Arizona Diamondbacks TV analyst Bob Brenly announced Thursday that he’s taking a voluntary leave of absence from his job with Bally Sports Arizona in order to undergo sensitivity training after a controversial comment he made about pitcher Marcus Stroman during Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets.
“Pretty sure that’s the same durag that Tom Seaver used to wear when he pitched for the Mets,” Brenly said during the broadcast, referring to the head covering Stroman was sporting on the mound. After the game, Stroman pointed out the comment’s “racist undertones” on Twitter, writing, “Onward and upward…through all adversity and racist undertones. The climb continues through all!”
“I want to apologize again for my insensitive reference on Wednesday, as it does not reflect my values or who I am,” Brenly said in a statement announcing his leave of absence. “Beginning today, I have voluntarily decided to take some time off to listen, reflect and devote my attention to awareness training related to diversity and inclusion to enhance my understanding and appreciation of others. I plan to return to the booth next homestand, hopefully a better person.”
Stroman wasn’t the only one who found the comment to be offensive. Diamondbacks pitcher Jon Duplantier, who is also Black, said he was disappointed with Brenly on Thursday.
“The most disappointing part is that, though there has been a ton of progress and work done so that I, Marcus and other guys that look like me can show up as authentically as ourselves and be ourselves in a big stage, comments like the one that was made, they put us back,” he said. “They put that progress back. And the youth, the future ballplayers that are coming up, that are watching Diamondbacks games, that are watching Mets games, that are watching MLB games in general, by hearing that comment, potentially look at baseball and think they can’t be themselves. And that hurts.”
Former Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who played in Chicago while Brenly was in the broadcast booth there, called the comment about Stroman “flat-out racist” and also spoke out this week about the way Brenly would criticize Latino players. “It felt weird because every time he attacked somebody, it was a Latin player for some reason,” Ramirez told The Athletic. “You know what’s surprising about that stuff? I never had a racial problem before in my life in the States, before Brenly or after Brenly.”
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