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MLB

Vernon Wells Wants to Yell at You While You're Working

Vernon WellsBallplayers take different approaches in dealing with the loud drunks sitting in the outfield cheap seats. Josh Hamilton wins them over with his honesty, while Curtis Granderson passes the time looking for funny signs. Toronto's Vernon Wells, though, actually fires back. From the Toronto Sun via Home Run Derby comes this funny story about a group of hecklers in Cleveland: :
"It was the usual stuff," Wells said yesterday. "Stuff like 'You suck' or 'You like men'.

"One guy was also yelling at me to give him a ball. He said that Torii Hunter (of the Twins) had given him a ball."

So Wells decided to do something. Between innings he got a new ball and wrote a message to the fan, then when he went back on the field the next inning he tossed it to him.

The message?

"Here's your ball, now please tell me what gas station you work at so I can come and yell at you when you're working. Please sit down, shut up and enjoy the game. From your favorite centre fielder, Vernon Wells."
Not surprisingly, it worked: the fans went from obnoxious hecklers to Wells' personal cheering section just like that. It's an awesome strategy, since most of the time all the hecklers really want is to get some kind of reaction out of a player. But will it work now that everyone knows about this? Seems to me that he might be setting himself up for an endless stream of abuse from fans who suddenly feel entitled to some free swag.

(hat-tip: Ballhype)

Update: A picture of the signed ball has been located!

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