An Open Letter to MLB Fans: This Toxic Behavior Must Stop

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Dear Baseball Fans,

We need to talk.

The game we love is in trouble, not because of pitch clocks or robot umpires, but because of us. The behavior of a growing portion of Major League Baseball’s fanbase has crossed a line.

You may have seen the story: after one of Bailey Ober’s recent rough outings, his wife was threatened on social media. Not criticized; not heckled. Threatened. She received death threats from strangers hiding behind burner accounts and gambling slips, lashing out as if her husband’s ERA gave them license to be inhumane. Think about that. A woman was sent death threats because her husband had a bad day at work. That’s not fandom.

Unfortunately, Ober’s situation is not isolated. Over the last week, Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte was brought to tears on the field in Chicago. A fan shouted a disgusting comment about Marte’s late mother, who died in a tragic car accident. Perhaps the aim was just to get a reaction, or maybe attention. Either way, it worked, and not in the way any of us should be proud of.

Yes, that fan was banned from every major-league stadium. And yes, he was reportedly remorseful. But that doesn’t erase the damage. And it doesn’t change the trend. Lance McCullers Jr. and Liam Hendriks have also reported receiving threats after poor performances, this year alone. Some on social media openly questioned the right of Byron Buxton to maintain a semblance of privacy about a death in his family, when he was away from the team for a few days this spring.

Let’s be clear: these players are people. They have spouses, children, and parents. They deal with slumps, pressure, mental health, and family tragedy, just like the rest of us. What they shouldn’t have to deal with is being dehumanized by fans who think buying a ticket or placing a bet makes them part-owner of someone's dignity.

The increase in legalized sports gambling has made the situation worse. It's removed a layer of empathy and replaced it with entitlement. Too many fans are treating athletes like avatars in a fantasy league, instead of the human beings they are. If their parlay busts because someone grounded into a double play, they take to Instagram or Twitter and unload on that player like they’re an NPC. It’s sick, and it’s dangerous.

Of course, this kind of behavior isn’t representative of every baseball fan. Not even close. But those who are guilty are getting louder, more brazen, and far too comfortable. And the silence from others, those who see it and say nothing, is just as harmful.

I know writing this letter might not do much. The ones who most need to hear this probably never will. Or they’ll roll their eyes and scroll past it from behind the same anonymous account where they spew their hatred. That screen gives them a false sense of power and protection. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us should stop speaking up.

Baseball is supposed to bring people together. That’s the magic of this game. It bridges generations, connects strangers, and creates communities. What we’re seeing now does the opposite. It drives players away. It drives good fans into silence. It builds walls between us, when the game is supposed to tear them down. 

We need to step up and protect the culture of this game. When we see people online crossing the line, we should report them. When we’re at a ballpark and hear someone yelling vile things, we should speak up or alert security. We can’t keep shrugging and saying, “Well, that’s just how fans are these days.” No. That’s how bad fans are. That’s how cowards behave.

Let’s be better.

Let’s remember that our passion for baseball doesn’t entitle us to abuse anyone. Let’s remind each other that players don’t owe us perfection. And let’s stop pretending that “tough love” means threatening someone's family or mocking their grief.

There’s still a lot to love about this game. But if we don’t draw a line now, we’re going to lose more than just our favorite players’ respect. We’re going to lose what made baseball great in the first place.

Sincerely,
A fan who still believes we can do better.

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[AceWrigley]

"The increase in legalized sports gambling has made the situation worse."

Nothing about gambling is good.

[ziggy]

I cringe every time I read an article and it refers to players as "a bat" or "an arm".

Every artlcle I have read so far about the upcoming draft refers to the players in such a way.

People are influenced by what they read.

De-humanizing is a learned condition. We can all do better.

[Schmoeman5]

Call me naive. And I get the gambling angle. But tell me. What's going on in the mind of a person threatening a players wife? I knew about it but I didn't think it was right to talk about it. 

[DJL44]

I wouldn't say that people experience worse today than they did previously. Fans have been abusing players verbally since the 1800s. I can't say with a straight face that the abuse they hand out today is worse than what Jackie Robinson endured in the 1950s.

I do agree that people can do better. We don't have to live in a world of nasty, violent horribleness.

[Vanimal46]

56 minutes ago, AceWrigley said:

"The increase in legalized sports gambling has made the situation worse."

Nothing about gambling is good.

And yet sports organizations and gambling continue to snuggle closer together. For example, next year the Minnesota Wild will be playing their games at Grand Casino Arena… 

[NYCTK]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

And yet sports organizations and gambling continue to snuggle closer together. For example, next year the Minnesota Wild will be playing their games at Grand Casino Arena… 

Will I be able to watch them on Fanduel Sports Network?

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Well said Cody.  People are indeed idiots.  The internet gives them the anonymity to say anything they want to and there has been a bit of a coarsening of society in general.  I just wish I knew of a good solution to the problem.

I agree with @DJL44 in that this is probably no worse than what Jackie Robinson endured, but that still doesn't make it OK.  

[djm24]

Great letter Cody. It should gives all who read it pause to think.

NO ONE deserves to receive death threats or hate mail. No one is perfect and no fan should expect perfection from any sports player. Players feel frustrations from their poor performances, just as anyone would in their jobs. Although people can feel remorse for spieling negative or hateful comments, (as in the case of a fan yelling a derogatory comment about Marte's mother,) they should be aware that the damage is already done. I was once told "words said in anger can never be taken back". It's true. The recipient of the angry comment may live with that comment forever. I mention that from experience. 

I hope Bailey Ober and his wife receive some necessary counseling to heal from this inhumane experience.

(I know. Dumb post. But I just had to say this!)

 

 

[NYCTK]

It's way less to do with online gambling, which I'm not a fan of, and more to do with the anonymity granted online. This culture shift is not just seen on Twitter or in the bleachers. Bullying is no longer publicly shamed, but instead championed and rewarded. Just look at the White House. Character is no longer an attribute that is valued. 

 

[Pat]

Unfortunately, considering the the current political and social climate in our country, this type of behavior is not surprising.  How sad.

[AceWrigley]

3 hours ago, Schmoeman5 said:

What's going on in the mind of a person threatening a players wife?

Clearly not enough.

[AceWrigley]

5 minutes ago, Pat said:

Unfortunately, considering the the current political and social climate in our country, this type of behavior is not surprising.  How sad.

Not sure of the political angle, but socially as we use more remote connecting rather than in person communication a lot of objectification can occur. its part of our DNA to compartmentalize things for easier usage and recall. Direct human interaction engages all our senses without even trying. Remote communication is a subset of all we experience in personal interaction so lends itself to easier and more compartmentalization. It's the nature of the beast and we all have to take measures to "stay whole".

[RpR]

I am not a fan of the current President's snit attacks, but I find it far better than the White men speaking with forked tongues, that the vast majority accepted like puppy dogs in training,   that has been the standard, especially currently since President B. Jr.

When I was young, in single digits, I complained about what some said, my parents told me in their, life is a b!ch style I grew up with: Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never harm you.

I never forgot that but sadly with the Internet with really no moral limits; it does not work as it once did.

[NYCTK]

27 minutes ago, RpR said:

I am not a fan of the current President's snit attacks, but I find it far better than the White men speaking with forked tongues, that the vast majority accepted like puppy dogs in training,   that has been the standard, especially currently since President B. Jr.

When I was young, in single digits, I complained about what some said, my parents told me in their, life is a b!ch style I grew up with: Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never harm you.

I never forgot that but sadly with the Internet with really no moral limits; it does not work as it once did.

I don't know how forked tongue with severe malice and meanness is preferable to forked tongue with common decency. 

I do understand the argument that they're both lying through their teeth and one isn't any better than the other, but this weird pass that so many have given to, if not outright celebration of, the meanness of the current bully is directly correlated with the meanness we see in society. 

[Doctor Gast]

Thanks Cody for bringing light on this cancer. Mitch Garver too, had death threats. Violent language is on the rise & is condoned. Contrary to many opinions, baseball players are people with emotions & vulnerable like everybody else. This violent language is never appropriate & we need to stand against this stupidity which tears down our society wherever we find it. 

[DJL44]

Jackie Robinson received death threats (thousands). Hank Aaron has a whole chapter of his autobiography dedicated to the vile things people sent him in the mail. Roger Maris received death threats. Barry Bonds received death threats.

The difference now is it doesn't just seem to be the major players who receive all the negative attention. Lance McCullers, Paul Sewald, Mitch Garver, Bailey Ober and Liam Hendriks are not major stars.

[Craig Arko]

I’ve pretty much given up on humans. Fortunately there are dogs.

[jmlease1]

It doesn't matter whether what's going on now is better or worse than what happened previously, it's unacceptable.

It doesn't matter what's going on politically in this country, this behavior is unacceptable.

It doesn't matter if you paid for a ticket, placed a bet, or purchased a broadcast, this conduct in unacceptable.

It doesn't matter if it's being communicated through the internet, it's unacceptable.

It doesn't matter if it was intended to be taken seriously or someone was "just blowing off steam", it's unacceptable.

I'd say the line gets drawn at booing while you are physically at a game. That's it. Anything more than that and you should think about doing a re-set on your brain and maybe getting some therapy. (and even then, maybe calm the eff down a little)

This behavior is despicable and people need to stop. Period.

[djm24]

2 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

I’ve pretty much given up on humans. Fortunately there are dogs.

Hurray for dogs!!! "Man's best friend". I have a refrigerator magnet which says " I prefer dogs over people". A dog is more respectful of another dog (most are, anyway). Maybe that is something humans can learn from them.

[Squirrel]

9 hours ago, Cody Christie said:

The increase in legalized sports gambling has made the situation worse

While I’m sure that hasn’t helped, I don’t think that’s the crux of it. There has always been horrible fan behavior, ask any black player of any decade, even the present, what they hear from the stands. But the anonymity the internet provides in combination with what has been deemed acceptable behavior in society today has emboldened many to take things to truly uglier levels, that’s what has made the situation far worse; that people can act horribly toward other human beings without recourse or consequence. And feel it is their right to do so with no understanding, empathy or remorse. There’s an entitlement in there that has gotten worse everywhere. As a moderator on this site for over 10 years, there are many here who are/were appalled that we have the audacity to try and curtail this behavior just a little, mostly because they have no recognition of just how bad their actions and words truly are to others and lack any understanding that no, this is not what free speech means.

 

[KirbyDome89]

"The increase in legalized sports gambling has made the situation worse."

"That screen gives them a false sense of power and protection."

I think the issue has far more to do with the latter. I'm also unsure things are worse now, or getting worse. We might be seeing a light shining into some of the darker corners of internet culture. 

Protect yourselves people; use the tools/settings available on these platforms...

[twinstalker]

I'm against this.

[Doctor Wu]

It's sickening that athletes --- not to mention any people ---- are getting threats like this. But due to the scourge of social media and the current political climate, I imagine this sort of behavior will only become more common. A very sad sign of the times. 

[Jeff K]

18 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

It doesn't matter whether what's going on now is better or worse than what happened previously, it's unacceptable.

It doesn't matter what's going on politically in this country, this behavior is unacceptable.

It doesn't matter if you paid for a ticket, placed a bet, or purchased a broadcast, this conduct in unacceptable.

It doesn't matter if it's being communicated through the internet, it's unacceptable.

It doesn't matter if it was intended to be taken seriously or someone was "just blowing off steam", it's unacceptable.

I'd say the line gets drawn at booing while you are physically at a game. That's it. Anything more than that and you should think about doing a re-set on your brain and maybe getting some therapy. (and even then, maybe calm the eff down a little)

This behavior is despicable and people need to stop. Period.

Very well said.  I would like to add that the anonymity brought by social media has caused bullying behaviors far greater than the past (racism as an exception which has been and remains terrible).  People say things on social media that they would not say face to face.  They say things that they know are not right, but feel emboldened to do as it has become the norm.  Our parents taught us better, but we don't pay attention anymore because "times have changed".  I really think Social Media has had a terrible impact.

[AKTwinsFan]

If we had a manager that knew what's best he'd have put Ober on IL till his hip is better. Since he's had the injured hip he's been one of the worst pitchers in the game since his velo is lower people are hitting him hard. Also why did we give up Ronny Henriquez? I really liked his stuff now he's showing up the Twins.

[Squirrel]

12 hours ago, AKTwinsFan said:

If we had a manager that knew what's best he'd have put Ober on IL till his hip is better. Since he's had the injured hip he's been one of the worst pitchers in the game since his velo is lower people are hitting him hard. Also why did we give up Ronny Henriquez? I really liked his stuff now he's showing up the Twins.

What the heck does this have to do with the topic? It’s Rocco’s fault someone is sending death threats to Ober’s wife? Worst take ever, man. Worst.

[BillyBallLives]

On 7/1/2025 at 10:44 AM, Vanimal46 said:

For example, next year the Minnesota Wild will be playing their games at Grand Casino Arena… 

Sad....I didn't believe you at first....but it's true! 14 year contract on top of it....ouch.

 Finally, a name that reflects our odds of winning the Cup.

[TheLeviathan]

22 hours ago, AKTwinsFan said:

If we had a manager that knew what's best he'd have put Ober on IL till his hip is better. Since he's had the injured hip he's been one of the worst pitchers in the game since his velo is lower people are hitting him hard. Also why did we give up Ronny Henriquez? I really liked his stuff now he's showing up the Twins.

We here at Twinsdaily have reached the Zenith of our existence.  Here....an article dedicated to imploring baseball fans to be respectful, not attack athletes or their families, and show some basic decorum...is not safe.  Yes, that's right folks: the blistering, toxic stupidity of manager complaints somehow, with mental gymnastics that would make Simone Biles jealous, has found itself here.

Congratulations sir.  There is but one response to this that does it justice.  

[The Great Hambino]

The social media aspect has been touched upon, and I agree that the anonymity it grants to fans emboldens the nasty rhetoric.  

In addition to that, it also follows players everywhere they go.  The actual threats may have been worse back in the day, but they also more or less ended when you left the ballpark (unless you didn't have someone else to open your mail).  It's harder to get a break from it these days.  It's easy to say "just avoid social media", but the reality is that's the primary form of both communication and entertainment for most people under 30.  It's easier said than done.