CLEVELAND — Chris Perez is frustrated, angry, fed up.
And one of the American League's best closers chose an unusual group toward which to direct those feelings: the fans of the Cleveland Indians.
Perez does not get why a team that is in first place in the AL Central is dead last in Major League Baseball in attendance. And Saturday and Sunday, he let those fans know how he felt.
"It's just a slap in the face when you're last in attendance," he said before the Indians' 5-3 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday. "Last. It's not like we're 25th, 26th. We're last. Oakland's outdrawing us. It's embarrassing."
In terms of pure honesty and straightforwardness, Perez's interview was an instant classic. He did not back down one iota from angry comments Saturday night, and even amplified them.
In terms of quirky, it was up there as well. Perez's comments came as the Indians reside in first, winners of five of their previous seven games (before Sunday).
In terms of winnable, Perez might have picked the wrong argument. Right as some of his remarks may be, it's impossible for a player to win an argument with the fans.
Naturally, the Indians' management does not necessarily agree. Team president Mark Shapiro said he appreciates Perez's passion, but does not buy the feelings.
"We as an organization clearly disagree with him about our fans," Shapiro said. "We appreciate our fans. We respect our fans. We certainly want more to come, and we're working hard to make that happen."
Perez's comments were fueled by an appearance Thursday night when he was booed after giving up a single and walk in the 10th inning of a tie game. When his next two pitches were balls, he really heard it. Though he got out of the inning and the Indians won, he still simmered. After a save on Saturday — his first interview since the booing — he let loose, then followed up Sunday morning.
"We're in first place," Perez said. "Enjoy it. We could be in last place. We could be the Royals, could be the Pirates. They haven't won anything in 20 years. We're not. Enjoy it. I don't understand the negativity."
"Negativity is just louder around the world," manager Manny Acta said. "A bomb makes more noise than a hug, simple as that. . . . He cares and he didn't mean anything wrong by it."
@dsergiov yeah, they are words of a fair-weather "fan"
— Chris Perez (@ChrisPerez54) May 15, 2012
Perez has 13 saves in a row since he blew a save on opening day. His 13-of-14 in save opportunities is tied for second in the American League. The boos Thursday no doubt came because fans remembered Opening Day, which was brutally difficult. But Perez dealt with that blown chance the first game the same way he dealt with things Sunday: candidly and bluntly.
Except he might not grasp one reality: the way the Indians' attendance is going is not atypical.
Cleveland entered Sunday's game averaging 15,518, last in baseball and behind Oakland. But the past three home games, including Sunday, drew 82,845. Which means the first 20 home games averaged 14,111.
A year ago, the Indians played 20 home games before a weekend series against the Reds drew just less than 100,000. Average attendance the first 20 games: 14,795. From that point, things were fine. The Indians averaged 22,726 for the season and had an increase of almost 450,000 from 2010.
"Who am I to sit here and say you should come or you shouldn't come (to games)?" pitcher Derek Lowe said. "Our job is to play the game, and that's it."
Perez's frustration lies in the fact that a competitive team in 2011 has not seen a bump for a first-place team in 2012.
"Because it doesn't seem like it's getting any better," he said. "What can we do?"
Perez said he also doesn't understand why fans haven't embraced the players on this team. They grew up together, and now are playing well together. "That's what you do with a team," he said.
In perhaps his boldest statements, Perez even said some players do not want to play for Cleveland because it's not fun. The cold weather and small crowds prompt players to prefer other spots — and he said he's learned this by talking to players on other teams and players the Indians released.
"It's not a good atmosphere," he said. "It's not fun to be here."
He compared it to Philadelphia — a place that he said is fun every night — and that fun might help the team fight through a tough game or four. He said he's talked to Lowe and coach Sandy Alomar Jr. about what it used to be like to come to Cleveland.
"That's the home field advantage," he said. "That's what I want to get back to. That helps us win. That helps us get to where we want to go. It's not like that anymore, unfortunately. I don't want to say that teams like coming here, but it's just another game for them."
Perez said he just wants to win, and that is fueling his comments.
It will be interesting to see how they are received. Perez said he heard from some fans on Twitter already.
"It entertained my timeline (Saturday) night; that was fun," he said. "I expected it, but I really don't care anymore. I'm here to do my job and play for this team. If the fans come, they come. If they don't it will be just like it was in April, so who cares?"
As for his teammates . . .
"They feel the same way," Perez said. "They just won't say it."
