Pete Crow-Armstrong isn’t on social media much, but by Monday morning, the Chicago Cubs’ center fielder knew his interaction the day before with a White Sox fan had blown up online.
Crow-Armstrong, speaking at his locker before the Cubs’ series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, expressed regret for using vulgarities in response to the female Sox fan yelling at him during the bottom of the fifth inning in Sunday’s 9-8 loss at Rate Field.
Crow-Armstrong had jumped into the right-field fence to try to haul in the hard-hit ball off Miguel Vargas’ bat. He couldn’t make the play on a two-run, game-tying double and sat on the dirt in disbelief. As he stood up from the warning track, a Sox fan in the field-level The Patio section yelled at him, prompting Crow-Armstrong’s profanity-laced response.
“I just regret my choice of words the most and who that affects in my life directly and indirectly,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I don’t think that any of the women in my life would ever think that I would use those kind of words regularly, especially referring to them, so I’m just bummed about the word choice and that a bunch of little kids go and probably find their way to social media and see that as well.
“That was strictly a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing, as corny as that sounds, it’s real. I regret my word choice for sure and I think (the Cubs) know that.”
Crow-Armstrong said he had a lot of people reaching out to him Monday about what he was captured saying in the clip posted to social media, which was recorded by someone in The Patio section.
“That’s not something I pride myself on being about is calling people names like that, but I think most importantly the women in my life know that I don’t love that choice of word,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I don’t want to let that deter me from the competitiveness that I feel out on the field. I think channeling it in a different way would probably be my next task. So, that’s something I should be aware of at all times, that there will be cameras and such on me.
“But I’m not always gonna let stuff like that fly, either. It’s just about being a little more respectful and maybe killing somebody with kindness instead of matching their level of intent.”
A few people within the Cubs organization talked to Crow-Armstrong about his comments, too, including manager Craig Counsell. Fan interactions are a reality of this job. Counsell said Crow-Armstrong knows he made a mistake with what he chose to say back in that moment. Counsell doesn’t believe this incident means Crow-Armstrong, or any player, shouldn’t engage with a fan.
There can be dangerous elements to it, but fan interaction can be a fun part of the game.
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“You want to try to keep them positive, even when they’re not,” Counsell said. “Sometimes, when it’s in a really emotional situation, it’s difficult, but it’s still a requirement of the job. … Sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it’s funny actually. Sometimes it’s hurtful, and that happens a lot too, but we have a standard to uphold that goes along with all the good stuff that we get to experience, and the fans being there is part of the good stuff. But there’s still a standard that we’ve got to live by.”
Crow-Armstrong’s emotional style of play has been highlighted often since he debuted in 2023. Counsell has consistently stated he believes that’s a good attribute, while noting the 24-year-old will continue to improve his emotional control.
“It’ll be kind of pointed in the right direction better as he gains experience, but it’s important for him and he needs it and we love it — we love a lot of it,” Counsell said. “But there’s also going to be learning moments from it.”
Sunday’s incident will likely only increase the attention and trash talk Crow-Armstrong hears from opposing fans in the foreseeable future. He understands that’s part of the game, and Sunday’s situation serves as a reminder there are always eyes on him.
“I’m sure we all deal with this kind of stuff, I don’t think this is a new thing,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I mean, I think that’s probably been the case dating back to the earliest days of this game. I’m sure people found ways to get under our skin and whatnot, and, again, it’s just a shame that I let that one person do that.
“I am intense on the field, and in a moment like that I just let it get away from me a little bit, but, again, poor word choice, a lack of awareness too when it comes to who’s watching me. I don’t want to represent the other guys in this clubhouse that way because mostly everybody in here is the opposite of that.”
