Orioles fans boo local boy Teixeira

[TooLiveBrew]

Just thought this stupidity deserved a mention. The Orioles fans are booing Mark Teixeira regularly & vehemently every time he's up to bat or seemingly even just involved in a defensive play. This was on Opening Day when the stadium was full, and again today with the stadium looking over half-empty. The premise? Mark was born in Annapolis & grew up ~30 min. from Camden Yards... and apparently was expected to sign with a rebuilding O's team for those reasons alone.

 

Nevermind the facts, like that the O's never made a competitive offer to Tex (LAA, BOS, NYY were the serious bidders), BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Makes Brewers fans look a bit less bad. I mean, I know, it's the Yankees and all, but at least the O's fans could base their selfish anger in reality.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

The Orioles fans shouldn't be booing Texiera. They should be booing guys like Scott Boras and Donald Fehr. Those guys are pretty much the reason that small market teams can't compete.

[endaround]

And in what universe in Baltimore small market? And the reason "small" market teams can't compete is because Selig spent the 90s getting taxpayer funds for stadiums instead of nationalizing broadcast rights.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

And in what universe in Baltimore small market?

Let's see. According to wikipedia, Baltimore has a population of 637,555, and not only that, but they have to compete with the Nationals fans of Washington D.C. so their market is very limited. So the answer to that question would be THIS universe, although I'm not sure there is more than one. I'll give Copernicus a call and check that one out for you.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore

[sbrylski]

And in what universe in Baltimore small market?

Let's see. According to wikipedia, Baltimore has a population of 637,555, and not only that, but they have to compete with the Nationals fans of Washington D.C. so their market is very limited. So the answer to that question would be THIS universe, although I'm not sure there is more than one. I'll give Copernicus a call and check that one out for you.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore

 

EDIT: I'll put the link there to be in compliance with the bf.net guidelines.

 

I believe current theory states there are an infinite number of universes with 11 dimensions each.

[randybreuerfan]

In that case, there are likely to be an infinite number of universes in which Baltimore is a small market, an infinite number in which Baltimore is a large market, and an infinite number in which Baltimore doesn't exist. And in at least one of those universes, we are all angry Orioles fans. That is sad.

[Baldkin]

Well, Brewers fans boo Carlos Lee and even Lyle Overbay last year was about as many boo's as cheers.

 

So, I can't really complain about other fan's attitudes anymore.

[Invader3K]

I can't believe no one has mentioned that the Orioles are cursed with a terrible owner as well.

[JoeHova]

I thought it was funny that they were booing Teixiera. People get too upset about fans booing. It's been part of the game forever, a little booing is not the end of the world. Plus, it's better to see booing than see Boston fans chanting "MVP" for Kobe Bryant towards the end of the 2006-07 season. Rivalries are fun.

[endaround]

The Baltimore metro area is 2.6m The Milwaukee metro area is 1.7m. Baltimore is not small market. There are basically 2 small MLB markets, Milwaukee and Kansas City. Then go up a half a million before you get to Pittsburgh. And if I have to hear about the 3.6m Twins cities called small again I'll scream.

[Invader3K]

It all comes down to ownership. I know you can't directly compare the NFL to MLB, but the Ravens seem to do just fine in Baltimore, "small market" or not.

[endaround]

Angelos spends money ($93m last year) he's just cut from the Daniel Snyder/ Al Davis mold.

[RightFieldCoder]

I thought it was funny that they were booing Teixiera. People get too upset about fans booing. It's been part of the game forever, a little booing is not the end of the world. Plus, it's better to see booing than see Boston fans chanting "MVP" for Kobe Bryant towards the end of the 2006-07 season. Rivalries are fun.

As a non-basketball fan, why were Celtic fans chanting "MVP" for a Laker? I know enough to know those aren't friendly teams.

[OglivieHomePerm]

Under no circumstances is it wrong to boo a Yankee. Keep Booing, Baltimore.

[berniebrewer4life]

And in what universe in Baltimore small market?

Let's see. According to wikipedia, Baltimore has a population of 637,555, and not only that, but they have to compete with the Nationals fans of Washington D.C. so their market is very limited. So the answer to that question would be THIS universe, although I'm not sure there is more than one. I'll give Copernicus a call and check that one out for you.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore

 

EDIT: I'll put the link there to be in compliance with the bf.net guidelines.

You forgot to include the metro area(which pushes baltimore to over 2.5 million people). If you look at straight city populations, Boston is only 6k larger Milwaukee(608k), but the metro area makes it almost 6 million. So calling it a small market is kinda deceiving.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

You have to look at the area too though. Baltimore is surrounded by baseball towns to the South (Washington DC), Philly and NY to the North and East, and Pittsburgh isn't that far West. You pretty much have the metro area of Baltimore and that's all. And if you want to get away from calling them small market, let's call them payroll challenged. And they certainly are that compared to the other teams they are paired with in the AL East.

 

If Fehr wouldn't be so stubborn about a salary cap or if they would put in a decent salary structure, these types of teams could compete for more than one or two years and then have to rebuild. Baltimore has had poor front office management in the last 10 years and they are starting to turn the corner, but they definitely have their limitations in terms of spending in that division.

[tomwopat]

I had heard that the issue was that Teixeira said that he was an Oriole fan prior to being drafted, but after being signed with the Yankees he had said he was a Yankee fan growing up.

[JoeHova]

I thought it was funny that they were booing Teixiera. People get too upset about fans booing. It's been part of the game forever, a little booing is not the end of the world. Plus, it's better to see booing than see Boston fans chanting "MVP" for Kobe Bryant towards the end of the 2006-07 season. Rivalries are fun.

As a non-basketball fan, why were Celtic fans chanting "MVP" for a Laker? I know enough to know those aren't friendly teams.

 

I'm not sure. The Celtics were in the midst of a terrible year but it was still inexplicable to me.

[Tbadder]

I'm of two minds when it comes to this. My first mind, my primary mind, says booing is classless and I never do it personally.

 

But...I understand where the people of Baltimore are coming from. Given the state of the world the fact is that the smallest contract in baseball is obscene. Then there's the precieved lack of loyalty. I personally know people who have taken far less money in order to remain loyal. They have sacrificed their whole lives for some thing greater than the bottom line. I admire these people, and obviously 95% of professional athletes do not fit into this category.

 

I guess I don't believe these guys should get carte blanche for their decisions just because they're talented, just because people like what they do, or because it's the demand of the marketplace. These are lousy excuses for poor decisions.

 

So while I don't boo, I want to boo, because as human beings they represent the worst in us. They are nothing but Ferengi, and quite frankly they don't deserve our respect.

 

And I know that people can fire back all sorts of reasons about short careers, it's only human, doing what's best for your family, yada, yada, yada. It holds no water in the face of human suffering, the public good, and what is really admirable about the species.

 

But boo them? I still say no. I do not want to be ugly like them.

[pebadger]

Not to get too far off-topic, but I think the MVP chants in Boston were, by omission, not so much in favor of Kobe as in oppostion to Lebron.

 

As to Texeira, what loyalty or obligation did he owe to Baltimore? Other than being associated with the state of Maryland due to teh actions and decisions of his parents, he has no connection with that team. Maybe everyone from Wisconsin should boo Jordan Zimmerman when he makes his first start against Milwaukee for the Nationals.

[berniebrewer4life]

You have to look at the area too though. Baltimore is surrounded by baseball towns to the South (Washington DC), Philly and NY to the North and East, and Pittsburgh isn't that far West. You pretty much have the metro area of Baltimore and that's all.

I'll give you Washington and Philly, but i high doubt NY(yankee and met fans are mostly transplants anyways) and Pittsburgh take fans away from the Orioles.

 

And if you want to get away from calling them small market, let's call them payroll challenged.

 

Two years ago they had a payroll of $93.5 million dollars(they aren't spending that kind of money now because they are rebuilding, but it shows they can pay that much). So i don't think that title really fits either.

 

http://orioles.scout.com/2/690020.html

[MessiahRp]

The difference is Jordan Zimmerman didn't turn down a substantial (even if it wasn't the largest one out there) offer from the Brewers to sign with the Cubs. Tex turned down offers from the O's AND the nearby Nationals to sign with the scourge of the earth Yankees. For any fan of an AL East team not from New York, the Yankees are the enemy. So it feels like a slap in the face when the hometown boy turns down hundreds of millions of dollars to play with the enemy.

 

And that's why they are booing.

 

Rp

[Bikeage77]

Maybe everyone from Wisconsin should boo Jordan Zimmerman when he makes his first start against Milwaukee for the Nationals.

Done AND Done.

 

Seriously though, booing former players is crazy. I'll boo Sheffield all day long, but I probably wouldn't boo Wes Helms anymore, even though I booed him during his tenure in Milwaukee. Booing Overbay? Really?! He was such a fan favorite, didn't run his mouth, didn't make any terrible errors, and busted his chin in St Louis once and everyone wore bandaids on their face.

 

I love that attendance has picked up at the Keg, I just wish people wouldn't just boo for the sake of booing.

[joepepsi]

I think he deserves to be booed. Teixeira grew up in Severna Park and proclaimed his lifelong dream is to play for the Orioles. Yeah they lowballed him like they always do; and yeah, they had no business going after him in the first place, but in the end Teixeira followed the money. That's his right, to be greedy, just as it is with anyone. But the fans have the right to boo him for his hypocrisy.

 

By the way, he isn't the great player everyone thinks he is. He is a very good, All Star caliber player, but he's not an elite player. His career home OPS is 100 points higher than on the road; the benefit of playing much of his home career in hitter's parks. He's more Adrian Gonzalez than Albert Pujols. The Yankees overpaid and expect him to replace both Giambi and Abreu. Not gonna work that well.

[Invader3K]

Did Overbay really get booed at Miller Park? I seriously don't remember that one. I know Jenkins got a nice ovation when he came back.

 

Anyway, I think if people pay for a ticket, they can boo or cheer whomever they want. I've never bought into the "it's not classy" argument. I've said it before, but what exactly is so classy about sitting outside with 20 or 30,000 other people, eating brats and drinking beer? This isn't the opera or a ballet. Sports are an emotional release for a lot of people. If they want to boo a guy, then let them.

 

I don't think the Orioles fans have a lot to stand on in this case, though. It does sound like Teixeira may have been a bit hypocritical in some of his comments, but it's not like Baltimore or Washington were realistically going to sign him anyway.