For someone who only watched the first seven innings of the Phillies series opener against the Mets on Monday, it would be easy to view third baseman Alec Bohm as a villain. The 25-year-old committed three brutal errors in the first three innings, allowing New York to jump out to an early 3-0 lead. To make matters worse, Bohm was captured on video muttering “I f***ing hate this place,” after being booed by the Phillies faithful. However, what began as a night that couldn’t get any worse for Alec Bohm, turned into a moment that should endear him to Phillies fans forever.
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Not only did Bohm have a great night at the plate, notching a double and two walks, but he showed honesty and vulnerability after the game when he owned up to his mistake. “I said it. Emotions got the best of me,” Bohm stated, referencing his on-air indiscretion, “Do I mean it? No. It’s a frustrating night for me. These fans, they just want to win. They’re great. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
Of course, some fans were quick to jump on the dog pile, claiming that Bohm doesn’t have the right mentality to play in Philadelphia, or that this incident is somehow indicative of some sort of mental weakness. However, the prevailing thought amongst most fans was that Bohm’s contrition was just the kind of maturity Philadelphians want to see. He didn’t try to run and hide, waiting for the pressure to die down. He didn’t make up an excuse as to why it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t claim that booing a three-error night was an overreaction on the fans’ part. Instead, he faced the music and owned his mistake.
No one can ever be expected to be perfect all the time. Everyone knows that. But, it’s not so crazy to expect a mature response when a mistake is made. Alec Bohm said something he shouldn’t have in the heat of the moment. Who hasn’t? But unlike many of us, Alec Bohm turned right around and apologized for something he knew was wrong. We’ll still have to wait and see if his defense improves, but when it comes to his heart, we know he’s an All-Star.