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Big League Stew - MLB

Big League Stew

Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:21 pm EDT

Hey Philly, booing Adam Eaton and his ring? Below the belt

By 'Duk

When it comes to Philly fans, one of the things they always like to tell you is that the reputation they've earned as loutish thugs is just a bum rap assigned by lazy media who like to fall back on old stereotypes. 

And, over time, they've made so many cases about why it was OK to throw snowballs at Santa Claus and why Jimmy Rollins deserved to be booed after he called Philadelphians front runners, that I started to get a little case of the old Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe their consistent defense of "Hey, we have bad apples just like everyone else" was ringing true. 

But booing ex-pitcher Adam Eaton during Wednesday's World Series ring ceremony which was held before an impossible and incredible 12-11 sweep-avoiding comeback win over the Braves?

Well, inch me back closer to the side which just got more ammo for its anti-Philly fans arsenal. 

Yeah, yeah, I'm sure many of the fans were probably booing in a tongue-in-cheek, "you-want-Philly-we'll-show-you-Philly" type manner. And I'm not saying they should have greeted him with a large ovation, not after he went 14-18 with a 6.10 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over two seasons with the Phillies and not after he was left off last year's playoff roster and released before this year.

But ring ceremonies tend to be a happy time and you clap for everyone — no matter how small the contribution —  from Ryan Howard to the traveling secretary to So Taguchi.

Yeah, Adam Eaton wasn't very good, he won't be good with his new team (the Orioles) and the Phillies still owe him $9 million. But that isn't the point. The Phillies WON the World Series, this guy ultimately didn't do anything to mess it up, and on World Series ring day, everyone earns absolution — and at least a polite golf clap during ring retrieval.

Look, we all know that Philly fans don't do this type of thing often.

On Wednesday, it showed.

For a look at the rings the Phillies received, check out The Fightins'. 

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2612 Comments

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  1. bob djukic
    1. Posted by bob djukic Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

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    BOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo
  2. Rdub
    2. Posted by Rdub Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    This is just more proof that most Phillies fans have no class.
  3. Willie B
    3. Posted by Willie B Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:36 pm EDT

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    Or proof we're better then you. It was the championship ring ceremony after all.
  4. Mark A
    4. Posted by Mark A Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

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    Is it a prerequisite to mention booing Santa Claus when mentioning Philly? It was over 40 years ago drop it.
  5. Greg E
    5. Posted by Greg E Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:12 pm EDT

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    Are you kidding me? Eaton didn't deserve to get booed? He was absolutely terrible last year. He stole money from the phillies and their fans. But forget all that. Would you go to a ceremony for a team that you did absolutely nothing for? (actually doing nothing would have been nice- he was so bad last year it was pathetic- he hurt us by making us waste valuable bullpen innings) Seriously why did he go? He was left off the playoff roster this past year and the previous year! I was embarrassed for him. The team was probably thinking the same thing. Why didn't he just say "Thanks for the invite but I can't make it, just mail the ring to me." He stole $24 mill from the phillies in contract money, now add another couple grand for the W.S. Ring. Obviously you have no idea what philly is or what sports are. You probably played j.v. baseball and think with a journalism degree you're qualified to write about sports. Stop hating phillies fans. Please talk to Mitch Williams- probably the only broadcaster to really "get-it". We'll hate you if you suck but we forgive, forget, and even love you later if you stick with us. Pat Burrell, Mitch Williams, and Jaws are great examples of this. That's what kills us about Donovan- if he wasn't such a baby and took the Burrell route he'd eventually be loved. Instead he whines and complains like no tomorrow- we are sick of it! and sick of sportswriters like yourself who just don't "get-it".
  6. LUB
    6. Posted by LUB Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

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    who gives a "duk" about your thoughts or eaton!!!!
  7. bruce s
    7. Posted by bruce s Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:12 pm EDT

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    "Look, we all know that Philly fans don't do this type of thing often."
    Philly wins the World Series and still cant get any love from the media.
    You always here stories like this from douchey writers who think its the end of the world when someone gets booed, they are profesional athletes, PLEASE STOP CRYING EVERY TIME SOMEONE GETS BOOED
    How bout a story on how passionate the Phillies fans were during the World Series. The Phillies were UNDEFEATED at home in the playoffs last year, thanks in large part to the lift they got from playing in front of the most passionate fans in Baseball.
    Please get a life DUK, you really are not very good. I only read this article to see how douchey and ignorant it was going to be (It was, who defends Adam Eaton anyway?)
  8. pan8iv
    8. Posted by pan8iv Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:59 pm EDT

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    Yes he sucks. But, maybe it would have been more appropriate to boo Ruben or Gillick or whoever gave him that ridiculous contract in '07. He hasnt had a CG since'03. His best season was 2000 in SD(I was there, and I'll admit I was a big Eaton fan at that point), and that was only because he hit almost .300. Even then it was more exciting to watch him hit than pitch.
    I think if we're paying somebody $9 MIL to pitch for another team, we have the right to express a smidgen of dissatisfaction!!!
    Pat the Bat rocks.
  9. bruce s
    9. Posted by bruce s Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:12 pm EDT

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    Who put this guy in charge of fan conduct during a ring ceremony anyway?
    We better stop booing at games philly, or else we're going to upset Mr. Sensitive with a Blog.
  10. El Mango
    10. Posted by El Mango Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:31 pm EDT

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    Oh, let's cheer for him instead. He can use all the money the Phils paid for his services to wipe away the tears. This article is the same old warmed-over commentary on Philly fans. 'Duk is wrong. Look at how Pat Burrell was treated. Watch when Brian Dawkins comes to town, albeit in a Denver uniform. Dawkins will be cheered endlessly, even though he may have taken more money and skipped town. Philly loves winners. Eaton didn't win anything. Oh, and we booed Santa because the guy playing him looked nothing like Santa! No one ever mentions that part.
  11. octosquidopower
    11. Posted by octosquidopower Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    if you have a problem with booing adam eaton, you probably (a) didn't see him pitch much in a phillies uni, (b) didn't read the litany of excuses he had for every bad outing and (c) didn't see him taunt the crowd today and then flash the ring he didn't deserve right at the camera with a smug look on his face.
  12. Kate
    12. Posted by Kate Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    Here's what Eaton had to say in February about the Phillies, courtesy of www.philliesnation.com:
    On why he was released:
    “This day in age, it’s what have you done for me lately. Regardless of leading the team in quality starts until the All-Star break, two starts later, three starts later, I’m cast off in the bullpen. Granted, there were a lot of horrible games in there, but there were some good ones, too.”
    On why he didn't join the Florida Instructional League during the postseason:
    On deciding not to join the Florida Instructional League during the postseason …
    “I weighed my decision very carefully before I was given the opportunity. I was not going to make the playoff roster, obviously. I haven’t pitched in the big leagues since whenever, July. And they say, ‘Well, go down and get in shape.’ Give me a [expletive] break. What do you want me to say? You want me to swallow another pill? For what? Waste two weeks down here where I can go spend two weeks with my family? Yeah, sure, I’ll go up there for the World Series. Hey, I’m up on the float. ‘Boo, [expletive] you.’ Great. Would that be any fun for anybody? No. In that regard, not sharing it with my teammates. But it was nice to see them on TV. They’re world [bleeping] champs.”
    What are we supposed to do? Cheer for him?
  13. Brian W
    13. Posted by Brian W Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:10 pm EDT

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    this is a perfect reason why eaton was not at the phillies parade, but thats besides the fact, was he really bad? yes i admit he was, but let's not lesser forget the few "good" games he had, he was a waste though, maybe should have tried to do what brett myers did but i guess nothing was happening, he is a good athlete but that doesnt neccessarily means he is able to be a good pitcher, in baltimore; to not screw them up; he should just go 1 or 2 batters for 2 years maybe then he'll be decent.
  14. Jonny Rog
    14. Posted by Jonny Rog Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

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    why does everyone care so much about us booing?...get over it
  15. EzMONEy
    15. Posted by EzMONEy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

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    No one gives a care about a guy getting booed!!!! (unless ur an idiot of course) get a flippin life.
  16. Mark W
    16. Posted by Mark W Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

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    Philly fans are the worst fans in all baseball anyway!!!! please stop wasting stories on the Phillies!!!!
  17. Rob
    17. Posted by Rob Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:21 pm EDT

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    Phils won the title IN SPITE of Eaton last year, not BECAUSE of him. The booing would've occurred, under similar circumstances, in 29 other major league cities.
  18. theJerzGurl24
    18. Posted by theJerzGurl24 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:55 pm EDT

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    Is this a story about Adam Eaton getting booed or you hating Philadelphia? No one cares what you think, you obviously have prejudgements about Philly, the Phillies and Phillies fans. Put a sock in it you douchbag. Adam Eaton blew and didn't deserve a ring.
    Honesty is brutal isn't it. Only the strong survive here.
  19. s b
    19. Posted by s b Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:35 pm EDT

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    They actually booed Santa because he was drunk. IIRC
  20. Michael M
    20. Posted by Michael M Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    Everyone of you who says us Philly fans have no class don't have the balls to come and say it to our face. We respect our players but when they go and bad mouth the organization like adam eaton did than you deserved to be booed. so screw you my reporter man. adam got what he deserved and you would get the same if i saw you at a game.
  21. PHATDADDY
    21. Posted by PHATDADDY Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:24 pm EDT

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    Only 2 things come out of Philly, retards and a**holes, each one can take their pick!!!!!
  22. matt29b
    22. Posted by matt29b Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:11 pm EDT

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    Adam Eaton should be in prison for theft from the money he stole from the Phillies, and other teams.
  23. David R
    23. Posted by David R Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:42 pm EDT

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    Does anyone actually care about Adam Eaton anyway?
  24. Ken K
    24. Posted by Ken K Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    Ed Rendell threw the snow ball.
  25. shoo
    25. Posted by shoo Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:21 pm EDT

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    "the most passionate fans in baseball" well, if that's not a load of crap, I don't know what is.

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Big League Stew is an MLB blog edited by Kevin Kaduk. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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