Dodgers broadcaster makes stern point about Tanner Scott death threats from 'fans'

Last weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers held a 3-1 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies entering the eighth inning. Tanner Scott came on, only to surrender the advantage and watch his team lose. It wasn't a harmless performance, but it matters little in the grand scheme of things; especially for a team in first place at the start of June.

What transpired after was harmful, and blatantly unacceptable. Scott and his family were subject to death threats from "fans," primarily through his wife Maddie's Instagram account.

I put fans in quotes there precisely because anyone who attacked the relief pitcher and his loved ones over a baseball game does not deserve that title in earnest. Dodgers broadcaster Jerry Hairston Jr. shared the exact same sentiment, setting the record straight for anyone who would listen:

"I can’t state this enough. Those people who did that to Tanner Scott, his family is an absolute joke," Hairston firmly stated. "Those are not Dodger fans. Dodger fans care about their players on the field but off the field as well."

Tanner Scott's unacceptable situation emblematic of larger issue

Unfortunately, this practice has become all too common in sports, especially since the advent of social media. Cowards who feel emboldened by the anonymity of the internet harass the athletes who put their reputations on the line every time they step on the field.

It's refreshing to see someone attached to the team like Hairston -- a former MLB player in his own right -- go to bat for Scott; but this is an unacceptable trend that has to be curbed immediately.

Obviously, the folks who did this don't speak for Dodgers Nation. Even if he weren't in the midst of a tremendous bounce-back season, Scott wouldn't be deserving of anything like this. As Hairston said, this fanbase takes care of its own.

Scott has since taken the mound twice on the road in Arizona. He locked down a one-run save earlier in the week, but gave up the game-winning run on Thursday to D-backs star Ketel Marte.

Whenever Scott pitches in Chavez Ravine next -- the Dodgers head home this weekend for a series with the Los Angeles Angels -- he'll rightfully be the recipient of a nice ovation from the fans in attendance. Hopefully, he knows that all of us, from the Dodgers faithful to his teammates, have his back.

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