[ad_1]
He did not have to do it.
Rhys Hoskins could have put on his Patagonia trucker's cap and golf shorts and fled the Phillies' club, slipped behind the wheel, turned on the radio and put off his confrontation with a Phillies fan.
This would have left his teammates and his manager to explain his unacceptable actions. That would have given sports talk shows in the area, and across the country, fodder in the void for at least 24 hours.
Hoskins did not run away. He stayed. After his worst moment in his brief career as a Phillie, Hoskins stayed in the club to face a phalanx of reporters and explain why he had an exchange of words with a boss sitting over the shelter of the Phillies in the sixth inning.
With runners in second and third place, with a 2-0 draw, Hoskins was eliminated. Then, after the ball passed the Yankees catcher, Hoskins did not manage to run to first base fast enough to be safe. It was a blatant mistake. That was the kind of mistake Hoskins, a Chase Utley type return player who usually has two lengths ahead of the game and who is still looking for a benefit, seems unable to do. But he did it.
Then he made another one.
Hoskins heard a rowdy and he pulled on the path of the canoe. Then, after removing his helmet, he came out of the canoe to make this suggestion to the fan, if our lip reading is correct: "go home".
The alleged Rhys Hoskins fan incident in the 6th after he did not immediately run after a third … pic.twitter.com/a9SNzHhfd5
– Marc Farzetta (@MarcFarzetta) June 26, 2018
It was irritating, immature, and unprofessional – just the kind of reaction you would expect from a frustrated player playing his 117th major league match.
But Hoskins behaves like a player who has played 1117 major league games. Monday night's indulgence was under him. He knew it. So he showered himself, prepared to leave, waited for the arrival of the press and addressed him:
"I am aware of what happened, of course," he said. "Someone said something in the stands that obviously triggered me … I was rather frustrated by the attack I had just had and aggravated myself. I caught myself in the moment.This should not happen.I can not happen.But that did it.â €
>> READ MORE: The Phillies fall to the Yankees, 4-2
His manager, Gabe Kapler, played at a time when players were becoming less and less responsible for their actions, especially when their actions were inappropriate. Kapler also played with players who would never shirk their responsibility to explain their performances, however embarrassing they may be.
These players are called leaders.
"I think it's very representative of what I've come to know about Rhys," Kapler said. "Just a total pro, understanding what people need from him, understanding that he has to be responsible for his actions, and ready to face difficult conversations.
"He is a very competent leader for this club."
The off-season trade of stop-off Freddy Galvis has left a gap in the leadership department. Hoskins played just 50 games last season, but he's acting like he's a great player forever. Even veterans are staggering.
Hoskins would not tell what the fan said. He said that he did not remember what the fan said, or what he said, or even what the fan looked like. "I wish I could," he said.
He was obviously embarrassed at not having checked if the ball had passed the receiver, and having misinterpreted a question about this facet of the incident as an accusation that he had not functioned on purpose:
"I'm not deliberately not running," he said. "I do not think that's the kind of player I am."
No.
The kind of player he's waiting in front of his locker for another 15 minutes to face the music.
It was not clear whether Kapler or any other Phillies official suggested to Hoskins that he stays and tackles the problem, but Kapler and Hoskins discussed it.
"Rhys always says and does the right thing," said Kapler, omitting the word almost. "He's flawed, he's frustrated like everyone else, we've talked about it, he's behind us."
Thanks to his frankness, now he is behind us all.
"I think it's a necessary thing," Hoskins said. He knew the camera would betray his tiff. "Today 's world, I know that everything is taken in. I just assumed that was the case, I was wrong, it' s just right and wrong. Fix it and get out. "
Hoskins had struck in search of his previous at-bat, in the fourth inning, and he discussed the call with referee Joe West, but Hoskins insisted that the third round of West had no impact on his loss of self-control.
It was hard to believe. but, after taking the heat for the kerfuffle with the fan, it was completely believable.
>> LEARN MORE: Yankees in town? Who cares | Marcus Hayes
Get information on the Phillies directly in your inbox with Extra Innings, our newsletter for Phillies fans by Matt Breen, Bob Brookover and Scott Lauber. Click here to join.
published:
[ad_2]
Source link
