Baseball Writers’ Association Backs Reporter Under Fire for Publishing a Quote Heard in Atlanta Braves Clubhouse

Ahmad Austin Jr.Oct 13th, 2023, 1:08 pm
 
Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper stares down Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia after hitting a home run.

Rich Graessle/AP

The Baseball Writers’ Association of American on Friday fired back at critics of one of its members after he published a quote he overheard in the Atlanta Braves clubhouse.

After Game 2 of the Braves’ playoff series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia reportedly taunted Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. The game ended with a Braves win when Harper was caught in a double play after trying to score from first on a play that ending up being a fly out.

According to Fox Sports reporter Jake Mintz, Arcia was heard repeatedly saying, “Atta boy, Harper!”

In the next game, Harper hit two home runs and stared directly at Arcia both times as he rounded the bases, sending a clear message that he took the comments personally.

After Game 3, Arcia said through an interpreter that the comments weren’t supposed to leave the locker room.

What followed over the next few days was a debate over what should be off limits in the locker room, with some people of the bizarre belief that a locker room — typically filled with dozens of reporters and cameras — is a “sacred” place where overheard quotes shouldn’t be published.

On Thursday, writer Alanna Rizzo appeared on MLB Network and tried to dismiss Mintz as a “blogger” or “podcaster” and questioned how someone like him got credentials to enter the clubhouse. She even went as far as calling him a “jackoff” for publishing the quote.

On Friday, the Writers’ Association called the comments “unprofessional and unacceptable.”

“On Oct. 12, Jake Mintz of Fox Sports was subject to a personal attack during a segment on Major League Baseball Network,” the association said in the statement. “For the record, Mintz is a BBWAA member in good standing and has earned the right to be credentialed through his hard work and quality baseball coverage. To assert otherwise, in vulgar terms, is both unprofessional and unacceptable.

“The BBWAA is deeply troubled that the league’s own network would permit the disparaging of one of our members in this fashion. Scrutinizing our work is part of the territory but comments such as these have no place on MLBN.”

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