Giants catcher Bengie Molina is angry at ESPN for making fun of his lack of speed.
Molina blogged for MLB.com that it was "hard to take" the network’s "sarcastic depiction" of his unsuccessful sprint from third base to home plate against the Marlins last week. The clip included slow-motion video and music from the movie "Chariots of Fire."
"Look, you can say I’m the slowest guy in baseball or in all of sports or in the entire world. I don’t take issue with that because I AM the slowest guy," Molina wrote. "I have always been the slowest guy. I can’t challenge that criticism. But ESPN’s intention was not to criticize but to humiliate."
In the blog, Molina trumpeted his career accomplishments and his dedication to the Giants while taking more swipes at the network, which employs a handful of former major league players, managers and executives as analysts. The diss occurred during "SportsCenter," by non-athlete anchors.
"Until recently, I had thought of ESPN as a network run by professionals who know sports. I thought the people at ESPN, because they focus only on sports, actually understood the game and what pro athletes do to reach the highest level of their sport."
"I know I’m a public figure and I just have to take my lumps. But I would like those people at ESPN who, from a safe distance, make fun of players for a cheap laugh, to remember that players are actual people. With wives and mothers and fathers and children and brothers and sisters.
Molina also acknowledges Henry Schulman, the longtime Giants beat reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, who defended Molina against ESPN.
Sporting News staff reports
Giants catcher Bengie Molina is angry at ESPN for making fun of his lack of speed.
Molina blogged for MLB.com that it was "hard to take" the network’s "sarcastic depiction" of his unsuccessful sprint from third base to home plate against the Marlins last week. The clip included slow-motion video and music from the movie "Chariots of Fire."
"Look, you can say I’m the slowest guy in baseball or in all of sports or in the entire world. I don’t take issue with that because I AM the slowest guy," Molina wrote. "I have always been the slowest guy. I can’t challenge that criticism. But ESPN’s intention was not to criticize but to humiliate."
In the blog, Molina trumpeted his career accomplishments and his dedication to the Giants while taking more swipes at the network, which employs a handful of former major league players, managers and executives as analysts. The diss occurred during "SportsCenter," by non-athlete anchors.
"Until recently, I had thought of ESPN as a network run by professionals who know sports. I thought the people at ESPN, because they focus only on sports, actually understood the game and what pro athletes do to reach the highest level of their sport."
"I know I’m a public figure and I just have to take my lumps. But I would like those people at ESPN who, from a safe distance, make fun of players for a cheap laugh, to remember that players are actual people. With wives and mothers and fathers and children and brothers and sisters.
Molina also acknowledges Henry Schulman, the longtime Giants beat reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, who defended Molina against ESPN.