Is Fenway About to Eat Alex Rodriguez Alive?
Image Credit: Keith Allison on Flickr
We hope Guinness World Record judges are already setting up at Fenway Park, just in case the record for loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium (currently held by a Turkish derby game) gets broken tonight when Yankees shortstop Alex Rodriguez takes the field at Fenway Park.
Rodriguez was never going to face a very kind crowd here in Boston amid a pending 211 game suspension for steroid abuse, which he’s appealing as he continues to play with the Yankees. Now there are new allegations, reported by 60 Minutes, that Rodriguez’s inner circle leaked documents implicating other MLB players in the doping scandal earlier this year. And if the Whitey Bulger trial taught you nothing else this summer, it’s that this city isn’t exactly a haven for “rats.”
It is in this environment that the Yankees come to Boston for the first game in a series Friday night. Rodriguez shouldn’t expect much friendly banter from the Red Sox players themselves. Jonny Gomes has already said, “It doesn’t make much sense that he’s still playing,” and “I can imagine being the pitcher, just knowing this guy is on or has done steroids.”
You know who else can imagine being the pitcher in that situation? John Lackey can! And he told the Boston Globe, “I’ve got a problem with it. You bet I do … How is he still playing?
But if the players are one thing, the Fenway crowds are quite another. You can practically feel the frissons of schadenfreude rippling through the internet in anticipation of the moment A-Rod’s name is announced.
Predictions on Twitter range from understatement…
My guess is Fenway will not cheer A-Rod tonight
— Mitchell Peters (@Mitchythekid321) August 16, 2013
…
Can’t wait to see the warm reception A-Rod gets tonight in Boston as the Yanks roll in for a wknd series. Pitching him high and inside?
— Steve Flesch (@Steve_Flesch) August 16, 2013
…
I can’t even begin to imagine how bad A Rod will get booed tonight in Boston, especially since he’s ratting everyone out
— Eric Yes (@The_EricNoe) August 16, 2013
…
The Fenway faithful are going to have an absolute field day with A-Rod tonight. Hahaha
— Kyle Van Thof (@kvanthof24) August 16, 2013
… to what we hope is hyperbole.
After todays news on A-Rod, Boston is going to eat him alive tonight
— Conor Brosnan (@ConorJBrosnan) August 16, 2013
Personally, we buy our human meat hormone- and steroid-free, but hey, whatever floats your boat Fenway crowd.
