Baseball's 10 Best Heckling Fanbases

Baseball is no doubt America's pastime. All across the country, friends and families head out to the ballpark to catch a game each and every night.

There is hardly a better way to spend a summer night, and while your home team may not always win, stadiums are doing everything they can to ensure a positive experience.

At the same time, some of the more eccentric fans do an admirable job of making sure that everyone hears them, oftentimes directing rants at opposing players, managers or the umpires.

Here are some fanbases that seem to be best known for the heated nature of those in the seats on a nightly basis.

Warning: Content may not be suitable for all audiences

Boston Red Sox

The Fenway faithful have long been known as one of the most vocal fanbases in all of sports, so it's no surprise that they've also been named the most ruthless fanbase in baseball.

From what I've heard, you're entering at your own risk if you set foot in the park donning another team's gear. As you'll see in the video, it's not uncommon to take jabs at opposing players—before they even make their way into the game.

Chicago Cubs

Wrigley Field is another one of those ballparks that carries a great deal of history.

It also contains a vocal Chicago fanbase that won't hesitate to blast players from the bleachers as they make their way into the outfield.

Things don't always end with the fans when it comes to the Cubs, however, as Milton Bradley once even engaged hecklers in San Diego with a muppet conversation.

Bradley may be a bit of a unique case, since he's reached a new level of insanity, but it's still humorous, if nothing else.

Chicago White Sox

We've probably all been a part of heckling at some point during our time as fans, whether it's giving out the tongue lashings or being on the receiving end of them.

Even if you've never participated in the chants and jeers, it's likely you've seen heckling. What you may not have ever seen before is a manager feeling the brunt of those hecklers during an interview with the media.

Yet that's exactly what happened at U.S. Cellular Field when New York Yankees skipper Joe Girardi addressed reporters following a 2-1 loss at the hands of the White Sox.

Los Angeles Dodgers

After the unfortunate incident last spring involving San Francisco Giants fan Brian Stow, we got an all too tragic reminder of just how over the top some people can take their local pride, and what can transpire when it becomes more than a game.

It's not always so cutthroat at Dodger Stadium, however, as the team has plenty of reasons to cheer this year with the wheeling and dealing new ownership.

Still, that doesn't mean they can't have some fun with opposing players, as we see here with Carlos Lee conducting his own heckling in the outfield.

New York Mets

New York Mets fans may not be considered as vocal as Yankees fans, and though this is just a miniscule sample size, they may not be as educated either.

Phillies players bear the brunt of heckling whenever they set foot in any other ballpark. Shane Victorino was told his home state of Hawaii wasn't even a state by this fan at Citi Field.

He's not alone, as Jayson Werth being called worthless is just another chapter in the heckler bible.

New York Yankees

It's hard to argue that the New York Yankees are the most recognizable baseball team in the world because of their numerous championship titles, who's who list of former players, historical venues and even their trademark hecklers.

The Bleacher Creatures are better known than just about any unofficial group of fans in baseball, and they have their own Facebook page to back it up.

Oakland Athletics

This incident in Oakland involving a heckler and Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez may actually be one of the few incidents where the fan comes out looking better than the player.

Most players have a tendency to ignore any criticism coming from the stands, but Perez has developed a reputation for having a relatively short fuse, so it's no surprise that someone got the best of him here.

Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia fans in general have to be right up there as some of the most outspoken fans in the world, and as we see in the video, sometimes they even take their act on the road, heckling players who are playing in the seemingly safe confines of their own ballpark.

That may have been just a few fans, but when you're in Philly, all bets are off, as Jayson Werth learns every time he comes back to his former stomping ground.

There's an old expression that you shouldn't kick a man while he's down, but that's exactly what the Phillies faithful did to Werth after he broke his wrist.

San Francisco Giants

Having enjoyed so much success in recent years, you can't blame the San Francisco Giants fanbase for having a bit of a chip on its shoulder.

They don't have the same reputation as the in-state rival Los Angeles Dodgers, but that doesn't mean Giants fans aren't ruthless when they want to be.

They can even get animated in spring training, as Ryan Braun (not surprisingly) was on the receiving end of some jabs during an exhibition game this spring.

Washington Nationals

As Bleacher Report productions outlined so perfectly on YouTube, the story of superfan Robin Ficker is certainly a unique one, as his fandom is taken to an extreme.

He may be best known for his rants at NBA games, where he spent years behind opposing benches, but Ficker can be found many other places, including Nationals Park, where he got the attention of Tampa Bay Rays skipper Joe Maddon—and has a souvenir to prove it.