How about Smith’s teammate just peaces out after Smith starts in on it… I don’t blame him, I wouldn’t want to be associated with him…

I’m all for having fun with the players and visa versa… but I think it can be done in a clean way… like maybe fake tossing him a ball or something… no need to swear when kids could be intently looking on.

Is extraordinarily annoying.

“Joe Smith hecking the fans. Joe Smith heckling the fans, here. Looks like Joe Smith’s in a heckling battle with some fans. Joe Smith heckling the fans.”

He’s made some other videos that I’ve seen on YouTube before. That appears to be the only one with at least some substance to it.

Man! Don’t let any certain people from the Reds organization see this video. Who knows what they’ll say…

...of 50 seconds of my life…

I was at that game, only my second time inside this year. At the :13 second mark, that’s me about 2/3 the way up the bleachers with my back to the field – I was putting something into a bag I think. As I had a pretty good view of the events, here’s some additional information.

First of all, this was all in good fun – assuming you consider a little swearing and trash talking to be good fun (some people don’t and I understand that). Nothing malicious, mean-spirited, or invective at all. Believe me, I’ve seen and heard a lot worse (as I’m sure you all have too) and this was nowhere close to being over the line.

The guy next to Smith is Dave Racaniello, their bullpen catcher. Before this little ‘episode’, they had tossed a few balls into the seats, one of which went right into the middle of this group of fans. After fumbling it a bit, the ball ended up in the basket, so of course, one of the frat boys pretty much fell into the basket to grab it, with his buddy holding him by his legs. That brought a visit by security, and they took the guy away up to the top of the bleachers, most likely to write up an ‘incident’ report.

Of course, his buddies were laughing the whole time, offering no support. Meanwhile, Smith and Racaniello kept looking back up into the bleachers, half laughing but also with incredulous looks on their faces, as if to say “you’ve got to be kidding me – he’s getting tossed out for that? Shit, that’s nothing compared to what happens in Shea.” Obviously I have no way of knowing if that’s what they were actually thinking, but it certainly fit their expressions and body language. And certainly seems very plausible given the context of the situation. Eventually the fan was allowed to return, and the shenanigans continued.

And now, a word about those fans – it was a group of about eight guys, probably just a few years out of college. They were pounding down the beers as soon as they got into the park, and while they weren’t sloppy drunk and out of control (yet), they were definitely there to have a good time and let the world know about it.

Anyway, as soon as the Mets started taking batting practice, they were yelling at whoever was shagging balls near them. Nothing too demeaning or insulting, but definitely of the trash-talking variety. “Who are you?” “Smith – what kind of name is that?” “Why are you even here?” “Aren’t you the ball boy?” Things of that nature, basically questioning his talent and worthiness to be in the majors. Essentially, what you would jeer towards any no-name ballplayer you’ve never heard of. And Smith just simply responded in kind.

And at the end of the video where Smith is headed off towards the corner? He’s going after a ball, which I’m pretty sure he tossed up into the seats along the line to a kid.

Anyone remember the story of Cubs’ reliever Willie Hernandez getting heckled all day, and then having an Andy Frain bring the worst offender down to a clubouse hallway after the game, where he physically attacked him? Pretty sure Royko wrote about it. I was there that day in LF, and my precocious little brother (aged 10) was in on the heckling, although there were men in the crowd who (obviously) were far worse. That was probably around 1979 or ‘80.

I was at a Cubs-Cards game last year and Jason Isringhausen called a guy a “fat fggot”. I think his exact quote was “sit the fck down you fat f*ggot”. Of course, the guy had been berating Izzy for quite awhile prior to that. Still though, pretty funny stuff.

throughout their series, a little bit here and a little bit there, and you could hear the same guy heckling Melky Cabrera with every at bat. Seemed like he was only trying to distract him cuz he would say stuff like, ” Melky! Melky! Here comes a fastball! Melky! Melky!” It was weird and annoying until last night when Melky hit a two run shot late in the game.

While I was never a Strawberry fan I remember one incident froma Braves game i was at where he was being heckled incessantly and he turned the heckling into a positive.

All the fans in the right field bleachers were doing the Darryl-Darryl Darryl chant and the next thing you know he’s standing out there acting tike he is directing the orchestra. After a few minutes of this the fans are laughing the other players including the Braves players were laughing and everyone is having a great time.

He showed alot of class that day and it impressed my 10 year old son like you wouldn’t believe.

One of my first bleacher games the Cubs were taking on the DBacks, and a couple bleacherites kept yelling “You suck Finley!” and he didn’t even turn around. THey were constant. Finley’s second AB he hit one onto Sheffield. Bottom half of the inning. Finley at his position, facing the infield. The same guys yelled “You still suck, Finley!” I thought Steve was gonna piss himself he was laughing so hard.

Good times, good times.

The date is April 4, 1996. It’s cold and off-and-on snowing during the game, but they never stopped play. And someone sitting near me was heckling Dodgers CF Brett Butler all game.

Finally, in the 7th inning, Butler turns around and yells (and everyone could hear, since the place had nearly emptied out by then), “What are you people DOING here? At least I’m getting paid!”

Loud laughter ensued.

Yep, that one. One night, I was sitting a few rows behind my team’s dugout in a Winter League game in Puerto Rico. Villanueva played for the other team. We “hated” him because he always hit well against our team. Think of what Adam Dunn is to Cubs fans. Somehow Villanueva got on base and reached third. Villanueva was called “Porky Pig” by his opponents in the island. People were taunting him and I yelled in a Porky Pig voice: “Tha.. tha.. that’s all, folks!”. Everyone in the section started to laugh. Villanueva looked up and pointed at me. He was not amused. I have to admit I was. But to quote the President, I was “young and inexperienced”.

Thank God Villanueva didn’t do what I saw him do in another game. He was playing first base and someone was taunting him. Villanueva was finally fed up. He abandoned his defensive position, walked up to the front of the first base stands and started arguing with the fan. All of a sudden, he punched the guy in the face. End of the argument. Villanueva was expelled and I think I recall he was suspended for several games.