In Brief

Major League Baseball Toronto Blue Jay Player's Homophobic Slur "Tu Ere Maricón" [ You Are A Faggot ] Causes Outrage

Yunel Escobar: Photo By James G (james_in_to) via Flickr

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar took to the diamond Saturday during a game with the Boston Red Sox with "You are a faggot" written in Spanish on his eye black strips. A close-up photo heavily circulated online in social media showed the words “Tu ere maricon” — Spanish for “You’re a faggot” — on the black tape.

The photo generated a flurry of responses on Twitter, mostly critical of Escobar, some urging that he be suspended for the rest of the season, some urging fans to reserve judgment until “context” became available.

One Flickr user who posted the depicted slur (photograph) from Ontario wrote;

“This is something Escobar wore on the field. He knew the possibility that a member of the Red Sox noticed it and commented on it, or even the umpiring crew. This is a bad word. It’s a homophobic slur. It may have made a closeted Blue Jay/Red Sox very upset inside. There are a million insults he could have used that would have been funny, this was not one of them … This was a mistake I hope he learns and he will never make again.”

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos refused requests to comment although a spokesperson for the ballclub confirmed that the team will hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon in New York, before their scheduled game against the Yankees.

Escobar, 29, was slated to play in Sunday’s starting lineup, but was scratched before game-time with team spokesperson saying Escobar had the flu.

Contacted Monday, a spokesperson for Major League Baseball declined to comment.