Chris Perez doing his part to boost Indians' attendance

It wasn't that long ago that Tribe closer Chris Perez cut loose on some of his team's fans. 

Perez, if you'll recall, was angered by the boo-birds at Progressive Field when he allowed two runners to reach base….not score, but just reach base. Following the game, he lashed out about booing, and it led into resentment about attendance for the Indians' home games.

To their credit, the fans heard what Perez said and took it to heart, rather than lash back. They started showing up in bigger numbers, and the roar of approval that he gets every time he enters a game is testament to their belief in him.

If you pay attention, the booing has even decreased dramatically at the games now, even when things aren't going well for Cleveland.

But the outcries on the internet (which is usually where people go to whine) were all-out attacks on Perez, coming up with every excuse possible for not going to the games and supporting the home team. One of the more popular excuses was that "if he wants us to go to the games, he should buy us tickets."

Consider it done.

Perez has been using his Twitter account to give away tickets to each home game. He asks a trivia question, and the first three fans that answer correctly are treated to a Tribe game that night.

Tix Trivia: What are the only MLB teams never to play in a World Series?

That's the question that allowed six fans to see last night's 3-2 victory in ten innings over the Reds.

Fans of the opposition hate Chris Perez because he's very emotional and vocal on the mound. That, and the fact that he's very, very good at getting the other team out.

These are the reasons that Tribe fans love him, and they're starting to show up more and more at Progressive Field. Guys like Perez deserve to be praised for their dedication and their genuine desire to bring more fans to the ballpark.


(foxsportsohio.com)