13
2012
The Mets Twitterverse: When The Bullet Hits The Bone
An article by 
As someone who takes great pride in running a Mets fansite, I must admit that occasionally I am repulsed by the behavior of some of those who call themselves Mets fans. Among our incredible fanbase, lurk many who occupy the lowest depths of depravity and are a pariah among us.
You may have wondered what Keith Hernandez and Gary Cohen were referring to during last night’s broadcast when out of the blue Hernandez said how disgusted he was with Twitter and wondered why any player would want anything to do with it.
What Hernandez was referring to was perfectly captured in a post by MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo who relayed the behavior of some Mets fans who decided to to send death threats and other obscenity-laden messages to Mets reliever Jon Rauch after he allowed Russell Martin’s walk-off home run on Sunday.
Rauch was bombarded with tweets telling him to kill himself, hang himself, choke to death, and just about the worst things you could possibly imagine. It was a terrible scene watching these crazed, sub-human, depraved, so-called Mets fans lighting up the Twitterverse with some of the worst venom I’ve ever sen a fan hurl at a player before. Mets fans sending death threats to a Mets player… Unbelievable.
It was awful to see.
Rauch took the approach of retweeting the worst of these posts in an attempt to show just how desperate and out of touch some fans could be.
“It’s funny to me that people think they can take it that far with no consequences. I think it’s interesting for me to be approached with that kind of language. If you’re going to be bold enough to say that kind of stuff and stand behind it, then I’m going to let everybody see it. I think it gives people a lot more insight into what we go through as players and as people that are in the public eye.”
“You go through these things, and we want to be available to the fans. That’s why we get on Twitter. That’s why the Mets encouraged a couple guys in Spring Training to be more open and kind of give people the insight into our daily lives. But personal attacks like that are very uncalled for. If you want to ridicule me, if you want to knock me down because I pitched poorly, that’s fine. I’ll take that, and I should, and I’ll be the first one to say that I screwed up. But at the same time, I think they need to respect us. We’re not out there trying to fail. We’re out there trying to do the best that we can.”
The worst thing about Social Media is how easy it is to say things to others that you wouldn’t have the guts to say to them in person. It’s what we refer to as being an “Internet Toughie”. And usually you learn that these types end up being people occupying the lowest rungs of society’s ladder. Loners, nut jobs, just your garden variety pariah and pond scum.
It’s a shame that players and prospects take the time to join social outlets like Twitter and Facebook, only to find themselves being harrassed relentlessly and in many cases forced to suspend their accounts and go away like Josh Thole did last year after a very similar incident.
I tweet to players and prospects all the time. The extent of which is to congratulate them after a good game, or encourage them after a bad game. That’s it. If you check my twitter feed @Metsmerized you will find this to be true. Why the need to ask personal questions and to make demands? How would you like if a thousands strangers bombarded you for your shoe size, dumbest thing you ever did, lost your virginity, meet up at a bar?
What happened with Rauch on Sunday wasn’t a first in Twitter History, nor will it be the last, and that’s the unfortunate part.
The Mets have gone out of their way to encourage their players to reach out to fans in this all new world where technology brings everything so much more closer together than at anytime in human history.
It’s too bad that as is usually the case, the depraved and the desperate ones looking for attention, are also the loudest ones and the ones who get seen and heard the most.
I feel bad for the players. I feel bad for those who are already in the majors and are able to handle themselves because they are older and more experienced. But I feel terrible for the young ones – the prospects – who get taunted and abused just as much and as badly as their counterparts in the Bigs.
As Rauch said to DiComo,
“I think it’s unfair for the people that are truly behind the players and truly avid fans of the game to have people like this out there who are going to ruin it. I know there are kids that follow the boards, there’s kids, young adults that are learning this game and want to be a part of it, love the team, and to see stuff like that, maybe it wasn’t the best decision for me to put up some of the stuff. But you know what? It’s good to see that there are people that are really behind this team and behind the players that are on it.”
The Mets have been gracious enough to offer us access to the players since the Omar Minaya days in 2009. I’ve always made it perfectly clear to all of our writers, especially those who cover the Mets and the affiliates personally in several capacities, that they must always conduct themselves with the utmost respect. They are to dress professionally and act professionally at all times. If anyone was to break those boundaries, I wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of them and disassociate myself from them.
The players and prospects love us. When our Minor League Editor Pete hits the backfields the players invite him to come and hang out with them after the game for some beer and eats. He respectfully declines.
Some lines are meant to be crossed, while others are not.
What happened on Twitter in the last couple of days was a disgrace and a new low for the Mets Fanbase, because people like that makes us all look bad.
I feel filthy right now… I feel like a Phillies Fan, one of the most classless fans in sports. Shame on all those who took part in that salacious and humiliating orgy of depravity on Sunday.
However, I also want to thank the many great Mets fans who responded to what was happening and came to our players aid. The good tweets certainly outnumbered the bad ones and by a great margin.
For that I am grateful and still proud to be a Met fan.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 22 | 18 | .550 | - |
| Nationals | 22 | 19 | .537 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 19 | 22 | .463 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 15 | 23 | .395 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 30 | .268 | 11.5 |
Last updated: 05/17/2013
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Thanks, Joe. Well said!
If anybody over the age of say 21, signs on to Twitter to taunt and harass public people… they are likely living in their grandma’s basement or possibly in a van…DOWN BY THE RIVER!
I don’t get why people get so angry with regards to sports. I really don’t. I’ll take it a step further than you Joe. I personally have never understood what some people here get out of calling others names or cursing or anything like that.
Baseball is a game. A passionate one yes, but there are worse things in life than Jon Rauch giving up a HR to Russell Martin, or the Mets signing somebody to a minor league contract, or somebody thinking that xFIP is a valuable stat.
The best part of this site is it creates a discussion. It brings different views to the table, and if its a good day, opinions are heard and we move on.
The worst part of this site or twitter or any other Mets site is that some people cannot handle bad news. Whether it be a loss for their favorite team or that somebody disagrees with them.
There’s disagreeing about baseball, and then there’s disagreeing to the point you forget you are talking about a game that you watch on TV. Too often people cross that line.
To be honest, I’d bet a paycheck on the fact that Jon Rauch could probably stomp all of those twitter people.
I never spent more than 10 seconds at Amazin Avenue until somebody told me I go there all the time (which was odd) but I have to say, their warning before you post is great.
It basically says, I agree that whatever I say on this site, I would say with a closed fist in front of my face haha.
The Rauch stuff is excessive but this comment section has in the past TEETERED on similar actions.
“I don’t get why people get so angry with regards to sports. I really don’t. I’ll take it a step further than you Joe. I personally have never understood what some people here get out of calling others names or cursing or anything like that.”
- That’s why nobody has heard from me the past few weeks, Jessep.
The things said behind the anonymity of the internet knows no bounds.
so true. and a lot less annonymous tham many people think.
I am not a twitter user, so no idea how easy it is to peek behind that curtain. But I certainly would not want say the FBI looking for me though my tweets!
and it isn’t new to twitter. The same fools have been saying the same nonsense on the internet for ages. Only real difference is, the intended target most likely never saw it.
Outstanding post Joe D. The thing with Rauch was shameful!!!
‘What happened on Twitter in the last couple of days was a disgrace and a new low for the Mets Fanbase, because people like that makes us all look bad.’
Couldn’t agree more. Internet bullies indeed.
Not defending what happened here, but IMO Rauch fueled the fire when he started retweeting the really bad tweets. Most of those guys tweeting him had like 50-100 followers, but then he retweeted it his 10 thousand followers. That opened the floodgates. One of our prospects Matt Budgell also took it on the chin on Sunday. Not sure why because he didnt allow any walkoff homeruns that I know of.
Agreed. This blew up as soon as Rauch started to RT everything. It went from a mole hill to a mountain after that.
oh, and don’t just put it on met fans. Just about all teams have this issue (remember the beatings in LA?)
Oh my. So glad I dont participate in that Twitter nonsense. I thought it was something for kids anyway.
It really isn’t a new thing. People have always talked crap when they thought there would be no consequences. There was always some drunk in the bar watching the game expressing these same ideas.
The problem is, now they think they send these thoughts anonymously.
There are three types of sports fans:
1. Casual fan who tunes in occassionally.
2..Fan who really likes a team and follows that team in a passionate way.
3..Rabid fan who takes things to an extreme.
Put me in category two thank you very much.
This is another horrible example of what has happened since the beginning of our existence, be it on Twitter or elsewhere. Many have suffered the results of a mob mentality when evil becomes en vouge. Shining the light on these actions are what I believe Rauch was trying to do.Your article along with others is the stance we all need to take going forward. Good job!
Was with you all the way until you felt the need to generalize about an entire Philadelphia fan base. If you were born in Philly you’d be classless?
Unfortunatly we spent so much effort to give the masses a way of expressing themselves we never stopped to ask if the masses really deserve to express themselves.
Free Speech shouldn’t be Free…It should come with consequences.
Anyone who makes a threat to someone’s life on the internet should be prosecuted as if they threatened someone’s life in person!
Personally I find Twitter and facebook to be wastes of time and a leading cause of this country’s lack of productivity…
People Twittering away or talking to friends when they should be working!
Just Twittering the day away as if anyone really cares what your about to do!
Funny thing here is our biggest domestic product these days is Celebrity!
How much per pound does that contribute to our economy?
I agree. A death threat made to a person from an unknown source through any media should be taken to the seriousness as someone who does it in person. I’d love to see any one of those keyboard muscleheads say anything they typed to Rauch’s 6’11” built-like-a-brick-house face- or they’d probably be saying it to his stomach. Then afterward they’d be saying everything through a wired jaw.
Jon Rauch was victimized by cretins who think they are Mets fans. Unimaginable stupidity and crassness was shown by them.
My thoughts and support go to your words Joe. I’d like to add my support to the many Philly fans who don’t partake in the hooligan behavior that too many of them are know to display.
Well Des, yes there are nice Phiily fans but you have to admit that a city that had to appoint a judge and set up a courtroom inside Eagles Stadium for fans charged with offenses committed during the game, you must admit Philly fans maybe, just maybe do some real crazy things.
Metfan Lou — Yup, some of those City of Brotherly Love fans are revolting, uncivil jerks. Unfortunately a few Mets fans are too. Civility never goes out of style.
I’m glad to see somebody address this. I really like that you stick up for what’s right because otherwise you could forget me coming here again. I dont even like to boo players and this is a million times worse than that. Another thing is why the Twitter company let people say things like that and not cancel the accounts. That is also wrong. Anyway Lets Go Mets. We have a big game with Dickey tonight and that is what I care about right now.
Good post JoeD.
The world of the internet and now twitter that was meant as “social media’ to meet others with similar tastes, followings, music, etc has devolved into a vast universe where many don’t have to worry about backlash or recriminations because you hide behind your handle, email, fake name and their is no accountability.
The same thing happened to Lucroy’s wife two weeks ago. He was raking, and she accidentally dropped something on his hand at home and broke it, so she got destroyed on twitter from Brewers “fans.” These things will never stop as long as there’s the anonymity behind a keyboard.
Didn’t Nolan Ryan want to be traded from the Mets because fans were harassing his wife?
THIS IS WHY WE CAN”T HAVE NICE THINGS (by the way, Henry Hill died)