Photo credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Ernie Clement admits he misses the Blue Jays during the World Baseball Classic, sparking intense anger from Team USA fans while thrilling Toronto.
Saying you want to leave an international tournament right before the semi-finals is a wildly bold choice. It definitely rubbed some traditional baseball purists the wrong way.
Fans wearing the stars and stripes are understandably furious at his perceived lack of patriotism today. You expect absolute focus when a gold medal is suddenly on the line.
They want total devotion to the American flag, especially with a huge emotional matchup against Team Canada looming large.
Hazel Mae captured the exact moment he made the controversial statement during a candid interview. You can watch the full clip and judge his tone right here.
The 29-year-old utility star (Drafted Round 4, 2017 by Cleveland Indians) is taking massive heat on social media for his refreshing honesty.
Clement quietly hit .277 with 50 RBIs and stellar defense last season. He proved he belongs in the national spotlight.
Playing a high-stakes elimination game against his Toronto brothers clearly feels completely unnatural to him. He practically apologized for being homesick.
Clement proves the Toronto clubhouse is tighter than ever
While the American faithful are losing their minds online, Blue Jays fans are smiling from ear to ear right now.
This is the exact type of unbreakable brotherhood you desperately want to see brewing down in spring training. It speaks volumes about the environment.
We watched him grind through minor league buses for years just to become an indispensable piece of our current puzzle.
He feels entirely out of place because his heart is permanently tied to the guys inside the Blue Jays locker room.
You cannot fake that kind of fierce loyalty and genuine affection for your daily teammates. It has to grow naturally over a grueling season.
Winning a championship requires a roster full of guys who would gladly run through a brick wall for each other.
Seeing him miss his squad this much proves the highly anticipated culture shift in Dunedin is entirely real.
Let the national sports media complain about his attitude all they want. We know exactly what his priorities are.
He is singularly focused on bringing a parade back to Canada.
We want him back in camp just as much as he wants to be there.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 14|347 ANSWERS Ernie Clement catches heat for Blue Jays comments at the WBC Is Ernie Clement right to prioritize his bond with his Blue Jays teammates? | ||
| Yes | 337 | 97.1 % |
| No | 10 | 2.9 % |
| List of polls | ||