Ian Snell: We Apologize for Not Cheering for You

“I’m not used to hearing the crowd quiet instead of yelling at you,” he said. “Afterward you hear fans say you did a good job even though you gave up two runs or whatever.”
He said it wasn’t like that in Bradenton, Fla., where the Pirates train.
“You’d need earmuffs,” Snell said. “It came from your own fans. It’s pretty crazy. But it’s a real good atmosphere here and I’m enjoying it a lot. Here, they want you to stay healthy and give your best. When you give your best, they cheer for you.  [HeraldNet.com]

Mr. Snell,

We formally apologize for not cheering for you when you weren’t quite good Mr. Snell.  We should have just sucked it up and cheered.  Even when you couldn’t find the strike zone, and gave up runs or as you put it, WHATEVER. 

Remember when Pirate pitching coach Joe Kerrigan healed you last year, Ian?  You said that Kerrigan had solved your problems last February in spring training.  We were believing. 

Sure you had some rough outings, but on June 13, 2009, it looked like you were getting it together with two back-to-back solid starts (we didn’t understand why you were upset about walking the eighth batter so you could get to the pitcher in the Tigers game, but heh, what do we know anyway.) 

At the end of June, you were 2-8 with a 5.36 ERA.  You had walked 44 batters in 80.2 innings.  You had allowed 9.7/H per nine innings then you requested a demotion to AAA.  

Yeh, we should have just cheered.  How hard is it to just stand up and cheer?  It’s just a game or whatever. 

Also, we will be sure to pass the word among the gray haired fans in Bradenton for you as well.  In case you ever make it back to PNC Park, we will be cheering for you, especially when you don’t do so good.  Or whatever.

Unsincerely,

The staff of RumBunter.com