Phillies Walk-Off Hero Sean Rodriguez Booed For Criticizing Phillies Fans For Booing

Pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez hit a walk-off dong Monday night to put his Phillies over the Pirates, 6–5, in extras. Afterward, in the post-game locker room, Rodriguez decided the moment had come to call out notoriously stubborn and impatient Philadelphia sports fans for their habit of booing players on the home team during slumps. This, as you can imagine, did not do much to endear Rodriguez to Phillies fans.

Rodriguez is in the starting lineup Tuesday night, batting seventh in the second game of the Pirates series. Fans were pretty sparsely distributed around the stadium during lineup introductions, but those in attendance were sure to let Rodriguez hear just how they weigh his game-winning heroics against his commentary on their “entitlement.”

Fans are often more willing to boo during introductions than they are during live action, when their enthusiasm might conceivably help swing the action. The real test of whether the scolding resonated with Phillies fans would come later, when Rodriguez took the plate for the first time. Would Phillies fans let Rodriguez off the hook and show him some support? SPOILER ALERT: They would not.

It seems the only way Rodriguez will get the support and applause of fans is when he does good things on the field, for the Phillies. Happily, Rodriguez was able to finish his first plate appearance of the night on first base, after being pegged with a 93-mph first-pitch fastball. Phillies fans applauded.