Phillies fans started a petition to get Nick Castellanos to sell Ben Simmons’ old house
The Philadelphia Phillies are closer to a postseason berth than they’ve been in almost a decade, and fans are willing to do whatever it takes to get them there.
In this case, ‘Whatever it takes’ means harassing Nick Castellanos until he sells Ben Simmons’ old house, which he purchased earlier this spring when he signed his five-year contract with the Phillies. On Thursday, a petition began circulating with the goal of forcing Castellanos “to sell his cursed house.”
The description is the best part:
"“…before the season even began, Nick Castellanos and his innocent family had a spell of dark magic unknowingly cast upon them: they bought former Sixer, Ben Simmons’ house.Simmons, if you may remember, is the spineless coward who cost the Sixers a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals last season after passing up a dunk in the waning moments of Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks. Or you may remember him from shooting a historically low 33% from the free throw line in that series. He then refused to take accountability or play for the Sixers (or any team) by faking a back injury. It would not be an exaggeration to say he is the single biggest villain to haunt a town since Vecna in Hawkins, Indiana in 1986.Rumor has it, you can still hear the clank of Simmons free throws as you walk the halls of the New Jersey mansion at night. The “Simmo the Savage” sign illuminates the corridors of the home like the green light at Daisy’s East Egg dock in The Great Gatsby.It is imperative that Nick Castellanos sell the home more haunted than the Murder House in American Horror Story if he would like to save his career here in Philadelphia. “"
The petition already has over 350 signatures and also went viral on Twitter. Fans feel so strongly about the need for Castellanos to move that one offered to drive “2,494 miles to help him move out.” Another wrote, “We need a chip more than you need a house!”
While this may seem like an extreme overreaction, it’s important to remember that Phillies fans warned Castellanos against buying the house at the time. His family endeared themselves to fans by sharing photos of them saging any bad energy from the home.
Unfortunately, it seems the sage wasn’t strong enough, as Castellanos is having a rough first season in the City of Brotherly Love. However, there are signs he’s turning a corner. He had a two-hit game in the series opener against the Atlanta Braves on Monday and a double in the series finale on Wednesday. On Thursday evening, he went 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
This isn’t the first time fans have gone this route in regards to Castellanos. In September 2021, Cincinnati Reds fans started a petition of their own, begging team owner Bob Castellini to ink the slugger to a new contract.
Hopefully, this petition yields better results.
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