Reporter Responds To Baseball Player Torii Hunter’s Insults

Who would’ve thought that the sport of baseball could be so controversial? However, baseball has indeed become rife with several noteworthy happenings as of late that have thrust the off-season sport of baseball into the news, specifically with a couple of press conferences starring baseball players who have become a representation of how contrasting responses from two different baseball stars have affected their public images, for better or worse.

First up to the plate is Giancarlo Stanton, the newly minted $325-million Miami Marlins man, a 25-year-old right fielder who was asked by a reporter if his expensive 13-year baseball contract extension made the baseball player feel embarrassed to be making so much money. According to the Atlantic, the young baseball player responded to the reporter with much more grace and kindness than necessary.

“Embarrassed? No. I know I have a lot of expectations I have to live up to, which I’m willing to do.”

With that $325-million salary spread over 13 years working out to an annual salary of $25 million for each of those years – or approximately $70,000 per day – no doubt plenty of parents are consulting new bat size rules and baseball bat buying guides to turn their little ones into the next Major League Baseball stars, and schooling them on issues beyond baseball bunts, hits, and runs.

Those off-field factors can also include financial lessons learned about the sport. According to Forbes, considerations like Boston’s cheaper tax rates in comparison to those of San Francisco encouraged ball player Pablo Sandoval to choose the former city over the latter.

Another huge element that sport stars who must deal with the media on an ongoing basis should learn – be they baseball stars or others – is to develop the interpersonal skills necessary to handle curve balls thrown from the media.

Although Minnesota Twins player Torii Hunter’s $10.5 million baseball contract was much less in comparison to Stanton’s huge contract, Hunter received plenty of attention on Thursday for calling St. Paul Pioneer Press reporter Mike Berardino a “prick” four times during a press conference, as reported by the Inquisitr. Hunter seemed unprepared to deal with Berardino questioning if the baseball player was willing to further clarify his previous statements about gay marriage.

On December 5, Berardino published a statement regarding the Torii Hunter news conference on the St. Paul Pioneer Press blog, defending his right to ask the baseball player about his former publicly published comments on the matter.

“I asked the same questions a few minutes later of Katrina Hunter, his wife, and she offered well-reasoned answers that did not include insults at my expense.”

Despite the drama caused by the unexpected reaction of the baseball player verbally attacking the reporter in a personal manner, Berardino wrote that he is leaving the issue behind him and anticipates further covering Torii Hunter during the upcoming baseball season.

“Regardless, I consider the unfortunate matter closed and I look forward to covering Mr. Hunter throughout the 2015 baseball season.”

[Image credit: Yahoo! Sports]