In New York, freedom of expression to point of stupidity
As the New York Mets’ playoff hopes have hurtled toward a vanishing point, fans at Citi Field have taken to booing the home team. This is apparently a shocking development for a number of Mets players.
Fans in Queens express their displeasure. Imagine that. Infielder Javier Baez, a former Chicago Cub who is more accustomed to the unconditional love of Wrigley
Field, finds it difficult to fathom.
Sunday, Baez seized on a rare opportunity (a Mets victory) to make his own statement. After he hit a home run, he gave Mets fans a two-fisted, thumbsdown salute as he crossed home plate. A reverse boo? Yes, that’s what it was. “When we don’t get success, we’re going to get booed,” Baez said after the game. “So, they’re going to get booed when we have success.”
The Mets were in first place at the Allstar break. For the first time in, oh, five years, they did not look like a joke. Then, they lost 27 of their next 41. Boo. They’re 8-19 in August. Boo. Coming out of the weekend, they were in third place, 7.5 games in back of the Atlanta Braves. Boo.
Baez has been joined by Francisco Lindor and Kevin Pillar in his thumbsdown salute. (On the other end of the spectrum is Jonathan Villar, who flashed a thumbs-up Sunday.)