Radio Show Host Draws Ire for Slamming Lewis' Paternity Leave
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Colby Lewis was the first Major League Baseball player to go on the league's paternity leave list.
The birth of a child is a big event for a family, just not to a local blogger and radio host -- especially if the dad-to-be is a starting professional baseball player.
Richie Whitt, a Dallas Observer blogger and 105.3 The Fan radio host, commented on his blog that Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis should not have missed a game because of the birth of his second child.
Lewis was the first Major League Baseball player to go on the league's paternity leave list.
But Whitt's comment didn't go over too well. He said he's been called a laundry list of names that we can't print because they're bad. Real bad.
But Whitt isn't backing down.
"As a Rangers fan, I really don't care if he's a good parent," he said. "I want my team to win, and my team has a better chance of winning if he's being a good pitcher rather than a good parent."
A few fans say they agree with Whitt. But many who don't are chiming in -- just read the comments section of his blog.
Whitt said it's not even his original opinion, but rather that of his radio co-host, Greg "Greggo" Williams.
"I'm the guy that started it," Williams said. "I preface it by saying, 'This is not going to be a terribly popular stance, but I don't think he should have missed a start.'"
Whitt joked that the controversy probably cost him a chance to have a child of his own.
But he also said he plans to send Lewis a personal note and stressed that the comments were not personal.
The Rangers and Lewis didn't comment.
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