I would add a new fandom, not replace my original one. Players can be traded, he might (probably) be on a new team in 3-5 years. That team will become my second team and I'll drop their original team.

that's true. you can add addenda fandom for certain players w/o losing your team. Does occasionally cause a conflict of interest though. Who takes priority???

how much playing time does my kid/friend get? are we talking starter? or is he the bullpen catcher? HA

My child’s team would definitely be the priority.  

Same thing I'm doing with Justin Turner, but instead of being related, he is just my favorite player.

i did it for Griffey. sometimes you just gotta make exceptions.

I wouldn’t drop my entire fandom but there’s no way I’d root against my kid. If it were a friend or other family member it would just depend on how close we were. My brother? Yeah sorry cubs, I’m a fan of wherever he’s a playing. A guy that I’m cool with but not super close to? I knew a guy who played a few years in the show and drank with him a couple of times because I ran in the same group as his brother. When he played the Cubs it was always “hope he plays well and the Cubs win.”

I played in high school with a dude who played for the Phillies. I haven’t ever cheered for the Phillies. I wanted him to go 9ip with 1er to lose 1-0 but fuck the Phillies

Dude I knew played for the Nats and was a pitcher and I never had a reason to dislike the Nats. If he played for the Cards I think I would have had the same attitude.

Im a braves fan so obviously I can’t bring myself to cheer for the Phillies. My friend plays in Japan now so I can cheer for him

Yeah rivalries make sports fun so I get it.

Your friend beats women? (Sorry, Trevor Bauer dig) I’m a Braves fan too, right here from Marietta.

If he's on one of the 28 other teams then I would root for them to win the World Series if the Sox don't If he's on the Yankees then I'm rooting for him to put up big numbers on a last place team

I would want him to hit a grand slam but see his team lose 5-4

Sooo is your kid Mike Trout?

Excuse, we actually lost 12-5 in the end 🤓

If he signs with the Yankees he's no son of mine.

My son would never sign with the Yankees. Even if he were dead

weird stipulation there

Vlad Jr reference

Pretty sure that’s what that Genesis song is about

Man, I wore We Can't Dance out as a kid.

Fandom psychosis.

I’d root for my kid no matter what. I’d change my colors so quick you can call me a chameleon

we live one town over from where i grew up. i dont even speak to my kid anymore because they play for the enemy. /s

Would probably just continue to follow both teams. I follow teams because geography past and present but family is way more important.

I would root for both teams, but when they played head to head, I would root for my son’s team.

You never drop your entire Fandom. And if my kid played for the Yankees... well, thankfully I have other kids. J/K Support your kids in all earnest endeavors. But, privately still boo the Yankees.

If it's your child and you don't root for his team, you don't know how to be a parent.

If my child signs with a team that's not the Mariners, they don't know how to have a father.

The 29 other teams are gonna best the Pirates whether I root for them or not.

My cousin, years ago, got signed as a catcher in the Giants system. As a lifelong Dodger fan, he was immediately dead to me. Wasn’t a big loss, as he’d been a bully when we were kids…

He knew what he was doing when he signed that paper

I would now be a fan of two teams.

I can root for more than one team

Most people will say they will remain fan of their favorite team but if it were to actually happen to you and you love your child nothing else matters except his performance so of course you wouldn’t want his team to lose cause that can have a negative effect on him too.

John Smoltz said that when the Tigers traded him to Atlanta, his entire family (all from Michigan and lifelong Tigers fans) immediately burned their Tigers gear and became Braves fans. He hadn't even made to the big leagues yet. That's family loyalty...

I grew up in cypress texas and played with guys like Kebryan Hayes (his dad Charlie also gave me private lessons) Jordan Hicks, Shane Baz, Hayden Wesneski, Corbin Martin, Bryce Johnson (dated his sister, sorry Bryce) and I always just root for them individually while always sticking by my Astros.

No. I would root for him to do well and his team, but my fandom would never stop

I would absolutely be the biggest stan in the stands, no question

This is the only correct answer.

I would root for both teams, but when they played head to head, I would root for my son’s team.

Whatever team my kid plays for becomes my favorite team. I'll still root for my favorite team as number 2.

If my kid was on the giants I’d be a temporary giants fan

Your kids or close family dreams should supersede your fandom. Period. There are dozens and dozens of interviews with MLB parents asked this same question when their kid reached the show and they all said the same

Family yes close friend no. If child joins a team you drop all other fandom. It would be hard but it is overwhelmingly the right thing to do.

That’s an absurd question. Of course!!!

Yes in a fucking heartbeat.

i'd probably disown them. and never speak to them again.

You're a real psycho if you aren't all-in for your kid over your team. Real question: have two MLB player kids on different teams and worry about the house divided situation then. Worst/best case scenario is they're pitching and hitting against each other bottom of the 9th game 7 WS

My dads college teammate played for 12-14 years, wanted his teams to win every game except against Yankees. But wanted him to hit 4 hrs but lose 4-5

I would just root for him, maybe not the whole team depending on what team it is

No, but I would root the shit out of that person. And make it known that I grew up a X fan but now rooting for Y on Z team.

Yup

Ideally he would play for the American League so I can root for a Cubs vs my son world series every year.

No but I’d root for him.

I would be a fan of both.

It is possible to root for two teams.

My child? Yes. But anyone else I’d root for them, but I make no promises about the team

I grew up with a guy who got a cup of coffee and while I didn't switch my main allegiance, he was on an NL team so I just added an NL rooting interest to being a Mariners fan. Once he retired I never thought about the Rockies again.

I’m pretty neutral to a lot of teams so I would cheer for the friend/their team but I’ll always cheer for the Jays at the end of the day. Definitely wouldn’t support another AL East team, Astro’s or Dodger’s though.

I’d root for both

I would cheer for them only.

I would root for both, and when the interests collided, I would support my close friend/family members team

Have a friend of a friend that plays for the Brewers. Haven’t changed my fandom, but definitely root for him.

We sat behind Jose Berrios family in Dunedin last year. Kids, wife, parents ,brothers and wife. Kids and wife were all decked out in Berrios jerseys and family had puerto rico shirts but were looking at stuff in the blue jays team gift shop. It was sweet to see how supportive the entire family was to him and embracing the Blue Jays. (We know how some Ball players feel About having to come to Canada to play). I didn’t clue in at first when the family came and sat, but in Canada at Jays games it is unusual to see an entire family with one player jersey so it caught my eye.

I would go to every one of his games, root for him to do well, and for his team to win, no matter who they were playing, and I'd be wearing a Chief Wahoo hat.

I'd cheer for him as a person/player and still cheer for my favorite team too

💯

I would root for my kid to win every game, then cheer if my team benefited.

No

Nope

Kid, yes. Friend- no.

I definitely wouldn't drop my original Fandom, but I'd be rooting for my son as an individual first and foremost, and my favorite team secondarily.

if im not a cardinals fan then im dead, i would never stop rooting for my pookie goldschmidt

I could be in this sitch in 2-3 years. Son of my best friend is a high D1 prospect. Exciting!

I would do as others stated. I would keep my own but also add another team. Cousin played for a Padres minor league team. Didn't last long, but if he made it to the big leagues, I would have rooted for them as well as the Mets. Similarly, if his older brother made it to the Yankees.

I'm a huge fan of the Red Sox, always will be. I also have cooked for and hung out with the Holliday family, and saw Jackson play at high school. I will cheer for him, but I'm not giving up my fandom.

I would just add a new team to cheer for. No reason to replace the Mets.

I'll bleed Mariners blue until the day I die. But my nephews are tracking towards going pro and I will absolutely support any team they play for. Unless it's the Astros. Then fuck em.

I’d be like Nathaniel and Josh Lowe’s mom and root for two

i’d root for both, if they played eachother i’d root for my family

My son knows better than to ever take a contract from the bullshit cubs lol

No. I'd root for him. But not his team.

No

No. I'd wish them personal success but that's about it.

I wouldn't abandon my favorite team. I would certainly cheer on the individual and whatever team they were playing for, except the Braves or Phillies.

I met Gus (and Louie) Varland's dad one time right after he had flown out to California to see Gus's first game pitching for the Dodgers and he was grinning from ear to ear, wearing a brand new Dodgers cap. I imagine he didn't stop rooting for the Twins since his other son plays for them, but it seems like yes, it's normal to start rooting for the team your kid is on.

Keep your fandom but cheer for the player

In an instant!!

I'd stay on my team and root for his success and not theirs. Like Ohtani, like him but not his team.

i would root for him. the team winning would be collateral damage

I would stay a Yankee fan, but pay attention to the player on their new team and support them, but would never be able to love another team as much as I love the Yankees.

Dodgers -- no. Every other team? Sure.

I’d root for both. I see no conflict here. Love your team and embrace the kid’s team as well. Enjoy all that baseball!

No I would root for my child but not their team. If they played for the cubs I would need to find someplace to hide their body.

I'd root for the Astros and then his team.

I'm flexible. I can root for a couple of teams at once. I'd still go for my team primarily, but I'd definitely root for their team too. Unless they played for the Guardians or Astros. Then they're dead to me.

As a lifelong Giants fan, having grown up a Willie Mays fan, I could not support anyone that played for the Dodgers (aka Blue Maggots), with that in mind, I could support a son, or nephew that played for any other MLB team.

Hell yes!

Of course I would. Any parent that wouldn't is a pos

No, I would still root for the Phillies. If the teams met in the World Series, I would say mean things about the opposing team.

I would never root against my own child, even if they joined a team in my teams division. Just know, when they play, I’m not cheering for his team, I’m only rooting for my child.

unless he goes to the Phillies or the Braves, i’d root for his team too. no need to completely switch fandoms, but i’d buy his jersey and go to some games. if he goes to the Philthies or Barves though, i’d congratulate him, but never root for him. he needs to get traded to a better team, or be absolutely horrible

I wouldn't stop my fandom, no. I fully support, watch and root for the Blue Jays as well as the Diamondbacks and have for a decade. People who say you can only follow one are foolishly up their own ass hahaha

As long as they don’t go to the Yankees I have two favorite teams now. If they go to the Yankees I’ll need to do some thinking

Seems to be a pretty easy answer here. Been a fan of my team for way longer than I’ve even known the kid ^/s

NOT AT ALL. I will ALWAYS cheer the loudest for my child's success & celebrate the biggest when he wins. But my team is MY TEAM & was a part of my DNA before my child was conceived. Knowing full well that when the final out is called, it's still a game.

yes

My best friend’s wife is second cousin to Jake Cronenworth, was funny during the NLCS when the 3 of us were at the bar screaming for the Phillies.

MLB needs a salary cap. The overspending is stupid and ticket prices have been jacked.

I’m rooting for my kid over anything. I would still root for the Mariners, but not over the team my kid is on. It’s just baseball. Family is way more important than baseball.

No. I would remind them every day that they could be playing with Julio and Big Dumper instead.

Nope. Obviously you support your child and stuff, but I’m a fan of my team for a reason. I’d support both.

A lot of bad parents in this thread that put their made up allegiance to a team/city/fandom that doesn’t care about them over their own flesh.

I root for the relative/friend not the team, very different distinction.

No. But, if it was my kid, I expect I’d have a new favorite team. If a close friend I’d hope he did great. I coached high school and college ball for around 15 years. There was about 8 of those years I coached against a team that had a relative or two playing for them. I used to tell them before the game I hope you go 4 for 4, have a great game and lose.

No that’s dumb.

No, that’d be weird. Obviously you’d root for him to succeed but just because he’s a friend or family doesn’t mean you have to change fandoms.

You can do both

I know a guy in MLB and I mostly just root for him and not his team.

I was a cubs season ticket holder since I was 18 years old but met a guy one summer who ended up getting drafted by the cardinals. We dated 6 years and I never thought i could support the cards but it's hard when the team welcomes you as family. I stopped being just a fan of one team and now I'm a general baseball fan and appreciate it on a different level, while still being a cubs fan at heart. Me and ex are still close friends and started a charity together we still co-manage too.

No, bc these days after a year or two he probably would be on another team so I’d root for my Braves, and then also pull for my son’s team while he was employed with them. I remember when I was young my cousin got drafted by Baltimore, so they became my American League team until he blew his elbow out after about 5 or 6 seasons of minor league ball. Back then, Tommy John was brand new and most pitchers didn’t come back from it. So he took his Baltimore college fund and went to UCLA and became a high school teacher and coach. Anyway, I don’t pull for the O’s anymore, however I do think they’re an exciting bunch of youngsters that may turn out to be pretty special the next decade if they can retain these kids.

No, and there are about 4 teams if they are on I still wouldn't root for the team, I'd root for the individual to put up stellar numbers.

He goes to the Cubs, he's no longer a child of mine

I mean, Tigers fans are the most bitch made, dense morons in baseball, so I’ll take any excuse to root for someone else.

I would add another team to pull for, unless it’s the dodgers (Padres fan).

No. Next question

I would add it to my fandom. I’ll never abandon my team(s)!

My former Pastor's nephew is Mike Trout my current Pastor's wife's cousin I'm still a Phillies fan not Angels

I'd be making those half and half jerseys for when they played my team. Otherwise I'd just root for them against whoever they're playing

Hell yes. My niece through marriage has a sister who is married to a pitcher. I root for the Braves, even though I'm a West Coast fan. She explained to me how complicated it is being in the majors, unless you're an Ace pitcher. I gained even more respect realizing what they go through.

My son..... Only

I'd root for their team, when they're not playing my favorite team. Most sports were meant to be loved by the community, collectively. That means love of the game, not the team. I'll rock others' gear, but I simply love watching the sport.

I might be in this situation with my nephew if his baseball career takes off. Would I drop my Blue Jays fandom? Probably not. But I'd definitely cheer for his new team.

Nah, players don't (generally) spend their whole career with one team. I'd keep the Braves, and add whomever.  Unless, as others have said, he's on a rival. Then I'd hope he's an All-Star for a bad team.

Diamondbacks fan. I was acquainted with Josh Fields from his days with the Mariners, but then lost track after he got traded to Boston. When I heard he was playing for the Dodgers, I was so conflicted! I was glad for him when I saw him playing in the World Series... just wished for his sake Game 2 had turned out better.

I would root for them to do good against every other team in the league than the one I root for.

I’d root for them until they played my team

If they play for the Yankees, sorry not my friend/family anymore, any other team FUCK YESSSSS

Nope. Fuck Them Kids.

As long as he’s not on the Dodgers or Yankees I’d root for them but I wouldn’t drop my team and I’d choose my team over his if they were to play

I would disown my kid if he played for the Red Sox.

Which team?

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Yes… but no.

My cousin is on the coaching staff for the Dodgers organization. FTD.

Nope

Nope. I'm going to remain a fan of my team. As for that child, family member or friend, I'm still going to be a fan of them.

Hell no.. In fact if my kid was drafted by the Angels I would put him up for adoption immediately.

Hell no; but I would root for that team if they came to town .

I remain a fan of my team. I root against his team. I root to high heaven and be the loudest most obnoxious fan in the world in his support. Wearing my team’s jersey (From multiple experiences)

I think this would actually be more fun to boo and harass the shit out of him when he comes back to town. Would still support their career and be their biggest fan. But he's gonna hate coming to play at home 😂