Fans Influencing Games.

[Shea Zellweger]

After the Taser incident on monday (http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/49222/police-use-taser-gun-on-phillies-fan) (5/3) at Citizen's Bank Park, another Phan ran out on the field last night (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=300504122)(5/4). After the incident. Cole Hamels gave up consecutive doubles, ruining his shutout.

considering the amount of credit the "tenth man" were taking for Johan Santana walking Jamie Moyer (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=300502122) Sunday (5/2) and ultimately turning the tide of the game, do they deserve equal blame for chanting "tase him! tase him!" while the fan on Tuesday night was being escorted off the field, apparently disrupting Hamels' rhythm? I know the Phillies eventually won the game, but I think this brings up a larger question- if fans think they are capable of influencing games in such a way that helps their team, how often do they deserve the blame for a loss, particularly in markets where it's commonplace to boo the home team?

[Ryan Scott]

Fans are a part of the game. Having lived in a city in which the fans rarely pay attention to what's going on on the field, there is a visible difference in confidence when the fans to becomes involved.

And, of course, the baseball rules are designed to include the eventually of fan involvement - ground rule double, anyone? Clearly Steve Bartman's getting a lot of credit for hurting his home team.

One of the things I really liked about baseball's history was how different each park was and how the setting made a huge difference. That's less true now.

Even in other sports, though, a loud, trash-talking front row fan can get under a players skin from time to time. Ultimately, though, I wouldn't differentiate fan involvement from any of the other variables that go into playing a game.

[Mike Schutz]

I find it humorous that fans in general, and Philadelphia fans specifically:
1. Believe that they influence the poor performance of opposing players - such as was claimed in the Santana performance cited by Shea,
2. Believe that they influence the good performance of their own team, providing energy which helps the home team,
3 Yet they do not believe that they have any negative influence on the home team when they boo and express their displeasure.

[Ryan Scott]

3 Yet they do not believe that they have any negative influence on the home team when they boo and express their displeasure.

It's motivation, Mike, like when parents scream at their children. The fact that their performance is disappointing will obviously help them get better.

[David Graham]

We went through a stage out here when some fans would not only run out onto the field but would run out naked ("streakers")

Authorities now take a zero tolerance approach to such things and hefty fines are imposed as well as the possibility of life time bans from the various grounds.
Part of the problem I think stemmed from the consumption of alcohol. People are no longer allowed to bring it in, but can still purchase it in "plastic cups" from various bars around the grounds.