![Jesse Winker]()
"Take me out to the ballgame, where players fight with the crowd."
Sorry for messing with the lyrics of that iconic baseball song. I hate to throw a change up like that, but I felt like I had to if I was going to discuss this video of Washington Nationals outfielder Jesse Winker getting into it with a San Diego Padres fan in stands.
One of the great things about sports is the close connection it nurtures between players and fans. Professional athletes often speak on how much their fanbases can energize them and actually aid them in winning games. But on the other hand, the relationship between fans and players can be ugly too, like in this footage from a Nationals - Padres game last night.
Emotions were high after San Diego won in walk off fashion. With the bases loaded, Jurickson Profar belted one into center field and the Nationals outfielders couldn't get to it. When it comes to baseball, it was as exciting a finish as the game can provide - maybe minus if it was a home run:
https://twitter.com/TalkingFriars/status/1805461176664703180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1805461176664703180%7Ctwgr%5Ec586222171486c298aa66bd8203883e7076a80da%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fsports%2Fthats-bush-league-washington-nationals-player-jaws-at-66-year-old-fan-after-losing-game-on-walk-off%2F
Sometime after that, Nats outfielder Jesse Winker found himself wandering up to the outfield seating area, where an older, raucous Padres was apparently letting him have it. Most professional athletes wisely choose to tune out the noise, but instead, Winker decided to face this guy head on.
The video of the intense, verbal altercation is now bouncing around all over the internet, and the best traded lines in the heated conversation are undoubtedly when the old man asks:
"I'm 66-years-old. What are you 26?"
Wow, bringing age into this, huh?
Outfielder Jesse Winker fired right back, correcting him on his age guess and letting him know that he's not afraid to lay a hand on an old man:
"That's right. I'm 30 and I'll whoop a 66-year-old's ass."
https://twitter.com/sidenicksports/status/1805470188206538778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1805470188206538778%7Ctwgr%5E519494db0807ae2b0fcc446499695ef43d31f904%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whiskeyriff.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D599488action%3Dedit
Obviously, Winker should not have even entertained the thought of engaging with this fan. He'll likely face some sort of fine or suspension because of his actions, but maybe in his mind, it was all worth it. After all, his comeback to the Padres fan's age question was
killer.
Here's another angle, just for good measure:
https://twitter.com/sdvard3/status/1805465031238369350
