FanPost

Pujols' Calls Out Fans

Per the P-Dispatch, Pujols is calling out fans for straying from their usual supportive nature, particularly with respect to Encarnacion and Isringhausen.  As per El Hombre Grande:

"The guy's really frustrated right now. He's trying to do as much as he can to help us win and the last thing you want is for our fans, 45,000 people, booing a guy like that. Same thing with Izzy.

"I tell you. I don't know what's going on with our fans. But I don't think that's the right way to approach it."

When the man's right, he's right.  St. Louis fans are behaving a bit like Phillies fans, and I mean every bit of insult that the slur implies.  Perhaps two successive 100-win seasons have spoiled us a bit.  That's part of it.  

The other part is fan frustration at management's decision to fill in roster spots with second tier players.  Encarnacion definitely is the poster child of a sub-par off-season, so his slump has been made the target of these larger grievances.

Even so, the Man is right.  St. Louis fans are supposed to understand baseball better than any others.  Baseball includes inexplicable slumps.  It's unfortunate that Encarnacion is mired in one at the outset of the season, but that doesn't excuse the fans' rush to harsh judgment.

As TLR says, the team needs a productive Encarnacion to win.  Here's hoping he turns it around.  I, for one, will be pulling for 'em.