Instant Karma: Baseball world reacts to George Springer's ironic home run against Mariners and their fans
Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images - John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
George Springer had a moment that will live forever in Toronto Blue Jays lore.
With one of the biggest home runs in franchise history, Springer put the Blue Jays ahead in the seventh inning, sending them to a 4-3 win Monday night in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre.
After Game 5, in response to a question about Springer's knee, Blue Jays manager John Schneider criticized the Mariners fans who booed Springer when he was on the ground and cheered when he left the game. But Schneider stopped himself before he got carried away.
Irony and karma loom big after Mariners fans cheered George Springer's injury only to have the Blue Jays star put the final nail in the Seattle's coffin
In the glow of victory Monday night, Schneider no longer could hold back.
«It's kind of fitting that the guy that got booed when he got hit in the kneecap ended that team's season,» the Blue Jays manager said.
Springer's father (George Springer Sr) was in the crowd at T-Mobile Park. He said he is accustomed to fans saying «vile and nasty» things at games, not just about his son, but also about other players, coaches, managers and umpires.
Still, he thought Mariners fans at T-Mobile crossed a line.
«The experience we had in Seattle the other day, I've never seen anything like that,» Springer Sr said. «It was just such a despicable display of sportsmanship, to boo somebody when they're injured. And I get it. He's a good player. It comes with the territory. I understand that. But not when somebody is hurt.»
At one point, the elder Springer turned to one fan and said enough. He asked the fan to stop and the fan did.
The younger Springer, on the other hand, said he was only concerned about his health, explaining that the rest was out of his control.
But the scene in Seattle only added to the emotion the Jays experienced Monday night after his homer turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead.
Baseball Gods serve up poetic justice for Seattle Mariners fans in Game 7 of the ALCS
Mariners fans booed George Springer when he was hit by a pitch. Springer had the dagger to kill Seattle's dreams. Now those fans can boo from home. Karma is fun.
Mariners fans cheered while George Springer writhed in excruciating pain after being hit by a pitch in the kneecap. He may have just shattered their 50 year hopes of finally reaching a World Series. Karma is real, and so is Shakespearean irony.
Karma really came for all those Seattle Mariners fans who booed George Springer when he was injured. Just think, you did this to your team.
One thing I've learned over the years as a baseball fan is that you never mess with the Baseball Gods. I've seen them make grown men cry.
All postseason, the Blue Jays have rolled out stars from the 2015 and '16 teams for ceremonial first pitches.
We've seen Russell Martin, Kevin Pillar, Edwin Encarnación, Josh Donaldson, José Bautista and Marco Estrada, all of whom were part of teams we've celebrated for a decade in this city, but those teams stalled out in the ALCS.
Springer won't just be celebrated in this city, he'll be held up among the Blue Jays' legends, especially if Toronto can take down the mighty Dodgers.
Previously on Blue Jays Central
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