Do Odubel Herrera comments make Mike Schmidt a racist? | Marcus Hayes
Mike Schmidt said Odubel Herreras language barrier would keep him from being a team leader, then dug himself in deeper.
Is Mike Schmidt a racist?
Probably not. You decide.
Schmidt told WIP (94.1-FM) on Tuesday morning that All-Star outfielder Odubel Herrera could never be a cornerstone Phillie because Herrera, a Venezuelan, speaks poor English. Schmidt also delineated between Herrera and "American" players. He then cited leaders from recent Phillies teams . . . but named only white players. Schmidt also suggested that Tommy Joseph, a white player who is generally considered a complementary player, could lead the team. Not slugger Maikel Franco or Cesar Hernandez. ToJo.
Then Schmidt offered two sad apologies that minimized his statements and claimed they were inaccurate.
Does all of that make Schmidt a racist?
Probably not.
Old, yes. Anachronistic, yes.
Racist?
There's not enough evidence. Is there?
These days we tend to quickly brand anyone who says something insensitive or ignorant a bigot. It is part of our culture of outrage, and it is exhausting.
Schmitty has never shown signs of bigotry. He has never expressed that he thinks any group - Latinos, blacks, Muslims - is inferior to him or his kind.
Still, The Greatest Phillie won't completely retract what he said about Herrera's potential as a team leader:
"My honest answer to that would be 'No.' First of all, it's a language barrier. Because of that, I think he can't be a guy that would sort of sit in a circle with four, five American players and talk about the game; or try and learn about the game or discuss the inner workings of the game; or come over to a guy and say, 'Man, you gotta run that ball out.' "
Sigh.
By Tuesday evening, Schmidt tried to retreat with apologies through CSNPhilly, then the Associated Press. Unfortunately, Schmidt seemed more concerned with salvaging his dignity than with saving his image:
"I'm very sorry that this misrepresentation of my answer occurred and may have offended someone" . . . "All I said was the language barrier he has now would make it difficult to be a team leader. In the future, when he learns to communicate better, he can be anything he wants."
To be clear: Schmidt admits no wrongdoing. The first statement misdirects. There was no "misrepresentation" of Schmidt's answer. The second drips of condescenion.
Herrera, 25, understands English and he speaks it passably well. He also uses an interpreter when he talks to the press to ensure he completely understands questions and delivers complete answers. That's just smart. He does not need to learn, as Schmidt said, "to communicate better" to "be anything he wants" or to "sit around a circle" with "Americans."
And . . . "Americans?" We're not sure of Schmidt's politics, but he could hardly sound more #MAGA.
Schmidt called Herrera on Tuesday and apologized. Herrera blew off the entire ordeal. Schmidt had a chance to repair his image, and he refused.
Schmidt could have said, "I was put on the spot. I didn't know what I was talking about. I shouldn't have said those things."
Schmidt could have said, "I was wrong to perpetuate stereotypes that malign Latino ballplayers. Times have changed and my perspective needs to change with them. I have apologized to Odubel for my comments and for putting him in this situation."
Instead, Schmidt told the world to get off his back.
Before you pass final judgment, understand that Schmidt, 67, operates from a place of ignorance. He hasn't spent an extended period of time in a major league clubhouse since Reagan was president; little wonder he defaults to Reagan-era stereotypes. The league, like the world, has changed.
Nine current Phillies are Latino, as are 31 percent of major league players. No one ever accused Dominican sluggers David Ortiz or Albert Pujols of being poor leaders.
It is not in Schmidt's nature to admit ignorance or wrongdoing. He is, simply, too proud. Any such admission indicates weakness and, worse, it indicates intent. Schmidt does not consider himself a racist. How dare you!
It doesn't help Schmidt's plea of innocence since, with every syllable he uttered on WIP, he sounded more and more like Archie Bunker lecturing Edith from his favorite chair.
Schmidt used Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley as examples of strong leaders during the Phillies' recent Golden Era. All are white. Worse, none was a particularly strong leader; none regularly convened postgame roundtables.
In fact, the most effective leaders on those teams were shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who is black, and catcher Carlos Ruiz, who is Panamanian. When Ruiz was 25, he preferred to speak through an interpreter so as to best understand questions and best relay responses. Cole Hamels had no issue understanding Chooch.
Already in a hole, Schmidt couldn't stop digging. He criticized Herrera for not "running balls out." He said Herrera's "exuberance" and his "antics" would make Schmidt "hate" him if Schmidt was playing on an opposing team.
Hate?
Of course, Schmidt wouldn't "hate" Herrera, no matter how many times Herrera flipped his bat or jogged around the bases. Schmidt might lose respect for Herrera but he wouldn't "hate" him. Understand: Talk radio courts hyperbole.
It hurt Schmidt's case most when he suggested that Joseph, the second-year first basemen, would be a better overall leader than Herrera. Not Maikel Franco, the hypertalented Dominican third baseman, around whom the team currently is being built. Not Cesar Hernandez, the Venezuelan second baseman who has been the team's best player the past two seasons. Neither needs an interpreter.
As much as he damned himself by recommending ToJo, Schmidt redeemed himself to a degree in the same breath. He suggested that outfielder Aaron Altherr, who is black, might also be a foundational piece.
Does a racist say that?
Probably not.
@inkstainedretch