Aug 22, 2018; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Daniel Murphy (3) looks on from the dugout prior to a game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Cubs waiver-wire acquisition of Daniel Murphy would be seen as the perfect type of transaction if all we saw were his numbers. Murphy has had a very hot second half, slashing .342/.373/.528 in the second half, having recovered from injury.

Unfortunately, Daniel Murphy is a person, not just his numbers. And Murphy is on the record as “disagreeing” with the “gay lifestyle”, comments Murphy hasn’t ever really walked back to any degree. Murphy was always going to be asked about those comments in Chicago, but when he got the question today, it wasn’t apparent that he expected it.

Do you have a message for gay fans that may have said “Okay, I’m not going to root for the Cubs” now that you’re here?

Oh dear. I would hope you would root for the Cubs.

That’s the answer? In an odd, twisted way, it’s almost refreshing; had Murphy come out with a prepared statement that was clearly vetted through Cubs PR, it wouldn’t have necessarily been any more satisfying. Instead, as with Chicago’s trade for Aroldis Chapman a few years back when Chapman seemed unprepared (and wasn’t given a professional translator) for questions about his domestic violence suspension.

But the counter to that is that rather than looking like the Cubs are trying to be honest, it makes it seem like the Cubs, as an organization, had given no thought to the backlash they’d face by acquiring Murphy, and in turn that makes the Cubs look like they didn’t consider his thoughts on the “gay lifestyle” to be an issue to begin with.

Some people can separate Murphy’s play from his beliefs. And, sure, plenty of MLB players probably agree with Murphy, privately, but there’s an obvious difference between keeping those thoughts to yourself versus using your platform to speak out in ways that are hurtful to LGTBQ people. But for many, especially LGTBQ fans, it’s a bridge too far.

Oh, and there’s this: on Sunday the Cubs will host their second of two Pride Night events on the season.

About Jay Rigdon

Jay is a columnist at Awful Announcing. He is not a strong swimmer. He is probably talking to a dog in a silly voice at this very moment.

9 thoughts on “Daniel Murphy’s message to gay Cubs fans: “Oh dear. I hope you would root for the Cubs.”

  1. I’ve been a lifelong Cubs fan, born in Ctown and raised through the kaka years, never strayed. I never heard of Danial Murphy (although I immediately though of Dale Murphy when I heard his name) until he was traded to the Cubs. I certainly did not know about his disagreement with how some people choose to live their lives, but to me that doesn’t matter. There are a lot of people that have opinions that I don’t agree with, but that doesn’t mean that I should boycott my lifelong favorite team over their opinion! If that’s the case, I would be a really grouchy guy with no friends! I don’t think this guy hates anybody, he just doesn’t agree with their lifestyle, what’s wrong with that? I think that is the real problem with society today, everybody wants to pick a fight with others if their opinions are different, instead of just enjoying life for what it is. Two wrongs don’t make a right, so agree to disagree and move on…

    1. If you were a lifelong Cubs fan and didn’t know who Daniel Murphy was, then you aren’t a lifelong Cubs fan.

      1. He said he had never heard of Murphy until he was traded to the Cubs. How is that proof that he’s not a lifelong Cubs fan?

  2. Oh my. White Sox fan for life. Always good to hear/see Cubs dragged around. But got to admit, I lost a few minutes from my life, reading this story, that I will never get back.

  3. the fact that such intense pressure is placed on successful athletes (among others) to publicly, whole-heartedly endorse whatever LGBT groups say these folks have to endorse should disturb far more readers than this man answering a question he was asked at a press conference, according to his conscience and moral sense. in my state, LGBT persons are invited to elementary schools and permitted to push young children to question whether they may wish to experiment with non-heterosexual acting out; parents are not permitted to opt out of this, and even if a student freely initiates the request, no counseling is allowed for those with LGBT leanings who wish to pursue a ‘straight’ lifestyle. These are not nice people just living their lives, but rather militant social engineers who wish to change yours. it’s obvious to any reasonable person that we should treat others with dignity and respect regardless of their orientation, but the reciprocal does not apply, and families who wish to raise their own children according to their faith and ethical principles are increasingly attacked. where is the “tolerance, diversity, inclusion” for them?

  4. So what if he doesn’t agree with that lifestyle? Don’t use your platform to blast his(Daniel Murphy) lifestyle choices. Jay(Rigdon), you are doing exactly what Daniel Murphy did, but even worse, you are looking at a splinter in Daniel’s eye; while you have a plank in your eyes. Christians are always getting accused of judging the LGBTQA, which I acknowledge it’s a fact that a lot of them do because they don’t truly seek God; but not all of us are bad people. Don’t judge us for having a difference in lifestyle choices from yours. Don’t be like the religious people that point their finger at a gay person and try to turn their “Christian” community against you and condemn you to hell. Do unto others what you would like for others to do to you. God bless you!

  5. He has the right to “disagree with the LGBTQXYZLMNOP lifestyle.

    He wasn’t promoting attacking or harming them in any way unlike those who disagree with him having his own disagreement.

    that makes the Cubs look like they didn’t consider his thoughts on the “gay lifestyle” to be an issue to begin with.

    The Cubs possibly gave it some consideration and decided that he has the right to not agree about an issue publicly or that trying to appease the unappeasable is futile.

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