The Atlanta Braves were eliminated from MLB’s postseason on Thursday night by the Philadelphia Phillies, ending the year for the team with the best regular-season record. But it’s a media issue that occurred inside of the Braves clubhouse that has produced a ton of chatter.
The incident occurred when FOX Sports reporter Jake Mintz divulged that Orlando Arcia was mocking Bryce Harper after he was caught stranded on the basepaths for a double play to end Game 2 of the series. While Arcia was not conversing with reporters at the time, those in the room overheard him, presumably saying “Atta boy Harper!” Mintz decided to report the news he had been privy to, leading to a contentious debate over reporter privileges and the responsibilities they garner through journalism and media ethics.
MLB Network host Alanna Rizzo was impassioned in her remarks on Thursday’s edition of High Heat, claiming that the clubhouse is a “sacred space” and was infiltrated by media members who are unfit to receive credentials. Rizzo stated that media members who are only present during the postseason ruin the environment for everyone else. The visceral reaction compelled other journalists to speak out, taking positions on both sides of the matter.
Rizzo has continued to receive backlash for her remarks, prompting a statement from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). The organization seemed to take particular umbrage towards her deciding to call Mintz a “jackoff” within the commentary.
“For the record, Jake is a BBWAA member in good standing and has earned the right to be credentialed through his hard work and quality baseball coverage,” the organization said in a statement. “To assert otherwise, in vulgar terms, is both unprofessional and unacceptable. The BBWAA is deeply troubled that the league’s own network would permit the disparaging of one of our members in this fashion. Scrutinizing our work is part of the territory, but comments such as these should have no place on MLB [Network].”
Chelsea Janes, a national baseball reporter for The Washington Post, posted a thread on X, revealing that she was also in the locker room and explained the situation. She shared that cameras and other recording devices were live and yelled the phrase in the midst of those moments. Moreover, had there been a live feed of the clubhouse disseminated en masse, she wonders whether or not a network would be eviscerated for displaying the footage. Other baseball writers came to the defense of Mintz and chided Rizzo for her statement.
Rizzo addressed her comments early in Friday’s edition of High Heat, expressing remorse over what she insinuated on the air. She spoke with Mintz since Thursday’s edition of the show and explained that she has learned a lot over the last 24 hours.
“I wanted to give a very heartfelt apology to Jake Mintz and the entire BBWAA,” Rizzo articulated. “What I said yesterday about Jake was completely inappropriate, it was inaccurate and it was beyond unprofessional. I got caught up in the heat of the moment, but I have to say, the media – of course, the BBWAA and the credentialed media – do a tremendous job covering a sport that we love, and what I said was completely off base.”
