Braves star Ronald Acuna gets under Pirates broadcaster’s skin
Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna received comments from the Pirates broadcasters for wearing a chain around his neck.
Pittsburgh Pirates broadcasters appear to have a serious problem with young baseball players who commit the twin sins of (a) wearing jewelry and (b) having fun.
Last week the target of the Pirates' contempt was Cincinnati Reds infielder Derek Dietrich. Tuesday the grouchy group focused on Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna. During the game, broadcaster Steve Blass appeared to have a problem with Acuna wearing a chain.
After Acuna swung and missed on a 2-1 pitch in the fourth inning, he stepped out of the batter’s box to adjust himself before the next pitch -- which hit him.
“I was getting ready to say,” Blass prefaced before launching into his rant, “With a young player just doing all that stuff, and all the jewelry, all the stuff. Back in the day, I'm not saying it's right or wrong…”
Play-by-play announcer Greg Brown quickly interjected: “Or that that was done on purpose. Hard to believe it was done on purpose on a 2-2 pitch.”
Blass then clarified: “No, I'm not suggesting that. That's why I qualified it [with) 'back in the day.’”
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It’s the second time in less than a week that Pirates broadcasters have suddenly become the fun police around Major League Baseball (a role previously held by Braves catcher Brian McCann).
Dietrich last week drew the ire of John Wehner after the infielder admired one of his home runs.
“I can’t stand him,” Wehner said of Dietrich during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. “I just don’t see why – I don’t understand why you have to do that. It’s different if you’re a Hall of Fame player, you’re a 60-homer guy, you’re an established guy. Nobody ever heard of him before this year.”
Then Wehner added his belief that Dietrich's dead relatives were ashamed of him.
"I heard of him because of his grandfather [Steve Demeter] who used to be a minor league coach for the Pirates," Wehner said. "He was the nicest, sweetest guy in the world. He’s rolling in his grave every time this guy hits a home run. He’s embarrassed of his grandson.”
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The Pirates announcing crews should consider itself lucky to not have to call a game against Tim Anderson and the Chicago White Sox. Anderson has already had beef with the Kansas City Royals for his style of play – which includes tremendous bat flips.
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