Houston Astros teammates Bennett Sousa and Christian Walker have combined for over 1,250 regular-season games and, following Tuesday’s Wild Card Series opener, another 21 playoff outings between them. So naturally, you’d think they’d understand one of baseball’s key rules: you never go after the fans.
Either they never learned that lesson, or they elected to ignore it following a 6-3 loss to the White Sox. Speaking with reporters after the game, Sousa ripped the Daikin Park crowd for booing the players and for their lack of attendance; the Astros announced a crowd of 34,011, roughly 7,150 fans under capacity, for a playoff game that started shortly after 4 p.m. ET.
“The fans here are definitely spoiled with a lot of ALCS and World Series runs, and we have to earn that right to bring this team back to that position,” said Sousa, who allowed three baserunners and an earned run. “That being said, when this team was in their first (playoff) series 10 years ago, Minute Maid Park was probably packed. It makes a big difference. If we were in Chicago, it’d probably be loud as s—.”
Walker, a 12-year vet closing in on 1,000 career hits, called the booing “extremely frustrating” and accused fans of ignoring how hard the Astros worked to reach the playoffs.
“We’re here, playing at home [and] we need cheers,” Walker said. “We need energy. We don’t need boos. What purpose does that serve in that moment?”
Houston Astros fans have every right to root against Bennett Sousa, Christian Walker, and the rest of the roster
Sousa added that he was “pretty pissed off” about hearing the boos when he entered the dugout after the top of the seventh. Astros fans shared their frustration with the team’s pitching throughout the afternoon, as AJ Blubaugh opened and failed to make it out of the first inning. Bryan King gave up four runs, two hits, and left in the second inning to a chorus of irate ticketgoers.
Booing players over their performance is nothing new, and not even the all-time greats have escaped fans’ wrath. The Yankee Stadium crowd even showered Derek Jeter with boos during a 2004 slump, and he responded by saying, “I’d boo myself too.”
If Sousa and Walker don’t respect Astros fans, then why do they deserve Daikin Park’s support? Houston became the first team in a non-shortened season to reach the postseason with a non-winning record, and the Astros nearly escaped being an 80-82 division champion. Of course the fanbase is frustrated by a team that finished 11-13 in September and 39-42 at home.
Sousa also seemingly forgot that the vast majority of the Astros’ ALCS and World Series games took place at night. So are we going to shame people for prioritizing work or their families? Is that really the route Sousa wants to take?
Walker added that the fans booing is “motivating for the wrong reasons,” and we’re unsure why he needed to say that out loud. No one would blame him for feeling that way or having those conversations in the locker room, but to voluntarily offer such commentary?
By the way: Sousa posted -0.6 bWAR and a 6.00 ERA over 35 games, and allowed 11 runs and nine walks over his final 11.2 regular-season innings. Walker’s .299 on-base percentage was considerably below the league average, and he hit a career-worst .226 in nearly 650 plate appearances.
But yes, let’s blame the fans. Didn’t you know the fans are the ones who allowed four walks, two wild pitches, and let the White Sox go 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position? Maybe Walker and Sousa should head home for the winter and donate their hats and uniforms to two minor-league prospects who’ll appreciate those who show up on Wednesday.
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