Feb. 11--Tim Flannery, a longtime coach for the San Diego Padres and then the San Francisco Giants, plays in a band. Its name: Tim Flannery and the Lunatic Fringe, a nod to the tag former Giants General Manager Brian Sabean once famously used to describe his critics among the fan base.
That, of course, was before Sabean and the Giants won three World Series championships. Flannery retired after the last championship, in 2014. Apparently, he believes there is a lunatic fringe within the Padres' fan base, and he has heard just about enough from them.
Flannery, who followed Manager Bruce Bochy from the Padres to the Giants, ripped that segment of the San Diego fan base in a lengthy diatribe on Twitter late Wednesday night.
"We got run out of your town, me and Boch, after he won," Flannery wrote. "We have lived with 'your traders' [sic] come back and win for us.' "
The Padres have appeared in the World Series twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing both times. Flannery, who played for the 1984 team and coached on the 1998 team, said San Diego fans fail to hold team ownership accountable.
"Though they lose you support them, enable them, demand nothing from your ownership, and feel great calling them your hometown team," Flannery wrote. "You get what you demand. Leave me alone. ... You do something for once. I'm not feeling guilty for winning 3 in 5 years."
On Thursday morning, Flannery had removed the post and added this picture:
The Padres had no comment.
Twitter: @BillShaikin
