Social media isn't the problem, human beings are animals (Some, more so than others). Any a-hole can get onto the internet these days and run their mouth without consequence, and it's a damn shame when people are being attacked on a personal level for something out of their control (a good ribbing for the sake of competition is fine, just to be clear).
Only a moron would take a sports rivalry to such a personal level that they feel the need to go out of their way to harass another person (to this measure). Unless that is the role they play, take Skip Bayliss for example. He asks for this kind of negative attention, and calling him out would be appropriate (to an extent, again..it's just a game).
I wish people would direct their hate towards more pressing issues, rather than towards someone trying to make a living (a 23 year old kid fresh out of college at that). I can't recall a time (social media era) that 12s were harassing players to the point they had to be called out for being over the top/aggressive. That thread asking where the hate for SF fans comes from, this incident is one of the many reasons.
Classless, brain dead, backwards thinking, imbeciles gaining notoriety for there actions instead of being known for their prominence and respect for the game and/players are what's wrong with the competitive side of sports (on all levels). Fans have become so disconnected from reality that they believe they're a part of the team and what they say matters, when none of that is true. We're all here to express/share opinions, stories, and to take part in the human experience. Those of us that know our roles just have to put up with those that seem to have forgotten their place.
Then again, it's 8 in the morning and this haze is still lingering in my body. Time for munchies.