After committing two errors in the first two innings of Monday’s game against the Mets in Philadelphia, Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm dropped an F-bomb after hearing sarcastic cheers from fans at Citizens Bank Park when he made a routine play in the second inning. Ostensibly referring to Philadelphia, Bohm was caught on camera appearing to say “I fucking hate this place” to Phillies teammate Didi Gregorius.
Bohm followed up his swear session in the second by committing a third error in the third inning, which is not going to help the 25-year-old lock up the third base job over rookie Bryson Stott.
After the game, which the Phillies came back to win 5-4 after trailing 4-0, Bohm admitted he swore and said he let his emotions get the best of him when he cursed the City of Brotherly Love.
“Look, emotions got the best of me. I said it. Do I mean it? No,” Bohm told reporters. “It’s a frustrating night for me, obviously. Made a few mistakes in the field. Look, these people, these fans, they just want to win. You heard it, we come back, they’re great. I’m just sorry to them. I don’t mean that and emotions just got the best of me.”
Asked by a reporter, “So you actually love this place?” Bohm, a Nebraska native who played his college ball for the Wichita State Shockers, smiled and said, “You know what, yeah I do.” Whether Bohm continues to feel that way if he continues to commit errors at such an alarming rate after committing 15 in 98 starts at third last season remains to be seen.
On the one hand, Bohm’s apology could help endear him to fans because it shows his passion and fire for the game. On the other, he really shouldn’t have had to apologize because he was simply expressing his frustration to a teammate on the field and wasn’t cursing at a fan or using any truly hateful language. Time will tell, but the young player may have been better off keeping his mouth shut and letting his bat and his glove do his talking for him.
“I think it’s a kid that was frustrated. I don’t think that kid was referring to, you know, the city of Philadelphia, the fans. I think he was referring to the situation he was in,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said after the game. “Put yourself in his shoes. That’s got to be a tough place.”
By admitting what he said and apologizing for it, Bohm may have just put himself in an even tougher place with fans who once pelted Santa Claus with snowballs 10 days before Christmas because the Eagles couldn’t beat the Vikings.
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