People are entitled to their opinions, even if those opinions are really, really dumb.
Case in point: Atlanta Braves broadcaster Joe Simpson, who apparently is the fashion gatekeeper for Major League Baseball.
During the Braves’ 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, Simpson went on a rant about the clothes Dodgers players wore during batting practice. Essentially, Simpson, a former Dodger himself, believes players shouldn’t wear casual attire, such as t-shirts and shorts, during practice, and instead should dress “professionally” and wear clothes that enable fans to identify them.
“You know I grew up in the Dodger organization, and certainly was taught how to play professional baseball and how to do things the right way,” Simpson told play-by-play man Chip Caray during the Fox SportSouth broadcast. “I want you to look at some things going on today at batting practice here with the Dodgers. What do you see? You see t-shirts, you see Chase Utley with no socks, pants up over his knees, a t-shirt. This was prevalent with their whole team.
” … And I think about fans that come to SunTrust Park who are Dodgers’ fans, they have no idea who any of them are, nobody had any kind of uniform on or batting practice shirt with their name on their jersey. They looked very unprofessional. And I think I can say this because I know what the Dodger organization is all about.”
Simpson didn’t stop there.
“And if I were a Dodger fan, I’d be embarrassed. And I don’t know how Major League Baseball allows such attire when the gates are open and fans are watching. Chase Utley, I’ve had nothing but respect for him his whole career, I think he’s a great player, I thought he always played the game the right way. That was an embarrassment, what he had on during batting practice.”
(You can click here to listen to Simpson’s rant.)
As you might expect, reaction to Simson’s grumpy take was almost universally negative. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was among those displeased with the criticism.
Simpson’s viewpoint especially is cringe-worthy when you consider MLB’s current plight in attracting younger fans.
MLB Network Radio’s Grant Paulsen, for one, believes Simpson is part of the problem, not the solution.
And then you have Simpson’s flagrant abandoning of nuance. For example, Utley, who Simpson focused on for wearing a “K” t-shirt during warmups, actually was wearing an anti-cancer shirt.
Here’s some useful context from ESPN’s Keith Olbermann who, of course, is no stranger to offering polarizing takes:
It wasn’t just the media that jumped down Simpson’s throat, however. Fans also were understandably annoyed by the particularly obnoxious rant.
Here’s Caray’s defense of his broadcast partner:
FOX Sports Radio correspondent Chuck Kelly, who shared the clip Olbermann replied to, defended Simpson and attacked millennials — because of course.
Annoyed yet, baseball fans?
The Athletic’s Chad Moriyama, who also tweeted a since-viral video of Simpson’s rant, took a lighthearted approach by asking Dodgers utilityman Enrique Hernandez to wear a tuxedo during warmups.
Hernandez’s response was … perfect.
As we previously said, everyone has the right to have their own opinions. And Simpson certainly has more credibility than most in this area, given he’s a former MLB player, and all.
Still, MLB has enough problems in shaking its “old-man’s game” stigma without having to worry about someone like Simpson, who seems hell-bent on crafting baseball in his image.
In the word’s of your own partner, Joe: lighten up.
