Major League Baseball has gotten awfully political this week. First, Bryce Harper said baseball was a "tired sport" because it discourages players from expressing themselves. Then, Goose Gossage lost his mind about how the sport has changed since his playing days.
Everything here was as timely as timely could be. Harper's comments on baseball's "unwritten rules" have been an issue for a few years now as there have been numerous bench-clearing incidents due to players expressing their emotions on the field.
The 23-year-old said he sees no harm in players being more expressive in terms of celebration or showing up their opponents - to him, it's just part of the competitive spirit of the game. San Francisco Giants reliever Sergio Romo seems to disagree.
"Don't put your foot in your mouth when you're the face of the game and you just won the MVP," Romo said Thursday. "I'm sorry, but just shut up."
Romo is considered an emotional player himself, but he says "there is a way to go about it to not show disrespect, not only to the other team but the game itself."
He'd agree with Gossage, who called Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista a "f---ing disgrace to the game" for his show-offy antics during last season's MLB playoffs. Gossage also said that New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is in the same boat. Both players had responses when asked about Gossage's comments, but neither seemed to care all that much.
The Hall of Fame pitcher more eloquently explained his initial expletive-ridden tirade in an interview with Sportsnet's Tim and Sid, but he wouldn't apologize for dropping so many f-bombs.
"The only thing I will back up on is I was not singling out," Gossage said. "I was doing an interview that I had just kind of went off on the whole game. And part of it is the lack of respect for the opposition. I was taught as a young player, do not show up the enemy. [...] Don't show anybody up is the basic bottom line ... I singled out Bautista only because the thought of him flipping his bat and all the antics that were going on by the Jays, it seemed out of control and unnecessary.
"Now you see kids in the Little League World Series act like little turds."
Gossage said he also isn't a fan of post-game celebrations either.
"If I see another pie in somebody's face, I'm going to break my own TV. Act like a professional."
Unfortunately for Romo and Gossage, the game of baseball seems to be moving in a new direction. Major League Baseball is attempting to attract a younger audience, which means there will likely be a greater acceptance of players expressing themselves and having fun. Professionalism won't be thrown out the window, but it probably won't strictly adhere to the invisible set of guidelines that have characterized the sport for so long.
