"They know when they are watching bad baseball" - Padres ace Michael King acknowledges boos from 'smart fans' after Rockies sweep

The San Diego Padres players were subjected to boos at Petco Park for a second straight game on Wednesday as the Colorado Rockies completed a series sweep with an 8-0 win. Padres ace Michael King, who had a tough outing, addressed the criticism from fans.

Three days is a long time in baseball, as Padres fans found out on Wednesday. They were swept by the Colorado Rockies just three days after handing a series defeat to their fierce NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Michael King came into the series finale on Wednesday after not conceding a run in his last two games. However, the right-handed pitcher conceded six runs over eight hits in an underwhelming outing.

King said about the criticism from fans and boos at Petco Park during the series:

“We’re fully deserving of it if we’re playing that poorly. I continue to think we have some smart fans here, and they know when they are watching bad baseball. So we have to figure that out.”

Star second baseman Xander Bogaerts also addressed the boos the players have witnessed over the last two games against the Rockies. Bogaerts feels that fans are right to criticize the team, and the players need to step up.

“We all want to play well, and we want to contribute,” second baseman Xander Bogaerts said. “If you don’t like the boos, play better. That’s all I can say.”

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Mike Shildt defends Padres players while acknowledging the frustration of fans

The Padres have made a mixed start to their season. The series win against the Dodgers on Sunday was their fourth straight. Still, three successive defeats to the Rockies have highlighted their inconsistency.

“Yeah, it sends a message,” Mike Shildt said. “People show up and want to win. I get it. I’ll answer for it. It’s interesting how a couple of days changes the complexity of how people react.”

While manager Mike Shildt reckons fans have the right to voice their frustration but was vocal in his defense of the team's performance in the last three days.

“We lost three games. It just didn’t work out for us for three days. I can’t explain that. Am I happy about it? Is that clubhouse happy about it? Are we going to alibi anything? No, we’re not gonna alibi anything," Shildt added.

The Padres will be on the road for a three-game series, commencing Friday, against the Atlanta Braves, who are coming off three consecutive series wins.