The Arizona Diamondbacks are 41-39, which is good enough for fourth place in the ultra-competitive NL West, trailing the Dodgers, Giants and Padres. They’re led by the likes of Eugenio Suarez, Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Guerrero Jr., Josh Naylor, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte.
The aforementioned Marte, who is widely considered the best second baseman in MLB, recently dealt with a heckler in Chicago’s Rate Field during the team’s latest road trip. While it’s the norm to have fans taunt the opposing team, what happened with Marte, and this particular White Sox fan was unusual because of the reaction it generated.
Marte Breaks Down After Fan’s Insensitive Remarks
During Tuesday’s game as Marte entered the batter’s box in the seventh inning a fan did the unthinkable, saying this to the All-Star second baseman:
“I sent your mom a text last night.”
That remark brought Marte to tears, because his mom was unfortunately killed in a car accident in 2017 in the Dominican Republic. What really hit home for Marte was when it happened he was also playing in Chicago. In the aftermath of the incident the subsequently contrite 22-year-old fan was removed from the stadium and subsequently banned from all MLB ballparks.
Marte Says Hecklers Need To Be Reprimanded
In an interview Friday, Marte had a lot to say about the incident and other incidents that involves hecklers.
“I think something needs to be done about the fans,” Marte said. “It’s getting out of hand. People always yell stuff at me, but never about my mom. People know that my mom passed away in an accident. But anyways, we’re praying for him and his family, too. May God protect them and help him heal his heart.”
“They’re always yelling things at me, but I don’t mind. But when it comes to my mom that’s where the line gets crossed,” the 31-year-old added.
D-Backs Manager Stands Up For Marte
D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo told reporters how he handled the situation while Marte as being consoled on the field by coaches and teammates:
“(I told Marte) ‘I love you and I’m with you and we’re all together and you’re not alone. No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you heard, that guy is an idiot. It shouldn’t have an impact on you.’m’”
In the team’s return home on Friday night, Marte was greeted by fans giving him a standing ovation and cheering loudly as his name was called and he stepped to the plate.
Should 22-Year-Old Fan Be Banned From All MLB Parks For Life?
The 22-year-old received a lifetime ban, but is it possible that Marte’s reaction and the story about his mother dying in 2017 is what caused this backlash? Did the fan even know that Marte lost his mother in 2017 while he was in Chicago? Or was the fan just being a 22-year-old saying stupid stuff at a baseball game because he has plush seats. It doesn’t lessen the pain that was triggered in Marte by the mentioning of his mother. Can we automatically assume, however, without hearing from the banned fan, that he was being malicious and intentionally referring to Marte’s deceased mom with that comment? Maybe a lifetime ban is a bit much. We all did crazy things at 22 and sometimes our youthful exuberance gets the best of us.
Black Players Have Long Been Victim Of Foul Hecklers
This also sets a precedent that is not common in baseball. Banning fans for life for comments they make during heated rivalries is a slippery slope. Imagine the abuse that Black baseball players have endured over the years during games. We know the stories that players such as Willie Horton and other pioneers of early baseball had to endure. It sent some of them to the bottle to cope. The death threats and even mistreatment from teammates and hometown fans were next level.
Crying on the field, however, was not an option for these men. What a time we live in now where a man can show emotion and be supported by the world in unison.
Adam Jones Has Bag Of Peanuts Thrown At Him, Called N-Word At Fenway
Adam Jones could have used that kind of support in 2017, as a Baltimore Orioles’ star centerfielder. He said that he was the target of racial slurs as a bag of peanuts were thrown his way while playing against the Red Sox in Fenway Park at night.
“A disrespectful fan threw a bag of peanuts at me,” Jones told USA Today. “I was called the N-word a handful of times tonight. Thanks. Pretty awesome.”
Jones added that it wasn’t the first time he had a slew of racists taunts thrown his way at Fenway. But he said it was among the worst experiences of his 12-year major league career.
“It’s unfortunate,” Jones said. “The best thing about myself is that I continue to move on and still play the game hard. Let people be who they are. Let them show their true colors.”
The Red Sox, the Massachusetts governor and Boston’s mayor all offered apologies for the terrible incident. Gov Charlie Baker, on his Twitter account, called it “shameful.”
“The Red Sox want to publicly apologize to Adam Jones and the entire Orioles organization for what occurred at Fenway Park Monday night,” the Red Sox said in a statement. “No player should have an object thrown at him on the playing field, nor be the subject to any kind of racism at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have zero tolerance for such inexcusable behavior, and our entire organization and our fans are sickened by the conduct of an ignorant few.”
Wonder if any of those fans got a lifetime ban.
