Former MLB pitcher and current commentator Jim Kaat is under fire for comments he made about White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada during the broadcast of the White Sox vs. Astros ALDS game.
While on the broadcast, Kaat and former manager Buck Showalter were talking about Moncada, with Kaat saying that everybody who talks about Moncada says he "should be a star, an All-Star," to which Showalter responded that "That's what they look like."
Showalter added that the first time he saw Moncada, a Cuban player, in the dugout, he said, "can we have one of those?" Kaat interjected, "40 acres full of them."
Hey @MLB @MLBTV can we maybe talk about this "Get a 40 acre field full of 'em" comment by the announcer? pic.twitter.com/BWDmkbCFI8
— Dan Ewen Ⓥ (@VaguelyFunnyDan) October 8, 2021
Kaat apologized during the fifth inning of the broadcast.
"I need to read this right now because earlier in the game when Yoan Moncada was at the plate in an attempt to complement the great player that he is, I used a poor choice of words that resulted in an insensitive and hurtful remark and I’m sorry for that."
wow that sounded heartfelt pic.twitter.com/5XEzLhFrGL
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 8, 2021
The comments drew swift condemnation online.
It's more evidence for getting new people in these booths, not people who look and sound the same as everyone else, and aren't adding value to the broadcasts. https://t.co/IDIRfFP73O
— keithlaw (@keithlaw) October 8, 2021
Is this what what looks like? 40 acres of what? Unacceptable! https://t.co/obxnV8fJKN
— Dave “Smoke” Stewart (@Dsmoke34) October 8, 2021
We have a problem. On the @MLBNetwork telecast of the White Sox/Astros Game 2, Jim Kaat, who has never said anything like this on air (or to my knowledge, off) in his life, just wished for a “40 acre field full of” Yoan Moncadas. Video: @VaguelyFunnyDan pic.twitter.com/dYOFp8pJ65
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) October 8, 2021
So Jim Kaat apologizes for strange 40-acre remark...after saying “I need to read this right now.” Heartfelt.
— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) October 8, 2021
