How booing got Nick Castellanos ‘locked in’ to become Phillies’ Game 2 hero
Nick Castellanos perfectly fits the culture of the Philadelphia Phillies and their city, even if the fans are not always happy with him. The home crowd at Citizens Bank Park, true to form, bluntly expressed how it felt about the veteran outfielder swinging at a Luis Severino sweeper that ended up in the dirt in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
Boos rained down on Castellanos, who has a tendency for chasing pitches out of the strike zone. When he laid off a ball, fans brutally and sarcastically cheered the man. The two-time All-Star seemingly responded with an NSFW response that many social media lip readers deduced to be, “these f*****g people.” Enduring such ridicule is often a plight of the Philly sports experience, but few environments show as much love for an athlete when he wills the team and city to victory.
A game-tying home run in the sixth inning and game-winning single in the ninth helped turn the fandom’s biggest target to their biggest hero in just a couple of hours. Castellanos basked in the amnesiac atmosphere after securing the 7-6 victory over the relentless New York Mets, but he was admittedly bothered by the cold reception he received earlier in this epic MLB playoffs battle.
How the fiery slugger felt after being booed by Phillies fans
Instead of dwelling on the boos, though, the 32-year-old used them as motivation in clutch time. “I was just kind of frustrated,” Nick Castellanos said following the instant classic, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. “So I guess I locked in more.”
Not everyone is equipped to ride the dizzying emotional roller coaster that one must inevitably board upon joining a Philadelphia franchise. Athletes will either wilt under the pressure, or embrace it and earn the respect of a supremely fervid group of followers. Although he was irked, Castellanos proved yet again that he is indeed a Philly guy.
With the series tied, the Phillies head to the Mets’ Citi Field for Game 3 on Tuesday. Based on how effectively Castellanos was able to use jeers as fuel on Sunday, he should be more than prepared for what awaits him and his teammates in Queens.
The post How booing got Nick Castellanos ‘locked in’ to become Phillies’ Game 2 hero appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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