Tribe closer Perez keeps heat on fans

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Chris Perez is throwing some heat at Cleveland fans.

The All-Star closer didn’t back down Sunday from comments made Saturday questioning why fans are not turning out to see the first-place Indians and why some in the sparse crowds boo the home team.

“The fans are going to come, I know that,” Perez said. “It’s just a slap in the face when you’re in first place and last in attendance. Last. Not 25th or 26th. Last.”

The right-hander said he has been frustrated by small crowds for a long time and that it came to a head Thursday when he was booed because two men reached base while he eventually saved a win over Seattle.

“That was the last straw,” said Perez, an outspoken, gregarious team leader who regularly uses social media to interact with fans.

“I got a lot of messages and some of it was funny,” Perez said of overnight reaction by fans.

While the Indians encourage Perez’s aggressive style of challenging opposing hitters, the confrontational comments did not sit well.

Team president Mark Shapiro said the organization differs with the way Perez spoke, adding that the Indians do get fan support. Shapiro said the reliever’s words come from a desire to win and get more fans to come to the ballpark.

“We clearly disagree with him about our fans,” Shapiro said. “We appreciate our fans. We respect our fans.”

Shapiro said the 26-year-old’s comments were likely borne from frustration combined with a desire to succeed.

After earning his 13th save Saturday by striking out the side on 10 pitches to clinch a 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins, Perez criticized fans who boo the home team and said negative vibes are a reason big-name free agents such as Carlos Beltran don’t sign with Cleveland.

It came after the season’s second-largest crowd, 29,799. Including a sellout of 43,190 for the April 5 opener, the Indians’ 15,188 average through 22 home dates is a far cry from the team-record 455 consecutive sellouts in the late 1990s.