Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia was continually booed by Philadelphia Phillies fans after his comments about Bruce Harper. Thursday night, he snapped.
After Harper was doubled off first to end Game 2, the media reported that Arcia was yelling, “Atta boy, Harper!” after the game. As a result, Philadelphia fans booed Arcia relentlessly, and Harper stared down Braves infielder after both of his home runs in Game 3.
When Phillies fans began heckling Arcia in the dugout during Game 4, he lost it. The Braves shortstop yelled back at the fans, then stuck out his tongue and waggled his fingers, like an angry child. Eventually Ronald Acuna Jr. pulled him back, but Arcia remained hot.
Where Arcia wasn’t hot was at the plate. He hit 2-for-13 for the four-game series, with only one hit in the hostile environment of Citizens Bank Park. The rest of the Braves also seemed distracted, focusing on reporters — who did nothing wrong — instead of the team that was about to beat them in the division series for a second straight season.
If Arcia was mad at the fans, he’ll be furious when he sees the postgame apparel of Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering.
Kerkering sported a shirt that read “Atta Boy Harper” while the back read, “He Wasn’t Supposed To Hear It.” It should be a big seller with Phillies fans — especially the ones who got under Arcia’s skin Thursday night.
