Jayson Werth has nothing to apologize for. Players are allowed to go where they please during free agency; it's a right professional athletes fought for a long time to obtain. Philadelphia Phillies fans had the right to be upset when the outfielder left the team in free agency for a rival in the Washington Nationals. It's been six years, though, and it clearly isn't doing them much of a service in terms of his on-field response.
Here comes the boos
As Werth was introduced prior to his first game in Philadelphia this season, boos rained down on the outfielder.
The Nationals batter remained classy in response, removing his cap and waving it in appreciation of the negative feedback he was receiving on Friday afternoon. The only way he was going to avoid receiving boos on the afternoon was when the PA announcer simply stopped announcing his name prior to at-bats. He was determined to have the last laugh, though.
He stepped up to the plate and blasted a three-run home run off Joely Rodriguez, his second homer of the young season. According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, that was the eighth home run Werth had hit at his old ballpark in the past 13 games, a remarkable stretch of consistency. The home run would come back to haunt the home fans, as the Nationals pulled out a tight 7-6 series-opening win, improving their record to 3-1 while dropping the Phillies to 1-3.
Leave Jayson alone
Philadelphia fans have always had somewhat of a problem with betrayal. They once threw snowballs at Santa Claus during an NFL game. One of the worst instances of fan behavior in the history of the sport was when several Phillies fans chucked batteries at J.D. Drew during his first game against the Phillies after not signing a deal with the team who selected him in the MLB Draft.
There's nothing wrong with being passionate about a team, but it shouldn't reach criminal lengths.
Even so, the punishment doesn't fit the bill in the case of Jayson Werth. Nobody in the history of the franchise has more playoff home runs than he does. He went to his only All-Star team has a member of the Phillies and helped deliver a World Series title to the city.
Besides, who in their right mind turns down the seven-year, $126 million contract the Nationals offered him during free agency in 2010? There are plenty of players who should draw the ire of a jilted fanbase, but it's time for Philadelphia to drop this grudge against the outfielder.
