From the New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman :
Yesterday, in various media corners, there was some surprise – even shock – over Hernandez’s sexist commentary. For others, including some women in the sports media, Hernandez was conducting business as usual.
Hernandez said yesterday that he “never had a problem” with women reporters covering baseball. This was news to Suzyn Waldman. Despite Hernandez’s proclamation about baseball being a “man’s game,” she has earned a living in it for nearly two decades. Now, as the analyst on Yankee radiocasts, Waldman is the only woman doing that job in the big leagues.
“I wasn’t surprised (by what Hernandez said) since he said a lot worse to me nearly 20 years ago,” Waldman (above) said. “You get shocked, but he really got me good (with a vile response after she tried introducing herself) my first time in the Mets clubhouse. But this is nothing new. And it isn’t just about Hernandez. You hear this stuff every day. If you let it stop you, it will.
“There are people like Keith Hernandez all over the world. That isn’t going to change,” Waldman said. “He believes what he is going to believe.”
What Hernandez did yesterday also amounts to huge backtracking. That’s to be expected. Only a fool would stick to his guns after making a fool of himself. But it was stunning that there still were people maintaining that what Hernandez said Saturday was no big deal. Maybe they should talk to some women who are baseball fans – particularly Mets fans.