Former three-time All-Star infielder Ozzie Guillen has come to the defense of Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong. The current Cubs center fielder received heat back on May 17 for hurling a vulgar remark towards a Chicago White Sox fan. While Crow-Armstrong initially opted against apologizing for the incident, he ultimately reversed his decision. Major League Baseball eventually fined the outfielder an undisclosed amount of money.
Since the incident, Crow-Armstrong has been in a funk, much like the rest of his teammates. The Gold Glover dropped an easy fly ball and then misplayed a grounder against the Milwaukee Brewers on back-to-back days. At the plate, the center fielder is hitting just .160 over his last eight games.
Some have suggested that the incident with the Whites Sox fan has been a key cause of Crow-Armstrong’s recent decline. Guillen was specifically asked about this during an appearance on the Mully & Haugh Show. “I love the way that kid plays… I love his enthusiasm, his attitude, the way he goes about his business,” Guillen said of Crow-Armstrong. “He’s all in. I like those types of players. But I don’t think [the incident] should affect him. That thing is over with. You have to move on.”
“Sometimes fans think that because you’re in the field, they can call you all kinds of names. And remember: the guys playing in the field, they’re human beings. They’re going to react weird, they’re going to react funny. I’ve said a lot of stuff to the fans in the past. Thank God they were never caught [on video].”
Pete Crow-Armstrong is One of Several Chicago Cubs Players to Struggle This Month
GettyPete Crow-Armstrong is struggling after signing a massive contract with the Chicago Cubs.
David Haugh of the aforementioned radio show previously called on Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell to bench Crow-Armstrong. The suggestion happened just a few hours before the center fielder made one of the recent fielding errors. So far, Counsell has opted to keep his budding star in the starting lineup. Despite his recent drop in play, Crow-Armstrong still leads all Cubs players with a 2.4 WAR.
Guillen is also no stranger to controversy. The long-time White Sox shortstop was known for his aggressive play and outspokenness. He, however, received more negative attention after his playing career was over. While managing the White Sox, Guillen called a Chicago Sun-Times columnist a homophobic slur. The coach attempted to defend the comment by claiming that he goes to WNBA games and once went to a Madonna concert.
Chicago has to Turn Things Around Quickly
The Chicago Cubs are trying to move past the recent Crow-Armstrong incident, but have found little success. In fact, the North Siders have not won a game since May 15 and have fallen from first in the National League Central to tied for last place. During their 10-game skid, the division-leading Brewers have won seven of their last 10 games.
Chicago and Crow-Armstrong will next attempt to break their losing streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cubs’ hitters are set to face right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler on the mound. Superstar ace Paul Skenes then awaits the struggling Chicago hitters on May 28. The loser of Wednesday evening’s matchup will have sole possession of last place in the division.
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