Yankees fans who tried to mangle Mookie Betts' wrist finally get what's coming to them

Remember that 24-hour period where some people tried to paint the front-row Yankees fans who grabbed and twisted Mookie Betts' wrist during a World Series game as folk heroes/good luck charms? Only for the Yankees to lose the most embarrassing single-game collapse in World Series history the very next night? Yeah. Hope you're proud of yourselves.

In the aftermath of Game 4, the fans -- perched at a bar across the street -- believed they'd be welcomed back for the contest the next night. They were sorely mistaken; the Yankees banned the season-ticket holders, who learned a harsh lesson about "defending their turf."

Or maybe they actually learned nothing! Yeah. They probably learned nothing.

Though it took longer than anyone probably wanted it to, a definitive ruling on the fans' status broke the offseason ice on Friday. Austin Capobianco (Gronk's friend) and John P. Hansen (not Gronk's friend, but they'd probably get along if they ever met) are now banned indefinitely from all MLB standiums. Indefinite ban!

Yankees fans who grabbed Mookie Betts' wrist during World Series have been banned indefinitely from MLB stadiums

"Mangled" is a little harsh. More like a light mangling, at worst. A hint of mangle. Regardless, after Friday's punishment, it seems official: neither Capobianco nor Hansen will ever be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

When the World Series ended and the Dodgers emerged victorious -- partially the fault of these two! -- Betts described the incident to David Ortiz as "the second time in [my] life I've ever wanted to fight someone." Two months later, he went simpler and harsher on the Peacock special Back That Year Up 2024, telling hosts Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, "F*** those guys."

That's, essentially, what Rob Manfred said on Friday, too. Did the Yankees have to be coerced into cooperating with this decision? Or would they have made the same move independently? Either way, surely the team will soldier on next year while these two dolts are unavailable to defend the wall. Aaron Judge, who's moving back to right field, should do a good enough job of that on his own without the aid of Crabbe and Goyle.