Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Controversial Comments: Did He Justify Dodgers Fans’ Criticism?
Daniel Kim Views
▲ Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
[SPOTV News — Kim Geon-il] Did Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong pay the price for criticizing Dodgers fans?
His shot at Dodgers fans came back to bite him. Both his play and his comments were under the microscope, and he endured a rough day in enemy territory.
In a preseason interview, Armstrong stirred controversy when he called Dodgers fans “people who just come to take pictures.” He compared them unfavorably to Chicago supporters, saying Cubs fans “care about real baseball,” needlessly stoking the flames.
The Dodgers have led MLB in attendance for the past decade, yet Crow-Armstrong didn’t back down, saying, “There are passionate fans, but LA has a strong culture of showmanship.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse. Shortly after those remarks, he had a miserable outing at Dodger Stadium. On April 27, he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, whiffing nine times and never getting comfortable against the opposing pitchers.
He compounded the night with a costly defensive misread. Playing center, he badly misjudged what looked like a routine deep fly and allowed a run, handing momentum to the home side.
▲ Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
His bases-loaded strikeout in the top of the sixth was the most damaging. In a spot where the Cubs could have tied the game or taken the lead, he failed to deliver and killed the rally. He never regained traction at the plate later in the game.
Ultimately, he wound up at the center of the loss on both sides of the ball. Paired with his earlier comments, local fans grew colder, with some admonishing him to “prove it with your play, not your words.”
After the game he appeared to dial back his tone. “Every team’s fans have their own vibe,” Armstrong said. “I was only comparing it to my experiences in Chicago.”
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