Reds’ Pham gets chilly reception from SF Giants fans at Oracle Park
The violent altercation involving Giants outfielder Joc Pederson and Cincinnati Reds left fielder Tommy Pham has been forgotten, according to the Giants and Cincinnati Reds.
But it was clear that some of the spectators at Oracle Park were still thinking about the smack that went viral.
Pham’s name was predictably booed when the Reds’ starting lineup was revealed before Friday’s game. In the top of the first inning, Pham, who bats third for Cincinnati, received some verbal abuse as well.
The crowd cheered as Pham grounded out to first base for the third out, and they continued to sing to him as he entered the field in left field for the bottom of the inning. Pham would periodically turn to face the partisan crowd.
The Giants and Reds will play one other for the first time since late May during this weekend’s series. On May 27, Pham approached Pederson in the outfield of Great American Ballpark and slapped him across the cheek. Pham was unhappy about a fantasy football strategy.
Pham received a three-game penalty from the series between the teams in Cincinnati as a result of the incident.
Pham made a cheeky prediction about the reaction he would receive from Giants supporters earlier this week.
Clapping, Pham said with a smile earlier this week, adding that he did not wish to further discuss the incident with Pederson from last month.
“Nobody around here has talked about that in a long time,” Reds manager David Bell remarked on Friday in the afternoon. However, some Reds players appeared in the opposing clubhouse and on the field before to the game wearing red t-shirts that said “PHAM!” in large yellow letters.
Pham encountered a hostile atmosphere when he returned to San Diego in April. Pham is hitting.253 with 10 home runs and a.781 OPS. Pham, who played for the Padres for two seasons before joining the Reds in his rookie season, responded to the boo-birds by hitting 5-for-12 in the series with two home runs.
On Thursday, Pederson expressed his wish that Pham’s jeering by Giants supporters would not reach extreme proportions. Games on Saturday and Sunday in the series will begin at 4:15 p.m. and 1:05 p.m., respectively.
There is a level of respect that needs to be maintained, according to Pederson. “It’s not acceptable when you watch games in New York or anywhere else and people start throwing things on the field. Nothing is improved by it. It only makes things worse.
“I’ve been rather exhausted by it on the trip. I frequently receive a reprimand for being slapped. However, I doubt that will change because, I dunno, our supporters generally don’t care for left fielders. They’ll probably say, “What’s wrong with so-and-so, and he’s a bum,” or something similar. When I played left field for the Dodgers, I heard that quite a bit.
Jurickson Profar claimed he got into some heated arguments with spectators in left field during the Padres’ game at Oracle Park in May as a result of things being thrown in his general area.
According to Profar, these players are the worst in the league. “They can talk, but when you try to throw things, that’s when things change. I was furious. I’m generally a pleasant guy, but when I’m angry, things change. I was genuinely upset by that.
“Our club has really, really gone past this,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. We always want our supporters to be respectful, but we kind of echo Joc’s remarks about some amazing, encouraging followers.
According to Pederson, there is a level of deference that must be upheld. “It’s unacceptable to watch sporting events in New York or anywhere else when fans start throwing objects onto the field. Nothing is made better by it. It merely makes matters worse.