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For Brian Sabean and San Francisco Giants Fans, It's Time to Grow Up

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It's been a long time since I've written on here.

But on Thursday, something prompted me to change that. Something so moronic, so childish and more importantly, frightening.

Last Wednesday, on May 25, baseball fans watched as Florida Marlins rookie Scott Cousins flattened San Francisco Giants star catcher Buster Posey on a play at home.

Posey's left foot didn't move on the play, thus causing him to break his ankle and tear several ligaments.

More importantly, after numerous significant injuries to key players on the Giants roster, Posey's season was cut short and the Giants' hopes of repeating as World Series Champions could be seen floating off into the banks of McCovey Cove.

But now that play is taking a backseat to new developments in the wake of that play.

Giants general manager Brian Sabean on Thursday released some pretty startling comments directed toward Cousins. He called Cousins' play malicious and said he didn't blame Posey for not calling Cousins back, even after Cousins called the reigning National League Rookie of the Year to apologize for the play.

Sabean added:


Now, it seems as though Giants fans are taking after their GM and unleashing the hounds on Cousins, who was quoted as saying he "can't say (enough) he's sorry that it happened."

But nevermind what Cousins said. At least, that seems to be what Giants fans are saying.

ESPN.com reported late Thursday night that Cousins had received death threats stemming from last week's collision.

Cousins' agent confirmed to ESPN.com that those reports were in fact true.

And that's where this story hits the tipping point.

But first, the childishness of Sabean can't be ignored. His quotes read like a mad sixth grader wanting to get back at a classmate who stole his girlfriend. It's sickening how vindictive someone in so high profile a position as Sabean could be after a play that falls within the rules of baseball.

Let me repeat that just so that it sinks in: the play was legal.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't like collisions at home plate. I don't see them as necessary, and I don't think they have a place in baseball.

But they're there, and they are legal. Which means Cousins did nothing wrong.

Yet somehow, for some reason, Sabean has decided to take the approach that Cousins premeditated the play and conspired to injure Posey. 

Are you kidding me? Grow up.

It's pretty evident that the play was an accident, or at the very least not something that had malicious intent. Notice in the video how Cousins immediately checks on Posey. That doesn't seem like someone who set out to hurt someone. 

"I've said my peace," Cousins told ESPN.com. "I feel horrible for Posey. The aftermath of this has not been fun."

In fact, the aftermath has been ugly. 

The fact of the matter is that Sabean is leading a charge of unnecessary hatred toward a rookie who was just trying to score the winning run in an extra-inning game, which he did. And this charge of vengeance needs to stop, because it's gone way too far.

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It's sickening that Cousins is receiving death threats over this play. In fact, it's frightening.

Really, Giants fans? You want to end this young man's life all because of a legal baseball play that landed Posey on the disabled list for the rest of the season? 

How did you feel after this play last season, then? Was Pablo Sandoval in the wrong for running over Ryan Doumit? He must have been, right?

Cousins' agent Mike Sosnick summed it up best.

"It's an emotional time for the Giants, and I understand Brian's disappointment," Sosnick told ESPN.com. "But his opinion is in the vast minority. It's a play within the rules, and I imagine his opinion would be vastly different if Posey ran over [Marlins catcher John] Buck on a legal play and Buck was injured."

For a franchise so rich in history, this whole situation is becoming an embarrassment for the Giants organization. On top of that, Sabean is making himself look like an immature fool who doesn't understand that plays like that are part of baseball, whether he agrees with it or not.

What's more, Giants fans are making themselves look like an incompetent, irrational group of lunatics who are fighting under the charge of their ultra-irrational leader, Brian Sabean.

If Posey's career was in jeopardy after this play, that's one thing. But he's only out for the season. One season in what looks to be a very long and successful career.

It's a broken foot, for crying out loud. He's not paralyzed.

There's the argument that Posey won't be the same catcher when he returns, and I get that. But "ifs" like that are still not grounds to give Cousins the middle school-esque cold shoulder and the "I'm not talking to you" attitude, let alone send him death threats.

In all honesty, there aren't any grounds to send someone death threats, especially over a fair, legal play.

Sabean and Giants fans are embarrassing Major League Baseball over this case to an extreme degree.

Cousins has come to peace with it. It's time Sabean and Giants fans grew up and did so too.


This column represents the sole opinion of the author and does not reflect the views of Bleacher Report or its partners. Follow Cole Claybourn on Twitter 

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