Josh Reddick Details Death Threats He's Received Since Astros Scandal News Broke
By Adam Weinrib
Professional athletes don't have much of a personal refuge from their day-to-day struggles online.
In fact, most of the stressors of their everyday lives are only magnified when the sources are planted firmly behind a laptop, an indeterminate distance away from reality.
Since the news of the Houston Astros' improper behavior of the past several years broke in earnest this offseason, the outside world, and the community of Baseball Twitter, likely hasn't been a pleasant place for most of the offenders. You reap what you sow and all that, but it goes without saying that there's no reason to wish death on anyone over the integrity of a baseball game's results, something Josh Reddick says he's experiencing far too often on social media.
Astros outfielder Josh Reddick just told reporters he has received death threats via social media — and that in one case someone wished cancer upon his children. Reddick said he’s not the only one in the Astros’ clubhouse who had received death threats, either.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 21, 2020
As always seems to be the case, the hatred is getting familial in nature, and Reddick's family photos and memories are now getting similarly tainted by hate spam.
Josh Reddick said that, earlier this month, he posted a video of one of his five-month-old twins rolling over. A comment immediately read “I hope your kid gets cancer.”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 21, 2020
Others he’s gotten said “I will kill your entire family.”
This is occurring on both sides of the discourse, as former Astro Mike Fiers, the whistleblower who ignited this scandalous powder keg, has reported similar messages over the past few turbulent weeks.
Whether you're an Astros defender, or you believe their actions paint the team as the scum of the earth, there's zero justification for taking your messages to this personal and destructive level.