Shane Victorino stopped short of calling the fans frontrunner after last night’s 7-5 loss to the Braves. It was a simple case of venting frustration to the media.
Victorino said, “I’m hearing fans yelling, ‘Victorino, you’re horrible; you stink.’ Aw, right. Like they forget what happened the last 2 years. That frustrates me even more . . . You hear things like that, it eats at you. I mean Jimmy used that word. I’m not going to use it. But you know what I’m talking about.”
His statement is stained with distress. Clearly Victorino is smarting due to his lack of production this year. His 14 homers are a mirage – he isn’t coming through in the clutch and the fans realize it. The centerfielder is being pinpointed by the faithful because he is one of several Phillies that is missing that flair and swagger, something they used to carry in excess.
Chalk this up to a frustrating night, and on a larger scale, a rough few months. Shane should have chosen his words a little more carefully, for sure. Is “frontrunner” too harsh? Probably. Fans pay good money to see a prime product placed on the field. Right now, this product is damaged.
Victorino is wrong when it comes to spitting his venom at those who come to support the club. The crowd gets on him because they want more from him, it’s that simple. On the other hand, it’s understandable that Vic is frustrated. He knows he isn’t hitting and the mounting pressure got to him for one night.
