Diamondbacks take umbrage at Dodgers' pool party at field

Zach Buchanan | USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption Dodgers celebrate with dip in Diamondbacks' pool The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their first NL West title since 2009 and decided to celebrate by taking a dip in the Diamondbacks' pool at Chase Field.

PHOENIX — The pool beyond the right field fence at Chase Field is something short of hallowed ground for the Diamondbacks. It's not the Green Monster at Fenway or the ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field.

But it is uniquely Chase Field, so much so that the team tracks homerun balls hit into it. So when a contingent of Los Angeles Dodgers, including veterans such as Skip Schumaker, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, moved the celebration of their National League West-clinching 7-6 victory over the Diamondbacks on Thursday from the field to the pool, the vanquished home team was not happy.

"I just think they have enough guys on that team that it's surprising they would allow that to happen," Diamondbacks infielder Willie Bloomquist said. "I'll give credit where credit's due. They won the division, so congratulations to them. I would expect someone to act with a little more class. I highly doubt the New York Yankees would do something like that."

Dodgers President Stan Kasten said he had no comment on the perceived right and wrong of the impromptu pool party, but did say he didn't foresee any rule-breaking issues, since the fans in that area had vacated the pool by the time Dodgers players arrived.

But, as it is many times with baseball, it's the unwritten rules that truly rile.

"I could call it disrespectful and classless," Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall said via email, "but they don't have a beautiful pool at their old park and must have really wanted to see what one was like."

To Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who did not pitch in the four-game series as the team sought to give him more rest, understands how the pool-jumping could be perceived. But he thinks it's being misinterpreted as a slight.

"I'm sorry they feel that way," Kershaw said. "We don't mean any disrespect towards them. We're just trying to enjoy our postseason berth. For me, if they were to celebrate at our home field, I feel like they've earned that right."

Hall said the team hasn't discussed whether to file any official complaint with Major League Baseball, or if that's even an option.

The Dodgers and Diamondbacks won't face each other again until next season, when they open against each other in Australia.

The Diamondbacks will have to wait to see if bad feelings can last that long and travel that far.

Buchanan writes for the Arizona Republic, a Gannett property