Orioles fan literally turned his back to every A-Rod at-bat 'because he's the worst'
A Baltimore Orioles fan named Tolbert Rowe literally turned his back on New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez on Monday and faced the other direction during Rodriguez's four at-bats, citing his total lack of respect for the slugger.
"I don't respect him," Rowe told The Washington Post. "He doesn't deserve to be watched. Absolutely not, I'm sorry. You know, and now they got all this about his tying Willie Mays' record and the $6 million, and he has the audacity to think that he should be paid. I'm sorry. I don't respect the guy. Not one bit."
This dude is refusing to watch A-Rod's at bats: pic.twitter.com/12QGRaKAzs
— Tim Anderson (@TimmyWade94) April 13, 2015
The Biogensis scandal that cost A-Rod all of last season also trimmed 50 games from Nelson Cruz's 2013 campaign. The Orioles signed Cruz in February 2014, and he swatted 40 home runs and drove in 108 RBI for Baltimore. Cruz helped send the O's deep into the postseason, and Rowe cheered him on.
It's only A-Rod.
“Because he’s the worst,” Rowe said. “He’s the epitome of all that was wrong about it. And he’s been so successful. Maybe it’s jealousy, maybe it isn’t. But I just don’t think that he deserves to be in the class with other players that have never had … and I mean, he lied about it. I’m sorry. He doesn’t deserve my respect.”
That's fair and it's Rowe's right to shun or literally turn his back to any batter, but it might have been more satisfying to watch an 0-4 effort from A-Rod. He struck out twice (once swinging, once looking) to Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen, popped up once and grounded out to second in his last at-bat in the eighth inning.
