The KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) is a different style of baseball than MLB. While the basic rules are the same, Korean baseball has a few select differences, including the widespread acceptance of bat flips.

Those bat flips are drawing significant attention now that KBO games are being broadcast across the US on ESPN. American baseball fans are accustomed to a game in which “showing up your opponent” is frowned upon, and in which the unwritten rules dictate that bat flipping warrants retribution from the pitcher. As a result, most cannot fathom an entire league condoning such behavior.

I was curious about KBO bat flips, and after watching several highlight reels on YouTube, I realized that MLB fans had been looking at the issue the wrong way.

Major League Baseball should follow the KBO’s example and embrace the art of the bat whip.

That’s right, not just a flip, but the whip. Whip it good.

Let me explain.

The History of the Korean Bat Flip

Before I distinguish between the different styles of bat flip, let me fill you in on the history of the practice in South Korea.

As detailed by ESPN’s Mina Kimes in her excellent 2016 article “The Art of Letting Go,” the origins of Korean bat flipping are difficult to trace. One theory is that because baseball was introduced to the country by the Japanese during their occupation, Koreans initially employed the practice as an act of rebellion against the discipline-oriented Japanese. Then, in the 1990s, a player named Yang Jun-hyuk became a star in the KBO, in part because he rejected Japanese baseball’s emphasis on modesty. 

Yang brought unprecedented power to the KBO, as well as a swagger that redefined how the sport was played in South Korea. The slugger not only flipped the bat when he homered; he also raised his arms straight in the air like a referee making a touchdown sign. Yang’s success paved the way for other South Korean ballplayers to perform such acts on a regular basis. Today, bat flips are so common in the KBO that most players are surprised when outsiders take offense.

There are unwritten rules in the KBO, but bat flipping does not violate any of them. South Korean pitchers do not take offense to bat flips, because those flips are not in any way directed toward them, or even related to pitching itself. The South Korean bat flip is a gesture celebrating the athleticism of the hitter, not commenting on the battle between the teams. Some hitters flip their bat without much thought, while others relish pumping up the crowd and giving the fans something extra to enjoy.

Two Styles of Bat Flip: The Whip and the Toss

Reviewing highlight reels of the KBO’s best bat flips convinced me that these celebrations should also become a fixture in Major League Baseball. However, MLB players should only practice one style of bat flip when they wish to avoid offending their opponent.

You see, when we talk about “bat flips,” we’re really discussing two distinct styles of bat release: the bat whip and the bat toss. The whip, like its Korean counterpart, is celebratory. The toss, well, that’s the best way to clear the benches.

Whip It Good

The bat whip is the style of choice in South Korea. As demonstrated by the video below, Korean players tend to release the bat almost immediately after making contact. The bat maintains its own momentum, and thus, its trajectory is determined by the speed, direction, and the rotation of the bat. The batter adds no additional energy into the bat, nor does he stop its momentum and restart it. He may change the trajectory of the bat, but only within the natural flow of the momentum of the swing.

For an outstanding example of a whip from MLB, check out the first career home run by the late José Fernández. Sure, Fernandez admired the flight of his homer, but the way he disposed of the bat should not be considered showboating. That’s because the bat’s flight was the result of natural swing momentum, and Fernandez did not in any way toss it in the air.

The following home run from Logan Morrison also epitomizes the bat whip. It should be classified as such because Morrison immediately releases the bat and it flies as a natural extension of his swing. It’s wild, but not aggressive. It adds excitement, but is in no way an affront to the pitcher.

Toss Off, Mate

If the bat whip is the polite way to flip your bat, the bat toss is the much ruder, “in your face” approach. Unlike the whip, the toss is intended to send a message. Think of it this way: the toss is the grand-scale representation of flipping the bird at the pitcher or opposing team. The toss is that “mic drop” moment, a statement made waiting for response.

In a bat toss, after making contact with the ball, the player slows down or even stops the natural momentum of the bat. He then, usually after looking at the ball or pitcher, releases the bat in a totally new direction. He tosses the bat away; the bat does not fly out of his hands on his own.

If the bat flies on its own, it’s a whip. If the batter deliberately launches the bat, it’s a toss.

Take this 2019 home run from Bryce Harper, for instance. If bat tosses are about picking a fight, then it only makes sense that Harper is the current master tosser. In the former National’s first game back in D.C. since signing with the division rival Phillies, Harper was bombarded with boos and derisive messages from disgruntled home fans.

That night, Harper silenced his haters with a home run and subsequent bat flip. His release of the bat should be labeled a “toss” because he intentionally tossed the bat aside as a message to the fans. This demonstrates that a bat toss can be both rude and justified. The bat toss is a tool, used to send messages, and when a play needs to make a point, the toss gives him a clear way to do so.

Another example  of a toss is José Bautista’s controversial bat flip from the 2015 postseason. This is clearly a toss because Bautista launched the bat as a point of emphasis. His point was made and everyone understood that it was a statement about winning, not artistry.

And, for an ideal side-by-side comparison of the whip and toss, look no further than this video of the legendary Rickey Henderson. The first home run concludes in a whip, a natural development in Henderson’s follow-through, signifying his excitement at the hit (0:39 in video below). The second ends in a toss, as Henderson pauses before tossing the bat to the ground (1:41 in below video). In this second example, he has now proven his dominance, and his bat flip shows once and for all that he owned the batter’s box that day.

Searle’s Final Say

Bat whips have given KBO an added element that electrifies fans. When it returns from its current hiatus, Major League Baseball should wholeheartedly embrace that style of bat release. Of course, there are limits to how far one should whip a bat, but the KBO videos show that the practice of bat whips can be both safe and thrilling – and that’s exactly what we want out of 2020 baseball, right?

The game’s unwritten rules have long prevented MLB players from engaging in certain celebratory antics for fear of reprisal. By making bat whips an acceptable practice, pitchers can differentiate between hitters looking to send a message and those simply trying to pump up the crowd. Pitchers in the KBO do not take offense to whips because the intent behind them is understood. If the bat whip becomes commonplace in Major League Baseball, pitchers can simply shrug them off rather than responding with a beanball. Benches would not need to clear because no offense was meant.

Can you imagine a season where Aaron Judge releases his bat after every bomb? How about a bat spinning off to the side every time Yelli or Belli blasts a grand slam? It doesn’t even have to be a home run – imagine Jeff McNeil leaving a bat whipping behind him as he sprints to first on a dirty slap-dash single. How glorious would a Mike Trout game-winner be if he could whip the bat in the air right after saving the day!

The toss, meanwhile, would remain a rude gesture that would be reserved for players who wish to provoke the other team, or respond to provocations from them. If a batter decides to toss the bat, he should expect his opponent to be insulted and annoyed; after all, that’s his goal. A player who opts for the toss should also understand that the other team may retaliate with a purpose pitch or even a brawl.

When Harper, or any other player, feels slighted, let them toss. They can set the tone and make their statement clearly. It will actually reduce aggression and negativity within the league if players have a clear outlet for expressing frustration.

Allowing bat whips to occur without fear of punishment would benefit MLB immensely. For too long, strict adherence to tradition has stifled the league’s most energetic and demonstrative players. Granting players added freedom to thrill the fans at home would make for a more exciting product, especially if games are to be played in fanless ballparks.

Let’s all learn from the energy of our South Korean friends and whip it good!