CHICAGO -- Pete Crow-Armstrong thrives on emotion as a player, but the Cubs' center fielder recognizes that he took things too far in a heated interaction with a White Sox fan on Sunday afternoon. It was a caught-on-camera moment made for social media and it, predictably, caught fire online into Monday.
Prior to Monday’s game against the Brewers at Wrigley Field, Crow-Armstrong stood at his locker and held court with reporters to address the incident, during which he used vulgar language aimed at a woman behind the fence in right-center field at Rate Field. The center fielder did not necessarily regret firing back at a taunting fan, but he did wish he responded differently.
“I think I just regret my choice of words the most,” Crow-Armstrong said, “and who that affects in my life directly and indirectly. I don’t think that any of the women in my life would ever think that I would use those kinds of words regularly, especially referring to them. So, I’m just bummed out about the word choice, and that a bunch of little kids go and probably find their way to social media and see that as well.
“But, I am intense on the field and in a moment like that, I just let it get away from me a little bit.”
During the fifth inning of Sunday’s 9-8, 10-inning loss to the rival White Sox, Crow-Armstrong nearly pulled off an incredible catch on a fly ball to deep right-center off the bat of Miguel Vargas. The center fielder narrowly missed the baseball and slammed hard into the wall – behind which fans occupy a ground-level section. Two runs scored on the play, helping the White Sox eventually pull off the win.
Crow-Armstrong dropped to the warning track and sat in the dirt for several seconds, “processing the fact that I missed the ball.” While the center fielder was so close to the fence, a woman could be seen on replays yelling at Crow-Armstrong. After he shifted to his feet, Crow-Armstrong stepped closer and shouted back.
Videos taken from fans in that section quickly spread online, showing that Crow-Armstrong used derogatory language aimed at the woman. By Monday morning, Crow-Armstrong had received multiple messages from family and friends about the incident. Cubs manager Craig Counsell also spoke with the outfielder about the matter before Crow-Armstrong met with the media.
“I think Pete made a mistake with his choice of words,” Counsell said. “I think he’s aware of that. And that’s it. He made a mistake and we’ve got to move on from it. It’s a reality of this job. It happens. Fan interactions happen. You want to try to keep them positive, even when they’re not. Sometimes, when it’s a really emotional situation, it’s difficult. But, it’s still a requirement of the job.”
Counsell added that, while Crow-Armstrong should have handled the situation in a different manner, the center fielder should not shy away from playing with emotion. That is part of the reason the budding star has quickly blossomed into a favorite among Cubs fans.
“He’s an emotional player – we’ve discussed that a lot,” Counsell said. “And I’ve said consistently, I think that’s a good thing. It’ll improve and it’ll be kind of pointed in the right direction better as he gains experience. But, it’s important for him and he needs it. And we love it. We love a lot of it. But, there’s also going to be learning moments from it.”
Crow-Armstrong said he did not “want to represent the other guys in this clubhouse” with the kind of behavior he displayed at Rate Field. He also knows that, as his profile grows, there will be more moments in the future when cameras are rolling and fans will be watching his every move and reaction.
“I don’t want to let that deter me from the competitiveness that I feel out on the field,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I think channeling it in a different way would probably be my next task. That’s something I should be aware of at all times, that there will be cameras and such on me.
“I’m not always going to let stuff like that fly, either. It’s just about being a little more respectful and maybe killing somebody with kindness instead of matching their level of intent.”