Michael Phelps has many adjectives to his name, however ‘betrayer’ unexpectedly made it to the list. Or that’s how the fans feel. While the Olympian’s amazing first pitch video honing an Arizona jersey surfaced on the internet, there were a few fans who felt troubled by the sudden shift of loyalty from the Baltimore Orioles to the D-Backs. No wonder, Baltimorians says, “We feel betrayed”.
It is no secret that the Orioles had a premature exit from the postseason, succumbing to the might of the Texas Rangers. However, fans remain fans whether it’s a win or a loss, but when the 28 Olympic-medals holder flaunted his pitching instincts in favor of Arizona, showers of disappointment poured all over social media.
So Whose Team Is Phelps On? The Diamondbacks Or The Orioles?
A native of Baltimore, Phelps is a big baseball fan and roots primarily for his hometown team. The Orioles had their best team in generations this year as they led the American League in wins in the regular season. However, tables turned and they were unceremoniously swept by the Texas Rangers in the ALDS earlier in October. Post his retirement from the Olympics, he and his family moved to Tempe, Arizona, which is a suburb of Phoenix. Could this be the reason he now supports the Diamondbacks?
While it remains conflicting as to which team the 38-year-old supports, his ceremonial pitching episode stole some hearts. In front of a sold-out crowd at Chase Field on Saturday, Michael Phelps delivered a strike for the ceremonial first pitch. Before launching the opening pitch of Game 5 straight over home plate, Phelps warmed up with his customary pre-swim stretch. But, this is not the first time he has made the ceremonial pitch.
Phelps has thrown ceremonial first pitches earlier in Major League Baseball too. One such occasion occurred during the Diamondbacks’ 2017 postseason series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nevertheless, ss MLB shared a post on Instagram captioned ”The Butterfly Effect. Michael Phelps gets us ready for baseball in Arizona. #NLCS”, his fans feel poked.
Michael Phelps’ Pitch Stirred Baltimore Orioles Fans Up
In his latest Arizona vs. Philadelphia action, he was seen having a great time with other legendary players who joined the GOAT in his baseball endeavors. While that happened, fans concurrently stirred up some comments on social media.
One fan questioned,
“Isn’t he from Baltimore and a Ravens fan? Where’d the DBacks come in?”
Another fan could not believe that Phelps was leaning toward Arizona.
“bro he’s supposed to like us”
One among many fans was not subtle about the betrayal.
“On the behalf of all of Baltimore- We feel betrayed”
Despite being a native of Baltimore, his favor towards Arizona was not taken by yet another fan.
“Bro. Cmon Phelps you’re from Baltimore”
With this particular action of his, he might have just lost some fans.
“ wow, no longer a fan of phelps”
While what Phelps did may seem completely benign, it was triggering enough for the fans to cascade into a flurry of comments. The question still remains unanswered as to who exactly Phelps supports.
However, it’s important to always remember that strange things happen in the world of sport. This might just be one such instance.
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