By Dan Calabrese ——Bio and Archives--May 18, 2017
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So are we just going to pretend that @KPILLAR4 didn't initiate all this by yelling a gay slur? Better step up on this one, @MLB. pic.twitter.com/8bB3xijtCu
— Dr. B (@BlakeTheRxGuy) May 18, 2017
Closeup replays of the incident involving Pillar have led to calls for a suspension of the Jays centre fielder with suggestions he may have uttered a homophobic slur. Pillar was certainly rattled by the incident after Wednesday’s game and profuse in his apology, though not specific about the details. “It was immature, it was stupid, it was uncalled for,” Pillar said about the altercation that seemed to begin with him objecting to a quick pitch, but also included at minimum words for Braves pitcher Jason Motte. “It’s part of the game game, it’s just I’m a competitive guy and (it was) heat of the moment. “Obviously I’m going to do whatever I’ve got to do to reach out and apologize and let him know he didn’t do anything wrong. It was all me.” Pillar went on to say that he was frustrated by the Jays recent skid after the team seemed to turn fortunes in the right direction with a five-game winning streak.
It’s worth pointing out that when Pillar referred to it being “part of the game” he was talking about the emotions involved. Whatever led to the outburst, the quick-tempered Pillar says he hopes to better control himself in the future. “It’s not a good look for me, it’s not a good look for our team and it’s something that happens when you’re competitive,” Pillar said. “You do your best to reach out to the other side, tell them that you’re sorry and you try to move on from it."If MLB suspends Pillar for this, it will be nothing more than a knee-jerk based on fear. He should not have said it and he knows that, but everyone know it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing and he's apologized profusely for it. Punishing him now, when any one of 100 other pejoratives would have brought no sanction at all, would simply be a way of affirming that gay activists have unlimited power to bring the hammer down on anyone who - in their opinion - steps out of line. A baseball diamond is no place for the strict enforcement of political correctness. Then again, no place is.
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