The Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles last night. That’s good news for me, a life long Red Sox fan. In the starting lineup was LF Jarren Duran, who contributed to the Sox win by going 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored. Duran did strike out once last night and if he is in the lineup for tonight’s game, that means that he did not utter anything derogatory towards any fans in the stands, or perhaps was not heard uttering anything derogatory that could be picked up by what is called a “hot mic.” Duran recently served a Boston Red Sox imposed 2 game unpaid suspension for uttering a homophobic slur in the batter’s box at Fenway Park, which was picked up by the field microphones and then broadcast for all to hear. Duran apologized, the Red Sox apologized, lessons were learned, baseball continued without Duran for a few games and now he is back.

So, where does the hot mic debate fall in your circle? What can be used against a player to suspend or embarrass or potentially litigate a player caught saying something on a hot mic? If a player is coming up to bat and is chatting with his teammate, and utters that he is Pro-Democrat or Pro-Republican, will that be used against him, especially during an election year? ‘Oh Donnie Jones is a Republican, what a jerk!!! We should boo him every time he comes up to bat.’ How about drug use or performance enhancing drug use, what if a player admitted to using on a hot mic, would you want to see and hear about that? Could a player get suspended or maybe his home searched for drugs based on a conversation that happened during a baseball game in the outfield? What about an affair, what if a player shows another player a woman in the stands and describes a recent night out on the town with someone who isn’t his wife? What if that conversation was caught on a hot mic and broadcast. Would you think that was fair? Not that adultery is okay, but the manner by which the information was obtained, is that okay?

And what if a player is just sarcastic and tells tall tales to get attention. And makes up everything to get a rise out of another teammate or coach or team staffer? What is the hot mic picks up a fantasyland conversation and is broadcast and potentially ruins a marriage or relationship? What is the responsibility of the media staff at the games to share the hot mic moments? Who makes the call to say, “well that sounds racist or homophobic or anti-Semitic, so let’s grab that sound bite and send it to corporate or TMZ.” Is there a list or roster of “bad words and phrases” that the players know not to say or utter during games? Is it in the recent collective bargaining agreement not say certain words or phrases at MLB or MILB games, and if you do you will be suspended without pay?

And what about languages other than English? There are currently MLB and MILB players from the USA, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, and tons of other countries. If a Japanese player or pitcher is being heckled at Fenway Park, and the Japanese Pitcher or player shouts something back to the fan in Japanese that is offensive, will it be picked up? Or even recognized? How about a Spanish speaking player? If a Spanish speaking player strikes out for the 3rd time in a game, and a fan yells “you should have used a cricket bat” and he yells a slur in Spanish directed at the fan, will it be picked up and recognized and will the player have to face a suspension? In any language other than English, are there media standards for racial, homophobic, anti-anything slurs that could hurt someone’s feelings in the stands? Has this situation ever happened, a non-English speaking player was suspended for uttering an offensive slur in a non-English dialect? To my knowledge, I’ve never heard or read about such a situation.

Major League Baseball is trying desperately to bring more entertainment and engagement to each and every fan attending an MLB game. Microphones are set up all over the field, in front of home plate, in the stands, in the bleachers, behind the mound, even attached to player’s uniforms for live in game interview situations. Just checking, is swearing still allowed in baseball, because that could potentially be offensive to a younger audience. If a pitcher gives up a 3 run homer in the 8th inning, and his team is now down runs, is that a positive message he is shouting as his manager takes him out of the game or a series of swear words? Would swearing be considered a suspend-able offense, especially the mother of all swear words that includes a swear and the word mother? Pan the camera over to the departing pitcher and you will see an onslaught of swear words being mouthed as he walks towards his dugout. But, no suspension for that?

In the heat of the moment, we are all guilty of saying something we regret. If we are humble and know we did wrong we apologize, hope the other person or persons accepts, and look to learn from our lack of judgement. Jarren Duran was frustrated, he was not having a good day at the plate, a heckler got to him, Duran snapped in that moment, he said something he regretted, and was caught on a hot mic calling the fan a homophobic slur. He lost 2 days pay, apologized in front of teammates and media, and now has to wear that moment in time thanks to social media. The hot mic debate for me starts with what are the standards? What are the rules for every player, not just English speaking but the entire roster of languages spoken by MLB and MILB players. Who sets the bar for decency when it comes to sharing what they heard on a hot mic? Who decides what goes to corporate or social media sites for fodder and what gets tossed as just a misunderstanding? In my opinion, Duran’s situation just opened up a much larger debate than even he or anyone could have imagined when he lost control of his emotions and lashed out at a fan.

What are you thoughts? I’d love to hear your side of this debate and how it plays in your circle.