I love a rowdy crowd. Nothing takes my game to the next level like an onslaught of Boo's and insults. The fans are simply showing that they care, marking their territory, and trying to give their team the edge- all while having a good time and sharing some laughs. I can appreciate that. It's more fun for the players if it's fun for the fans.
But sometimes standing in that outfield grass it can feel like you're on an island with those fans- hundreds of fans just dying to see you fail, and doing their best to have a part in it. They're relentless, and it appears as though they're gonna bring it for a full nine innings. So what do you do?
As the title of the new Adam Sandler movie suggests, Just Go With It. Acknowledge their presence. React to their comments. You're both going to be there for three hours, you might as well have some fun together.
I get a kick out of these guys who are so serious- straight-faced the whole time, basically pretending the crowd doesn't exist and he doesn't hear their voices. It's ridiculous. I've found that the harder you try to ignore a heckler, the more he gets under your skin. The anger builds up inside you, and that's when you see players start yelling back at fans and challenging them to fist fights. The second that happens, the fan wins. You're distracted, you're thrown off your game, and the idiot in your ear is now your main focus- the baseball game has taken a back seat.
