The Philadelphia Phillies lost in embarrassing fashion at home last night to the Kansas City Royals 7-5.

Aaron Nola was absolutely terrible on the mound last night. He lasted just 5.1 innings while allowing eight hits, five earned runs and a walk while striking out eight. With the loss, he fell to 9-8 on the season with a miserable 4.58 ERA. 

To Note: Nola did not and has not received a standing ovation or any type of praise for struggling this season. 

On a night where no one seemed to care about anything but showing support for Trea Turner, the Phillies lost at home to a team that entered the night 40 games under the .500.

Full Game Recap Here >>

Let’s Talk about Trea Turner and the Pointless “Support” Dialogue

The Phillies returned back home to Citizens Bank Park after they dropped 2 of 3 to the Pittsburgh Pirates before taking 3 of 4 from the Miami Marlins. If we’re being honest with each other, they should have swept both series but instead, finished the 7 game road trip 4-3. 

So of course, with nothing better to talk about in the early days of August, Philly Sports Talk Radio whipped up an insane dialogue yesterday that caught fire on social media regarding how Phillies fans should treat Trea Turner upon his return to Philly ahead of last night’s game against the Royals. 

The Question:

• Should Trea Turner receive a standing ovation?

• Should Trea Turner be booed? 

In what should have been another pointless discussion on the radio, the dialogue went down a road that I really don’t think anyone was expecting.

All of the sudden, you either supported Trea Turner or you didn’t.

If you were considered someone who “didn’t support” Trea Turner because you thought giving a struggling baseball player a standing ovation was a ridiculous gesture or questioned why fans on Reddit were donating to Trea Turner’s “charity of choice” in the Jimmy V Foundation as a sign of unity, you were immediately criticized. 

I found that to be very bizarre.

When did criticizing Trea Turner, who hasn’t lived up to expectations and has taken accountability for playing bad this season become a sign of “not supporting him”? 

The Phillies just signed Turner to a 10-year $300 million contract and yes, he is having a rough first season. This is a player who has spent his entirety of his career performing at a very high level and entered this season widely considered to be one of the top players in all of baseball. 

Armed with Philly Sports Talk Radio’s question of the day, Phillies fans drew a line in the sand, basically treating Trea Turner like some young, rising star in Major League Baseball trying to find his way at the professional level, protecting him like a mentally weak child from what they considered a pack of wolves trying to ruin him once and for all.

Trea Turner Standing Ovation

I wrote an article sharing my personal opinion on the topic and it was met with harsh criticism as people on Twitter attacked me personally, criticizing my looks, this website, and my baseball knowledge. They even said my opinion could ONLY be made by someone who voted for Donald Trump in the presidential elections. 

I mean honestly. Is this what we are doing?

Mind you, all of this was happening while the Philadelphia Phillies were losing to the Kansas City Royals.

Yes. The Kansas City Royals. This a team who sits at the bottom of the AL Central entering tonight 40 GAMES under .500 with a pitiful 35-75 record.

What did the Top 5 shortstop that the Phillies just handed a 10-year $300 million contract to before the start of the 2023 season do last night at Citizens Bank Park?

Well, under the biggest microscope the world has ever seen, Turner was treated like a child every time he stepped up to the plate. He received multiple standing ovations while batting 8th in the lineup because again, he’s been horrendous throughout the first 100+ games this season.

In the Phillies 7-5 loss at home to the Kansas City Royals, Turner went 1-4 with an RBI that put the Phillies within a run in the six inning. 

• Bottom 2nd: Trea Turner lined out to first. (Runner on 2nd)
• Bottom 4th: Trea Turner lined out to shortstop. (Runners on 1st and 2nd)
• Bottom 6th: Trea Turner RBI single to right. (Runner on 2nd)
• Bottom 8th: Trea Turner grounded into fielders choice. 

Trea Turner 2-Out RBI Single

Apparently losing to the Royals didn’t matter much. The broadcast crew was obsessed with Trea Turner’s every move on the baseball field and the Phillies fans in attendance appeared to pay zero attention to anyone else playing baseball last night.

It was all about creating a “banner night” for Trea Turner.

Even after the game, Turner told reporters that it was ‘pretty fucking cool’ to see Phillies fans ‘having his back’ and followed that up with a post on Instagram saying how much he appreciated fans for supporting him.

Trea Turner: Standing Ovations were ‘pretty fucking cool’

Trea Turner’s Instagram Postgame: Absolutely Loved the Standing Ovations

Trea Turners Mom was Crying Because of the Standing Ovations

Trea Turner should have told the media the following:

“While I appreciate the support, we just lost to the Kansas City Royals and have a ton of work to do if we want to make the postseason.” 

Am I going crazy?

Why doesn’t anyone else think this type of reaction or behavior is ridiculous?

And please, spare me the talking points of saying that there’s nothing wrong showing support for your players and having their backs.

Obviously, I know that and tend to agree with that statement.

If you are on of those people comparing Alec Bohm to Trea Turner, then please just exit the conversation now. There’s literally nothing relatable between Bohm’s “Hate This Place” comments during what was essentially his second full season in MLB to 8-year veteran Trea Turner. 

If anything, I am one of the most criticized people for standing by players that are struggling.

Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, Rhys Hoskins, Aaron Nola, Nick Castellanos, TREA TURNER. You name it.

The issue here is that outside of the same radio station that just a few weeks ago wanted to back Trea Turners bags, completely fooled this fanbase into thinking that there was just two sides to this conversation.

You either show your support by giving Trea Turner standing ovations or you are the enemy.

So sure, Phillies fans. Let’s all completely focus on Trea Turner, who has already taken accountability for his struggles this season and make a mockery of him every time he steps up to the plate by giving him a standing ovation as he CONTINUES to struggle at the plate.

We’ll all just be emotional support fans for struggling All-Star caliber players and not even care that this baseball team, who are supposed to be defending the National League pennant just lost to the Royals at home in the midst of a Wild Card race.

Sounds good.

Phillies Hunt for Red October

Luckily for the Phillies everyone outside of the San Francisco Giants also lost last night. They managed to hang on to the second Wild Card spot with a game advantage over the Cincinnati Reds, while falling 2 behind the San Francisco Giants.

Alec Marsh (0-5, 6.75 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals against Cristopher Sanchez (0-3, 2.66 ERA) at 6:05pm.

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