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How Will the National Media Blame Philly Fans for Lance McCullers Jr. Needing Private Security?
Published:
Kristie Rieken at The Associated Press:
HOUSTON — Soon after Lance McCullers Jr.’s family received online death threats following a tough start by the Astros pitcher, his 5-year-old daughter, Ava, overheard wife Kara talking on the phone about it.
What followed was a painful conversation between McCullers and his little girl.
“She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy, like, what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?'” McCullers told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “So those conversations are tough to deal with.”
McCullers is one of two MLB pitchers whose families have received online death threats this month as internet abuse of players and their families is on the rise.
…
The Astros contacted MLB security and the Houston Police Department following the threats to McCullers. A police spokesperson said Thursday that it remains an ongoing investigation.
McCullers, who has two young daughters, took immediate action after the threats and hired 24-hour security for his family.
McCullers has actually been out for a few years. Surely you remember him pitching for the Astros in the 2022 World Series against the Phils. He then had a muscle strain, bone spur, surgery, and some setbacks and missed 2024 in addition to 2023. So this is the first time he’s pitched in a minute and he has a 5.89 ERA over five starts with a 1.691 WHIP and career-worst numbers across the board as he tries to rediscover his form from prior years.
But anyway, just another example here of bad behavior from non-Philly fans. Dallas? Punching defenseless people in the face. San Francisco? Stabbing each other at In N Out Burger and hitting each other with folding chairs. Boston and Utah? Racial slurs! Philadelphia is out here giving standing ovations to struggling players while despicable Houston fans send death threats. The only thing Phillies fans would ever do to McCullers is give him some guff while he’s warming up:
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com