Recent events show fans’ emotional attachment

Oct 24, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Fans of the San Francisco Giants wave a flag against the Kansas City Royals during game three of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a short week for a lot of folks with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, but it feels like the longest week ever for Giants fans. The Giants have lost not only their third baseman, but their beloved third base coach as well.

It is safe to say that there have been a mix of emotions regarding the loss of Pablo Sandoval, from pure anger and frustration to confusion and sadness. The social media outpouring has shown phrases of encouragement and well wishes, but it has also reared its ugly head and shown expletive-laden comments and disparaging remarks. Here is some of the good:

Here is some of the bad:

I will save the ugly just because of how indecent some of the tirades are, at least for public viewing. If you really want to view them, they’re not hard to find on your local social media feed.

The outpouring for Tim Flannery was more positive than anything else. People regarded Flannery as not only a coach but a mentor, an inspiration, and a community figure. Not to mention all of the support and awareness he gave to Bryan Stow and his family helped to shine a different light on his caring personality. Even Giants players current and former showed their love for the third base coach:

With the two major pieces of news over the last couple of days, Giants fans have shown their true emotional investment in this team. Whether it be through social media, television or movie specials, the Giants have involved their fans in not only their baseball but their personal lives as well. Now of course, there are boundaries, but their allowing us into some part of the players and coaches’ lives develops a connection that not many fan bases get to experience.

Of course, some of us become so emotionally invested that we forget about the business aspect of baseball, until it smacks us across the face. There in lies the issue for fans, at what point do you just have to let go? Do you have to let go at all? Is there something wrong with being so emotionally attached to the team and the players?

There are 85 days left until Spring Training, and plenty more developments and news to come until then. So the only piece of advice I have for you all is to buckle up and get ready, because this off-season is still young.