Yesterday afternoon, New York Yankees fans shamed themselves. It began when the Yankees tied the score in the 9th inning by Isiah Kiner-Falefa against the visiting Cleveland Guardians when Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan crashed against the wall knocking the wind out of him. Yankees fans began trash talking Kwan to which fellow Guardians outfielders Oscar Mercado and Myles Straw took exception. Straw climbed the chain link fence to confront the fans berating Kwan.
Moments later, pinch hitter Gleyber Torres won the game for the Bronx Bombers on a double, but their victory was marred when Yankees fans began throwing beer, water bottles and other debris at Mercado and Straw. To their credit, Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton intervened and admonished their fans to stop their behavior.
I have some thoughts.
First, I think the umpires ought to have ruled the game a forfeit and give the Guardians a win notwithstanding the welcome intervention of Judge and Stanton. Such a ruling would have sent a strong message and deterred Yankees fans from behaving in such a fashion again.
Second, when the Guardians return home on May 3rd to play the San Diego Padres, Straw and Mercado are going to get a huge ovation for sticking up for their fallen teammate.
Third, Straw and Mercado literally acted as "Guardians". Perhaps this will go some way in getting Cleveland fans to accept the new team name. Of course, the best way for Cleveland fans to accept the new name would be win to win their first World Series title in 74 years.
Fourth, when the Yankees visit Cleveland at the beginning of July, I worry that Guardians fans may see fit to retaliate against Yankees players. In which case, this would make them no better than the Yankees fans who disgraced themselves yesterday.
Let's just say the last chapter of this saga has not been written.
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