No More Chicago Media
The lesson this time was about engaging with Chicago media on Twitter.
I was looking for something on Twitter re. Jose Bautista (I forget what) and I saw a tweet by Chris Rongey, who is the White Sox's version of Wilner but, as I discovered, is way, way, way more petty and small.
Rongey had tweeted that Bautista was 'the worst'- I believe Bautista was considered 'the worst' for protesting being rung up by the umpire for swinging. Bautista barely moved his bat. Even Buck Martinez, who is alarmingly pro-umpire, said it was a bad call. Bautista's protest amounted to a face and a five second conversation. Rongey also tweeted about how White Sox players hate it when Bautista slams his bat down as if it has anything to do with them and as if Bautista cares or even should care what the White Sox players think of him.
And Rongey had some back and forth with idiot White Sox fans who tweeted that Bautista thinks he's going to hit a homer every time he's up "like he's Albert Pujols."
Sigh.
Drew Fairservice over at the Score tweeted yesterday that since his breakout, Bautista has hit 33 more homers than anyone else. Including Albert freaking Pujols.
I mistakenly included Rongey in a tweet calling him out for the "worst" comment and Rongey's big comeback was criticizing my grammar.
Yes, my grammar.
He also tweeted that he learned to never criticize Bautista on Twitter because four people from Toronto will protest. And then some Chicago dude with 27 followers trashed the Jays to me, and I felt kind of famous. Only famous people get bitch tweets from people with 27 followers. The 27 follower dude also said Bautista was as likeable as a "terminal disease." I suppose someone who routinely cheers for AJ Pierzynski would know.
Rongey tweeted several times about Bautista negatively over the series, which makes me wonder what his particular problem is- it's either Bautista won't come on his show for an interview or Bautista broke up with him right before prom.
The whole incident made me wish my comeback skills were more ruthless and made me feel like reaching through my screen and kicking some ass. If Red Sox fans are fatalistic and overly assholish to their own team, the White Sox fans are overly arrogant and cocky over theirs.
I realized at one point that I had already learned this lesson about Chicago White Sox fans and media when I engaged in a "discussion" with Joe Cowley last season and got a barrage of insane, insulting and inane tweets back from him and his followers. What is with these people? Is it a job requirement for Chicago White Sox media to be any of the following: 1) crazy 2) an asshole 3) a crazy asshole.
It seems like they have an intense hate on for any player not wearing a White Sox uniform and they seem to be the only media who are like that in the AL.
I mean, Tabler and Martinez are insanely complimentary towards the opposition. I mean, some of the talk yesterday had me picturing Tabler writing "Mrs. Pat Youkilis" over and over on his Trapper Keeper.
But at least there is a level of respect for what players can do. No matter what team you are hoping for, a lot of players, Bautista included, are just insanely fun to watch.