St. Louis Cardinals: Ailing Cardinals deserve better reactions

The St. Louis Cardinals have had to release news of injuries of late and fan reaction has been down right despicable.

The St. Louis Cardinals announced early this morning that their All-Star catcher, Yadier Molina, underwent surgery Saturday night after taking a ricochet foul ball estimated at 90+ MPH to the thigh/groin. Likewise, Bud Norris was removed from Saturday’s game with a tricep injury. Tommy Pham exited Saturday’s game as well with groin discomfort.

Just a day before, Dominic Leone was removed from action with an injury. Needless to say, the St. Louis Cardinals are ailing.

Making matters worse, rather than better, is all the reaction that is circulating on social media. When is enough enough? When do fans forget that players are husbands, fathers, brothers, sons? In whose mantra is it that team loyalty exceeds the rights of man?

The fires were stoked on Saturday night when the foul tip found Yadi’s sweet spot. Upon his removal, Cubs fans lit their torches and gathered their pitch forks. They literally came after Yadier calling him all sorts of rude names and saying that he deserved the hit in his family jewels. REALLY?!!

Related Story: Yadier out a month

(By the way, as a quick aside, not one of these types of comments were levied at Norris.)

After Saturday’s come-from-behind (multiple times) victory, some speculation was released that Molina would need repair. This was made worse by a particular journalist (whom we have interviewed in our EXTRA INNINGS podcast) and a tweet in which he stated that he was working to confirm “devastating news.”

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Let me add here that our interview with this journalist was wonderful and he shared a great deal about the business of baseball and journalism. While many fans took umbrage at his choice of word- devastating- I believe, based on our interview with this man, that he meant no foul by the word choice but was reacting from his heart: missing Yadier Molina in light of the severity of his surgery (which I can only imagine was ten times worse than a root canal) was/is devastating to this reporter and to a great deal of St. Louis Cardinals fans.

The problem that I have is less with this reporter’s histrionics and more with the de-humanizing attacks that social media witnessed.

I’m sorry but I just don’t think it is right or fair to bring an all-out war on any player in light of injury. And- quite honestly- shame on any of you who did such a thing, regardless of your team affiliation.

On the flip side of things, I must say that when Pham was removed with another groin injury, social media did welcome a great deal of humor from fans. Some suggested that Pham could have their groin as he clearly needs it more than they do. Others offered to massage Pham’s groin for him.

These comments are far more appropriate (even in their inappropriateness) than targeting and taking pleasure at a player’s injury just because you don’t like the player or the team upon which he plays.

One last point from me on this matter: I find myself wondering if Kolten Wong‘s post game comments about pissing off Cubs fans had anything to do with the torch-and-pitch-fork-bearing that had already hit social media. While it might be unlikely, the comment was harsh and direct and showed fire and passion that the St. Louis Cardinals need. It also showed heart from Kolten who was taking on a mantle defending his teammates. That’s just my wondering though.

Let me reiterate that I am ashamed for anyone who took to social media to make fun of or to applaud Yadier Molina’s injury. If you chose such a move, hate me all you want, come at me on social media all you want, but you should take a long look at yourself and decide if your actions added to the good of the world or detracted from it. I believe it was definitely the latter.

Next: Changes could help

I’m sure I will get plenty of hate tweets for this piece and I’m okay with that because- quite frankly- when a person shows you what they are, believe them. Let’s see just what and how people want to be labeled.