One rite of passage for any NL East star is playing in Philadelphia, where they’re very likely to get booed by the fans.
New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso has experienced that. For him, it’s clearly a mark of respect, and after playing without fans in 2020, he actually grew to miss it.
Even that kind of energy can hype a player up. For some, it’s simply better to be recognized — even in the form of boos — than it is to be ignored.
Phillies fans can even be notoriously tough on their own players. That can serve as motivation for Phillies stars, too.
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