Tracking Winston: Large crowds, taunting fans greet him on road
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Jameis Winston returned to the baseball field last week following a three-game suspension for failing to pay for seafood at a local grocery store on April 30.
Some fans taunted him in DeLand, Fla., on Tuesday night with fake crab legs. But a standing room only crowd came out to see Winston and the Florida State baseball team play at Stetson, and the Seminoles took a 9-4 win. Winston pitched the ninth and allowed an unearned run on one hit, and he signed a number of autographs before and after the game.
Winston also traveled to North Carolina with the baseball team, which took two of three games in a weekend series with the Tar Heels. He went 0 for 2 in Saturday's game and pitched a scoreless inning of relief on Sunday.
He has not spoken to the media since the April 30 incident but could do so following Tuesday afternoon's home game against Central Florida.
WINSTON'S DAD SPEAKS
Antonor Winston, Jameis' father, told USA TODAY Sports that he wishes his son had called Publix when he realized he had forgotten to pay. But he's "comfortable with his son's blunder."
With Winston in the spotlight, Antonor thinks Winston needs "somebody around him 24/7," a comment that is similar to the suggestion FOXSportsFlorida.com made previously in an analysis of his off-field issues. When Winston is on the road with the baseball team, FSU sends a police officer along to help manage the crowd and protect Winston.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Winston was happy for his former FSU teammate Kelvin Benjamin, a receiver who was the first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. Coincidentally, Benjamin will catch passes from another Heisman winner, Cam Newton. But so will Kenny Shaw, who went undrafted but signed a free agent deal to play for the Cleveland Browns -- which drafted quarterback (and Heisman winner) Johnny Manziel.
ON THE MOUND
Winston is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 26 innings. Opponents are hitting just .170 against the sophomore right-hander.
AT THE PLATE
Winston is hitting .132 with five hits (two doubles), six runs and four RBI this season.
IN THE FIELD
Winston has not made an error in the outfield this season.
UP NEXT
Florida State is 39-12 and has already sealed up the Atlantic Division title heading into the final week of the regular season. The Seminoles host UCF on Tuesday and Duke from Thursday through Saturday. Florida State will play in the ACC tournament beginning on May 20.
You can follow Bob Ferrante on Twitter @bobferrante or email him at bobferrante17@gmail.com.
