Heckling the opposition...

[scOtt]

I like standing behind the bullpen cuz you're so close to the players. A couple years ago the Angels had one of those weird club things going on where a bunch of their guys dyed their hair blond. One of their relievers got up to warm up (blond). I yelled out "Does she or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows."

Got a nice laugh.

[J.D.]

When I was younger, I used to go with a friend that had season tickets in left field right on the wall.

Opening day (I want to say '97, but I can't remember), we opened against the White Sox, sporting Albert Belle as their left fielder.

Belle proceeded to go 0-4 with a few strike outs and, aside from the generic "Jooooeeeeyyy" chant we had going, I spent most of the game peppering him about how much he was getting paid per strikeout, insinuating that he couldn't carry Robin Ventura's jock, and anything else I could think of in my mid-teens.

7th inning or so, he finally turned around and glared at me. Nothing dramatic, but a good, long, steely stare from #8. I smiled and waved at him.

I always feel a little responsible for what the Belle signing did to us.

[ScottieBaseball]

I was in Denver on business a few years ago and caught the Rockies hosting the Dodgers. Darren Dreifort (who'd signed a ridiculous 5 year, $55 million contract in 2001) had just been eliminated from the rotation and relegated to the bullpen. The visiting bullpen at Coors Field is close to the concourse (similar to Oriole Park only closer to CF). Dreifort got up to loosen up and I yelled, "CHA-CHING! CHA-CHING! CHA-CHING!" with every step he took. The stadium was no where near sold out (also similar to Oriole Park) and my voice absolutely carried. It got his attention. When he made eye contact with me, I stared for a second and yelled, "How do you sleep at night? $55 million dollars?!?!" He looked as though he were ignoring me until another fan walked up to me laughing. He said, "Who is that?" I yelled, "Darren...he wants to know who you are...want me to fill him in? Ridiculously overpaid, pitching-challenged, and now burden to the Dodgers bullpen. That about right, Darren?" He looked back at me, this time with a glare. It was then I realized that he mechanics looked TERRIBLE. He wasn't landing consistently and he was using an awkward, short arm motion. I don't remember who their bullpen coach was at the time (Ken Howell?), but I yelled, "Coach...are you serious with his mechanics?!?! He's gonna hurt somebody!" I pointed at a little girl, maybe six years old, and said, "Hey...want her to come down and show you how to throw Darren?" I'd drawn a small crowd of fans to the railing I was leaning on by then and I was killin' 'em. Dreifort was shaking his head and flipping his glove in my direction, but even some of the guys from the bullpen were coming out looking up at me, and laughing.

He got warm and was finally ready to cut loose to full speed. He reared back and threw a pitch so hard that he grunted. It sailed no less than 6 feet over the bullpen catcher's reach and into the evergreens behind him. He immediately looked back at me and I started laughing. "I can do that for $11 million a year! Jesus...where do I sign up?"

The bullpen catcher threw another ball to Dreifort. He toed the rubber and I yelled, "WAIT! SOMEBODY RUN DOWN THERE AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO KIDS THAT COULD GET HURT! GOD ONLY KNOWS WHERE THIS ONE'S GONNA GO! TAKE COVER!!!" I ducked down and put my arms over my head to pretend I was protecting myself. Finally the bullpen coach said, "C'mon man...ease up," to me. I said, "As long as he promises not to hurt any more squirrels or whatever wildlife is in those pine trees."

Finally Jim Tracy (I think) called for Dreifort from the bullpen. On his way out the bullpen door I yelled, "Make the money Darren!!!" He reached up behind himself and flipped me the bird. I got high-fives from the small group of Rockies fans that had gathered around me. Someone even handed me a beer.

It was one of my shiniest heckling moments.

[Pedro Cerrano]

My proudest heckling moment, I'm sure I've told this story on this site before:

This game.

If you recall, Derek Jeter had a huge slump in the early part of 2004. I believe they even put him on a Sports Illustrated cover on an article about slumps. Anyway, I attended this game with a bunch of buddies from college. Our seats were a hook up from my buddy's dad and we were two rows up from the 3rd base line. It was spring of my senior year so I had nothing to do but drink beer after getting to the game early. So, somewhat sauced, I saw Jeter and ARod warming up along the 3rd base line. I walked right down to the fence and let him have it:

"Hey, Jeter, tell Steinbrenner I'll gladly hit below .200 for him, and I'll only ask for $10 million!"

"Don't worry Derek, you're still a better hitter than fielder!"

I went on and on and he just kept warming up, not acknowledging anything. Top of the first rolls around and Jeter rips a double to dead center and I swear, God as my witness, he stood on second base and pointed at me.

[Remember The Alomar]

It was one of my shiniest heckling moments.

I read that and started to feel bad for the guy...then I remembered his contract.

[RedDevil00]

I've never heckled before, but I'd like to someday. I will aspire to the things you gentlemen here have said.

[ThisIsOurHouse]

Last year it was a rainy tuesday and the blue jays were in town. Originally my tickets we in the 300's, by the 3rd inning we could move up to the left feild foul pole because their was hardly anybody their because of the cold rain. Lets just say that section gave Lind a couple words of support . By the 7th inning he started drifting away from the wall.

[scOtt]

My proudest heckling moment, I'm sure I've told this story on this site before:

This game.

If you recall, Derek Jeter had a huge slump in the early part of 2004. I believe they even put him on a Sports Illustrated cover on an article about slumps. Anyway, I attended this game with a bunch of buddies from college. Our seats were a hook up from my buddy's dad and we were two rows up from the 3rd base line. It was spring of my senior year so I had nothing to do but drink beer after getting to the game early. So, somewhat sauced, I saw Jeter and ARod warming up along the 3rd base line. I walked right down to the fence and let him have it:

"Hey, Jeter, tell Steinbrenner I'll gladly hit below .200 for him, and I'll only ask for $10 million!"

"Don't worry Derek, you're still a better hitter than fielder!"

I went on and on and he just kept warming up, not acknowledging anything. Top of the first rolls around and Jeter rips a double to dead center and I swear, God as my witness, he stood on second base and pointed at me.

Thanks, tho, for helping out the team...

:rofl:

[ScottieBaseball]

I feel bad now...I believe he was trying to pitch through an injury that ultimately required surgery and (I believe) was the beginning of the end of his career.

But man...that contract.

[lovetoaster]

I used to heckle a little bit, I still do it from time to time. But I have gotten more humerous in my heckling. I was at a Braves-Nats game two years ago and was in the front row of the right field seats. The game was a little boring, so I started having a little fun with Francoeur. It was all in good fun, he was laughing and responding to a lot of it.

I was also at the O's-Blue Jays game on July 4, 2003 when the O's scored 8 in the 8th to win the game. I was in the first row in left field and said a few things to Shannon Stewart during the game. He did not respond to anything, so I had given up for the most part. Until the end of the O's rally in the 8th. After the O's took the lead, I said something like "Shannon, you guys suck," not really hecking, but the Jays completely fell apart in that inning. He turned around and said "I know." He was traded to Minnesota shortly afterward.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL200307040.shtml

[BaltimoreTerp]

I've saved most of my heckling for college basketball, but I've never been much of a heckler anyway.

Last year, though, I was at an Orioles-Royals game (I think it was Tillman's debut), and for about the last four innings, some dweeb sitting five or six rows behind me in the bleachers was riding Mich Meier. And I mean constantly. It just got annoying after about two innings, and I was hoping Meier would make a dash for the stands to kill that guy (and I would have been a witness for his defense). You could tell he SO wanted to do it...

[notfast]

This thread reminds me of a game last year....Yankees/O's...rain delay...call everyone down to the lower level etc. I'm down between 3rd and the LF. Arod, jeter, Damon. I'm hammered and going off on all 3. Theres another guy a section down and we're just throwing volleys back and forth. Arod and Jeter are laughing. Especially at the comment about arods new cologne smelling like Jeter. Damon not so much. Didnt like comments about his wife beating him up.

The police officer on the field was dying from laughter. Same with Juan Samuel. My single best comedic experience. Arod/Jeter were laughing and giving "nods" to good jabs. Damon didnt.

Was that "other guy" a member here? or just a random drunk well versed O's fan?

[BaltimoreTerp]

This thread reminds me of a game last year....Yankees/O's...rain delay...call everyone down to the lower level etc. I'm down between 3rd and the LF. Arod, jeter, Damon. I'm hammered and going off on all 3. Theres another guy a section down and we're just throwing volleys back and forth. Arod and Jeter are laughing. Especially at the comment about arods new cologne smelling like Jeter. Damon not so much. Didnt like comments about his wife beating him up.

The police officer on the field was dying from laughter. Same with Juan Samuel. My single best comedic experience. Arod/Jeter were laughing and giving "nods" to good jabs. Damon didnt.

Was that "other guy" a member here? or just a random drunk well versed O's fan?

From mine? I'm pretty sure he was just a drunk college kid with his buddies.

[Elrod]

Nothing like a good, loud, well informed, smart heckler. Wish I had the skills to pull it off.

[notfast]

From mine? I'm pretty sure he was just a drunk college kid with his buddies.

I was talking about from my post LOL