Torii Hunter says having an Openly Gay Teammate would be "Difficult & Uncomfortable"

[GiambiJuice]

This clown has said a lot of stupid things over the years. Whether it was saying that only black players should be allowed to wear #42 on Jackie Robinson day to saying that black-skinned latinos aren't real black people, but rather "impostors", he always finds a way to share his brilliance with us.

Link to LA Times article

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I hear Hunter is a really smart guy so it is kinda strange that he says some of these things. I don't mind a guy being honest with how he feels but Hunter hid behind religion on this issue. I wouldn't think all Christians are against gay people so he should keep his religion out of this.

[Captain Cold Nose]

The man's allowed his opinion regardless of where it stems from. It's very likely he's had real opportunity to feel "difficult and uncomfortable" without realizing it.

[ol' aches and pains]

When Jackie Robinson broke in in 1947, some of the Brooklyn Dodgers found having a black teammate was "difficult and uncomfortable". The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[Phantom Dreamer]

Since when is Torii Hunter considered "thoughtful and intelligent"? He's said some ignorant things in the past and this is no different. I guess his selective Christianity is to be blamed. Hunter probably won't be winning any ' Father of the Year' awards either. If Verlander or Miguel Cabrera were to come out as gay, would he still feel "uncomfortable"?

[GiambiJuice]

I wonder if Torii has any tattoos.

[toomanyhatz]

I cut Hunter a bit of a break as he was just being honest. He was just admitting how he felt. I'm sure if he had an openly gay teammate, he would deal. Team comes first.

That said, the religious argument has always confused me. I admit I'm not terribly up on my bible scholarship, but Jesus doesn't comment at all on homosexuality, does he?

When I got married recently, we included a plea for all people to have the same rights that we enjoy, so this is an issue where I strongly and proudly take a side, and it's not Hunter's. But I also believe strongly in the right of people to speak their mind. Possibly even more so when their opinion differs from mine.

[Bothrops Atrox]

I cut Hunter a bit of a break as he was just being honest. He was just admitting how he felt. I'm sure if he had an openly gay teammate, he would deal. Team comes first.

That said, the religious argument has always confused me. I admit I'm not terribly up on my bible scholarship, but Jesus doesn't comment at all on homosexuality, does he?

When I got married recently, we included a plea for all people to have the same rights that we enjoy, so this is an issue where I strongly and proudly take a side, and it's not Hunter's. But I also believe strongly in the right of people to speak their mind. Possibly even more so when their opinion differs from mine.

FWIW, Jesus himself is not quoted on the topic anywhere in the NT. There are several references to it in the NT, with much disagreement as to the context, as you can imagine. Regardless, we can all find many references in the NT about being kind and loving to people, even if we disagree with their choices or lifestyle, and even if God would happen to disapprove of the choice as well.

[Phantom Dreamer]

But I also believe strongly in the right of people to speak their mind. Possibly even more so when their opinion differs from mine.

Is that what you believe? Is it really a good thing everyone can speak their mind? Case in point, the Westboro Baptist Church, the K.K.K. and other agencies of intolerance. On the other hand, it's good they have the right to speak their minds, so we can identify the extremists of society.

[GiambiJuice]

of course everyone should be free to speak their minds. This is the USA. Is that even a question?

[milladrive]

I wonder if Torii has any tattoos.

...or anything else in his closet.

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Either way, let's try to keep to baseball, folks. Thanks much.

[Los Bravos]

saying that black-skinned latinos aren't real black people, but rather "impostors"

That was pretty much the end of my paying any attention to him.

He had the basic nugget of an insight (that team owners like paying amateurs less than market value, as they used to do to everyone in the pre-draft era), but how he went from that to thinking that Vlad Guerrero or Robbie Cano have histories and lineages that aren't essentially identical to his is a mystery to me.

And Cap's right. Odds are very likely that he's already had the experience and emerged none the worse for wear.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

I've always wondered how many gay major leaguers there have been? It's obvious more than two (Glenn Burke and Billy Bean). I'm a Christian and have had gay coworkers over the years. It's never been a problem for me at least.

[milladrive]

I've always wondered how many gay major leaguers there have been? It's obvious more than two (Glenn Burke and Billy Bean). I'm a Christian and have had gay coworkers over the years. It's never been a problem for me at least.

Well, if the statistics are correct, about 10% of the world's population is homosexual or bisexual. Whether openly or not, I would imagine that stat holds true in any line of work or demographic, including baseball.

[Yaz]

There's very little chance Hunter has ever been on a MLB roster without at least one gay teammate.