Boo who? Báez says flashing thumbs down on fickle fans
NEW YORK — Javier Báez and his New York Mets teammates turned the boos at Citi Field to cheers this weekend — and then turned their thumbs upside down at fans.
Báez launched a 444-foot home run Sunday in a 9-4 win over the Washington Nationals. Later, he said Mets players have been flashing the thumbs-down gesture after hits as a response to fans who have jeered the club during a rough August.
“When we don’t get success, we’re going to get booed,” Báez said. “So they’re going to get booed when we have success.”
The Mets are 8-19 in August, dropping them from the NL East lead to third place, 7 ½ games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves.
Báez, his good friend Francisco Lindor and Kevin Pillar all were seen flashing the thumbs-down sign after hits Sunday.
Báez, who is batting .210 with 22 strikeouts in 62 at-bats since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 30, said the booing doesn’t bother him but that it is discouraging.
“I love the fans, and I like playing for the fans,” Báez said. “But we can’t have our fans against us.”
Manager Luis Rojas, who heard chants of “Fire Rojas” during a loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night, said he wasn’t aware what the downturned thumbs meant.
“I didn’t know there was any intention of giving anything back to the fans,” Rojas said. “We want to win for the organization. We want to win for ourselves. We want to win for our front office, our owner, and we want to win for our fanbase. So that’s where the focus should be.”
Lindor forced a run-scoring balk and hit a two-run double, and new leadoff hitter Jonathan Villar hit a two-run homer as the Mets won the final two games of the three-game set. It was their first series win since sweeping three from the Nationals on Aug. 10-12.