Dodgers: Current Big Leaguer Not Impressed by Fan Trash Talk at Dodger Stadium

In a poll of nearly 200 ballplayers, the trash talk near the Dodger Stadium visiting bullpen was memorable and intimidating, if not clever.

If you can't be clever, at least be loud, right?

The Athletic did a poll of nearly 200 big leaguers to ask them a variety of questions, ranging from "Who would you want to pitch Game 7 of the World Series?" to "Who do you think will win the World Series?"

One of the questions had some interesting answers for Dodger fans:

4. Most intimidating atmosphere during the postseason?

Top result: Yankee Stadium (43% of the vote)

Runners-up: Dodger Stadium (13.8%), Minute Maid Park (10%), Fenway Park (8.4%)

It's no surprise that Yankee Stadium won this poll; Yankee fans are intimidating even to their own players sometimes. Yankee Stadium might not make the top ten in overall most intimidating stadiums if you took an average of all the games in a season, but when it's a game they really care about, the fans are loud and rabid.

But Dodger Stadium shows up in second place, with 25 or more players saying it's the most intimidating playoff atmosphere. Freddie Freeman said last week the loudest stadium he's ever heard was Dodger Stadium after Juan Uribe's home run in the 2013 NLDS, and it has the advantage of holding 10,000 more fans than most stadiums.

It seems, though, like most of the people who chose Dodger Stadium were probably opposing relief pitchers, because both specific comments were about the visiting bullpen.

On Dodger Stadium:

“I love it. I’ve always loved Dodger Stadium, you’ve got 50 people on you.”

“I’d probably have to say L.A. In the bullpen, the fans are right there, they’re drinking, they’re trash-talking. But their trash talk is not that good. It’s loud, though.”

"Their trash talk is not that good. It's loud, though." Have you ever heard a better description of Dodger Stadium? And let's face it, the people who sit by the visiting bullpen are a different breed.

But the opposing players remember, and that's what matters. Is the trash talk clever? Not always. Is it funny? Maybe not. But it's loud, and they remember it. And that's important.