Javier Báez: “I love the fans, but I felt like we were alone”

New York. Javier Báez i Francisco Lindor apologized to Mets fans yesterday after Báez revealed that a thumbs-up gesture adopted by the players and used on Sunday was in part an offense to New York fans who shouted at the club for their poor performance. .

Baez and Lindor took turns saying they regretted it less than an hour before the first pitch of a game Tuesday against the Miami Marlins. This followed a stern statement from team president Sandy Alderson on Sunday night, in which he disallowed the gesture, as well as a team meeting on Tuesday in which players said they would leave. to do so.

1. Carlos Delgado comments on the gestures of Báez and Lindor: “The best way is not to make up for the fan”

2. Mets owner Báez and Lindor: “They played with fire”

3. The mess between Báez and the Mets management was formed by the New York fanatics

“I didn’t want to offend anyone”Said Báez, 28, who was acquired by the Chicago Cubs on July 30 and has beaten 210 with four homers and a 709 OPS in 17 games since then.

Mets fans shouted at him and others throughout August, when the team had an 8-19 mark to fall out of the playoffs after leading the Eastern Division of the National League for nearly three months. .

Players began gesturing with their thumbs down to their bench after extra-base hits and other positive plays while they were at Dodger Stadium since August. 20-22.

“When we don’t succeed, they will boo us,” Báez explained Sunday. “So we’ll boo them when we’re successful.”

I didn’t say the fans were bad, I love the fans, but I felt like we were alone. Fans obviously want to win, and they pay our salary as everyone says, but we also want to win, and the frustration came to us. And, you know, it wasn’t my intention to offend anyone, and if I offended anyone, we apologize

–Javier Báez

Lindor and manager Luis Rojas said on Tuesday that they believe Báez, the first language is Spanish but does not use an interpreter when talking to the media, was wrong when he said the Mets players were shouting at fans. “

“I didn’t say the fans were bad, I love the fans, but I felt like we were alone,” Baez said yesterday. “The fans obviously want to win, and they pay our salary as everyone says, but we also want to win, and the frustration came to us. And, you know, it wasn’t my intention to offend anyone, and if I offended someone, we we apologize “.

Lindor also said the gesture did not explicitly refer to fans.

“The thumb down for me means adversity, the adversity we’ve been through all this time,” Lindor said. “Like the negative things, which we overcame, so it’s like, We did it! Let’s review it!”

“However, it was wrong, and I apologize to anyone I offended. It was not my intention to offend people,” added Lindor who also took the opportunity to thank those who have previously understood and supported him during his hard time this season and to whom he had never before appreciated his gestures.

Báez and Lindor spoke to reporters in front of the Mets bench. Lindor was yelled at by some fans as he left, and two children raised signs with their thumbs down behind him as he spoke.

Thumbs down to me means adversity, the adversity we have been through all this time. Like the negative things, which we overcame, so it’s like, We did it! Let’s review it! However, it was wrong, and I apologize to anyone I offended. It was not my intention to offend people

–Francisco Lindor

After Báez concluded his apology, a fan shouted at him “javy, we just want to win, brother!”.

Lindor was shouted before his first turn on the bat and again after performing a successful sacrifice touch.

Báez was not in the lineup for the resumption of a game postponed by the rain in the first inning of April 11, but he was likely to play in the second game of an unusual double billboard.

“I’m glad to hear our players apologize to the fans,” freshman owner Steve Cohen said on Twitter. “We support our players today and we go out and win 2 today!”

The Mets aren’t the only club that opposes home teasing. Pirates gardener Gregory Polanco complained last week of fan boos in Pittsburgh a couple of days before he was released by the team.

“They have to understand that I am also a human being,” he said. Of course, New York is his own beast. Players and coaches hope that the low-performing stars in New York will find out about this from the fans.

“Here, I have a lot of respect,” Lindor said. “People are very honest and they let you know.”

Mets fan Will Gregory, 15, said before the game that he wanted Báez to handle the boos as gracefully as Yankees goalie Giancarlo Stanton.

Gregory, standing with friends near the players ’entrance in search of autographs, said he respected Stanton for recognizing the right of fans to shout.

“He took it very differently, saying we need to be better,” Gregory said. “But you know, we’re New Yorkers, and that’s how (Báez) will be received if he plays badly. Then, if he doesn’t want to be booed, he should play better.”

The whole team, not just Báez and Lindor, was using the gesture, and Rojas said the players had decided to stop the gesture before he headed to the club on Tuesday.