Right before Mike Francesa blasted Daniel Murphy for missing the first two games of the season while on paternity leave, two other New York sports radio hosts were criticizing the New York Mets second baseman for staying with his wife for the birth of their first child.
WFAN morning host Boomer Esiason said Murphy should have forced his wife to have a C-section before the season to help him avoid missing the first few games.
The team has not publicly complained about Murphy missing time, but Esiason's co-host Craig Carton insisted the infielder "get [his] ass back... [to] play baseball."
Yesterday afternoon WFAN host Francesa called paternity leave a "scam" and a "gimmick."
Murphy is allowed one to three days off, according to a provision in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement between owners and the player’s union – much less than the two weeks guaranteed by the federal government.
Esiason, himself a former NFL quarterback, argued Murphy should have told his wife to ‘have a C-section before the season starts’ because he needs "to be at Opening Day."
Carton agreed with the former Jets signal caller, saying "assuming the birth went well, the wife is fine, the baby is fine, 24 hours and then you get your ass back to your team and you play baseball."
"That’s my take on it," Carton continued. "There’s nothing you can do anyway, you’re not breastfeeding the kid."
Esiasion summed up his ranting by saying "[men] don’t have the plumbing to take care of what needs to be taken care of."
Anger over the 29-year-old Murphy's time away kept boiling over into the afternoon.
"One day I understand. And in the old days they didn’t do that. But one day, go see the baby be born and come back," said Francesa later in the day.
"You’re a Major League Baseball player. You can hire a nurse to take care of the baby if your wife needs help," he continued.
The hosts made sure to clarify that were speaking only of situations where there were no medical complications, but the point was already made.
Daniel and Victoria Murphy, married since 2012, welcomed baby Noah into their lives March 31.
The five year veteran was in Florida for the birth while his team opened the season in New York against the Washington Nationals.
Murphy is expected to suit up for Thursday’s game, the third of the season, against the Nationals – he has not publicly commented on the issue.
You 3 are dopes. There are more important things in life than B.B.I bet you wuld have done the same. Beside the way the Mets lost the games he missed it would not have mattered. Same old stinky team. After Watching 2 games I won't be Watching to many more. This team will not Win or change until Wipons Sell.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that you would say something like "get a C-section" This is a great time for both mom and dad, you both should be ashamed of yourself. Boomer I was a Cincy football fan when you were a QB and I'm so upset with what you said. The family is what keeps this country going. Think what you say before you speak!
ReplyDeleteThree knuckleheads, I thought Boomer would have more sense but alas, he has been around the other knucklehead too long...won't be listening to them anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe three biggest a--holes on the air.
ReplyDelete