Mistaken identity on Twitter is a funny thing. When something controversial goes down, people lose their minds and attack the wrong people because of pure ignorance. Remember when Baltimore Ravens radio broadcaster Gerry Sandusky was ravaged on Twitter because he had the same name (with a different spelling) as the ex-Penn State coach who went to jail for molesting children? Yeah. Even a slight bit of fact checking helps everyone.
Enter ESPN broadcaster and Braves reporter Tom Hart. Hart’s profile has grown dramatically over the past couple of years, and he’s become quite the popular fellow on Twitter. This fall, the Braves hired former MLB Network analyst John Hart (no relation whatsoever) as their GM. Needless to say, some fans had some fun with the hiring, especially when MLB At Bat used this thumbnail to talk about Hart getting offered the GM position.
Whoops.
Anyway, the Braves have been dismantling their roster this winter, and some fans aren’t happy at all about that. Naturally, they’re going after the team’s GM…and assuming Tom Hart, and not John Hart, is that GM. Needless to say, Hart’s having himself a grand ol’ time when he gets called out for ruining the franchise.
Here’s a sampling following the trade of popular hitter Evan Gattis on Wednesday.
RT @Exxams: @ren_83 @MLB because Tom hart is the worst gm in baseball and Braves are going to be trash and the career of freeman is wasted
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) January 15, 2015
umm MT @Exxams: The new gym of the Braves is a ***king b**** like honestly rebuilding after we have one bad year go f*** your self Tom hart
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) January 15, 2015
I’m not the GM is why RT @R_Cole17: hey tom hart why don’t you just go ahead and trade fredie freeman while you’re at it
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) January 15, 2015
And following the December trade of Justin Upton to the Padres…
I've never been to Cleveland. RT @Fresh_Manny2: @tuckerjyoung very.. Tom Hart will set the Braves straight. He did with Cleveland in the 90s
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) December 19, 2014
@Capnricky @kylerobinson13 @Dylan_Reeves @ChrisYow14 @JeffreyFlack is tom hart into the spiked holiday punch too much?? Very competive???
— JW Gordon (@dubadub14) December 19, 2014
https://twitter.com/Baseball_N_BLU/status/545999204699893760
All those RTs and my favorite: RT @gator_man1510: The Atlanta Braves need to fire Tom Hart right now!!!
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) December 19, 2014
I don't know that much. RT @Schreibz88: @tom_hart I am very mad at you right now, but you've forgotten more about baseball than I'll ever…
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) December 20, 2014
Prolly RT @RemingtonJScott: @tom_hart the moves you are making are hurting the club, we'll be contending for sure. Contending for a top…
— Tom Hart (@tom_hart) December 20, 2014
And scene.
Just a word to the wise for Braves fans out there looking to whine on Twitter this season…
This is John Hart, the Braves general manager. He doesn’t have a Twitter account.
This is Tom Hart, the Braves dugout reporter and ESPN college football/basketball broadcaster. He does have a Twitter account.
This is Bret “Hitman” Hart, a WWE Hall of Famer who has nothing to do with baseball at all.
Are we good now? The old guy is the one you should take your frustrations out on. Well, unless you want a snarky response and to get mocked by Twitter – in which case, please keep complaining about Tom Hart.