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May 20, 2013Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez has had enough. Following Monday afternoon’s extra-innings win against the Seattle Mariners, thus completing a four-game sweep at Progressive Field, Perez deleted his Twitter account largely in part to the barrage of hate-laced tweets being sent his way.
Perez, a two-time All-Star with the Indians, has become a bit of a target on the microblogging platform following his comments last season regarding fan support. On Tuesday afternoon, Perez gave up his third home run in what was his last two outings, forcing the Indians to come from behind via the heroics of reserve catcher Yan Gomes.
When Perez allowed two home runs this past weekend, he tweeted out that one of the most useful tools on Twitter was the “block” feature that allows him to not receive messages from select fans. On Tuesday, the closer seemingly had enough of the tasteless barbs being thrown his way, oftentimes anonymously.
Despite saving 90 percent of his chances (81-for-91) since becoming the Tribe’s closer in 2011, a cabal of Indians “fans” have decided to carry along a narrative that Perez “always” blows saves and—despite being just a few saves shy of long-time Indians reliever Doug Jones—has provided no benefit as the anchor of one of the best bullpens in the major leagues. More importantly, he’s a human being.
Look everyone, it's @ChrisPerez54!!! pic.twitter.com/HXpPCzVLQB
— Chris Gibilisco (@Chris_Gibilisco) May 20, 2013
@ChrisPerez54 You're terrible. I wonder how many times you can cost me money in one year. Get a haircut loser.
— Steve Latkovic (@StevoBG23) May 20, 2013
https://twitter.com/Son_of_George77/status/336577286591635456
Hey @ChrisPerez54 please leave Cleveland. Sincerely, EVERYONE.
— Jason Bailey (@13J_Bay) May 20, 2013
Release @ChrisPerez54 right now @MarkShapiro HE SUCKS! #tribetown #indians #bringbackjosemesa
— carlostres (@carlosetres) May 20, 2013
@ChrisPerez54 Worthless piece of shit
— Michael Barone (@BaroneM96) May 20, 2013
@ChrisPerez54 you dumb fat ass, we should trade your nasty ass beard ass bitch ass to the fucking cubs or pirates. We DONT need you #asshole
— Nate Testa (@TheRealGord) May 20, 2013
Perez often used Twitter to interact with fans, hand out free tickets to games, and reveal his “song of the day” each and every morning. It appears that the costs associated with his profile, at this stage, far outweighed the benefits. Tough to imagine why…
[Related: Indians exemplifying “next man up” thus far]
110 Comments
Well, you still call them “chicks,” so maybe I would.
Yeah, pretty sure I would.
Hey, all joking aside, stick around. I like your style, even if I don’t like your style.
No, I completely get the point. But what’s being missed here is that people are unable to understand the difference between not liking what they are being told and being attacked. These are two vastly different things, yet people are equating what Perez said to what these fans are said, which is patently ridiculous.
And of course, we are always quick to blame ballplayers not meeting our expectations on their personal shortcomings, despite the fact that in reality we know so little about the guy. The first sign that you are not an expert is that you think you can make statements about a person’s emotional intelligence from only a few comments.
You ask me what I expect. I tell you honestly. Don’t get yourself into such a tizzy when you don’t like it.
Completely disagree. It’s given a voice to everyone, good or bad. I think most smart companies are talking and listening on Twitter. It’s crucial. Ignore what’s said there at your peril. It takes very little some something small to become something big.
I’m not defending those who target Perez. but you’re going to be a target as a public figure on there. Tough it out.
I read that as “I expect the world to be as I wish it to be, and not as it is”
I actually do “get out” quite a bit. Never stepped foot in Ohio, live in the Bay Area (CA), but have been a lifelong Cleveland fan. I’m not dumb and do know that this happens elsewhere, but it is tiring as a fan that when something bad happens dudes freak out and always take the “world is ending” scenario. Having grown up entirely around other fanbases, I’ve seen the perception that others have about Cleveland fans.
Average is defined as the arithmetic mean, which 90 percent is in fact not. It’s good enough for ninth overall out of all qualified closers. Try again.
Understood and agree about the “sky is falling” mentality, the hand wringing, etc. It’s annoying. I think the ahole, “fans” are another thing entirely, and my only point was that they’re in every fan base. Living in LA, I can attest to that personally my friend.
lol. Bring back Jose Mesa? Yes, I would totally love to relive losing the 1997 world series.
There is a turd in the punchbowl.
More of an enemy to cleveland than Lebron?
Somewhere, a kitten just shot itself