The Fans Who Have Been Booing Red Sox Team MVP Wilson Contreras At Fenway Park Are Idiots. Respectfully.
When I was a teenager, I booed the shit out of Mo Vaughn at Fenway Park.
I don't remember why. The Hit Dog had a fine Red Sox career, one that included one of the best WEEI sountbytes of all time ("It doesn't matter about the money..." ) Maybe he was in a slump. Maybe it was contract-related. I don't remember. But I remember being in the right field boxes, yelling at Mo like an idiot.
Which is sort of a long-winded way of saying, I condone booing professional athletes at games. You paid $150 for that ticket? As long as you're not crossing the line or getting too personal, say whatever you want. In college, I yelled things at Tom Izzo I'd never tell my mom about. But that's part of being a fan, 100%.
And while you're allowed to boo whoever you want, I'm allowed to call you and idiot if I think you're being an idiot about it.
And if you have been one of the fans booing Wilson Contreras at Fenway Park the last couple of weeks, you're an idiot. Respectfully.
This first happened a couple of weeks ago. Slow ground ball to third, Contreras jogs at best, and gets it from the boo birds.
Given his season - career-high 25 home runs, great defense at first base, emotional leader for the team - I was fucking shocked with this response. The guy has been the team MVP and he's getting booed off this one play? Wild.
“Something’s bothering my leg. That’s why I didn’t run the other day when the fans booed me,” Contreras said a few days after this in Toronto. “Man, didn’t run one time and they boo anybody. Which is good. But I don’t care. I think it’s part of baseball.”
The team has been okay with it. Chris Cotillo reports, "Contreras has been dealing with a hamstring injury in recent weeks and said last week that he has permission from interim manager Chad Tracy and Boston’s coaching staff to pick his spots when it comes to running at full speed."
A couple of days later, Contreras is busting his ass down the first base line on a bunt attempt.
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Fast forward to Wednesday. Contreras jogs out an RBI groundout in the 10th. And as he's going back to the dugout, cups his hand to his ear like he's Hulk Hogan, mocking them for the boos.
I have no problem with his reaction. He did a similar move at the Home Run Derby.
Later in the inning, according to this post, Contreras ended up getting into it with a fan.
Contreras downplayed the whole thing after the game.
"I'm not gonna get hurt running on a ground ball. And if you're a real fan and you know baseball, there's no case for me to hustle out the box."
I agree. I'm sure the commenters will weigh in below with some solid takes.
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Look, not everyone agreed with me, I get it. Wilson seems to get it.
"I won’t change my mind about Boston or the fans,” he said after the game. “I think I’m in the best place to play baseball. If I was 100 percent, they wouldn’t boo me, because I was gonna hustle down the line. But I was sharing my perspective about being a Red Sox, being in Boston. I get goosebumps every time that I think about Boston, and I’m in the right place. I’m in the right place.”
98.5 The Sports Hub will take a million calls today from fans who want Contreras to bust it out of the box every time. Again, idiots.
Me? I think he's earned some slack with fans, especially when he's dealing with a hamstring injury.
My co-hosts on Dirty Water - A Boston Sports Podcast seemed to disagree with me. We went live right after the Sox' annoying loss to the D-Backs on Wednesday. It's Episode #60. Go watch and subscribe on YouTube. We talked about Contreras, the series win over the D-Backs. Full squad - myself, Hogdale, Ed Hand and Kutter. Plus -
⚾ This new Jarren Duran tee-shirt…really?
⚾ Could have been the best series of the year
⚾ Mickey Gasper is on fire
⚾ Adley goes deep.
⚾ Mut sewers the fans booing Wilson
⚾ Kutter meets Greg Weissert
⚾ Greg Weissert still stinks
⚾ Roman Anthony is so close to being back and that's good
⚾ Trevor Story is close to being back and that's not good
⚾ Story in, who goes?
⚾ Young pitching getting tired?
⚾ Rafael Devers is back at Fenway this weekend
⚾ Marcelo Mayer is probably not
⚾ Bres fucked up not getting a pitcher at the deadline
⚾ Hogdale has a big announcement later on Thursday
⚾ Ed Hand asks questions
⚾ Mut really can't believe this Duran tee
And so much more.
Like I said, please go watch and then subscribe on YouTube. Then go listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.