refreshment,” or “water bong”? Do you think we will ever see it again after tonight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Be nice to anyone who has a different opinion.