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David Denson Becomes First Active MLB-Affiliated Player To Come Out Publicly As Gay

By Zachary Links | August 16, 2015 at 12:50pm CDT

History was made recently when David Denson, a minor leaguer in the Brewers system, revealed his orientation to teammates.  Now, after relaying his story to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the first baseman is now the first active player in affiliated professional baseball to publicly reveal he is gay.

Denson had an impromptu coming out party just weeks after joining the Brewers’ rookie affiliate in Montana when a teammate jokingly referred to him using a derogatory term for a gay male.  The teammate didn’t know that the 20-year-old was actually gay, but Denson decided right then to make his announcement, as Haudricourt writes.  Soon, the crowd around Denson built to the point where he was addressing most of the clubhouse.  By the end of his speech, his teammates offered their support.

“Talking with my teammates, they gave me the confidence I needed, coming out to them,” the California native recalled to Haudricourt. “They said, ’You’re still our teammate. You’re still our brother. We kind of had an idea, but your sexuality has nothing to do with your ability. You’re still a ballplayer at the end of the day. We don’t treat you any different. We’ve got your back.’

Brewers president and GM Doug Melvin released the following statement earlier today regarding Denson, writing:

“David is a highly-respected member of the Milwaukee Brewers family, and he is a very courageous young man. Our goal for David is to help develop him into a Major League player, just as it is for any player in our system, and we will continue to support him in every way as he chases that dream.”

Denson, as detailed in Haudricourt’s article, went through bouts of depression before finally opening up to his teammates and members of the Brewers’ minor league affiliate.  After coming out, Denson says that he is greatly relieved and hopes that his story will encourage others in a similar situation to take that same step.

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Milwaukee Brewers David Denson

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172 Comments

  1. extatix

    10 years ago

    Somehow I wish someone saying they’re gay wasn’t newsworthy: just accepted as a fact.

    The comment section on mlb’s article on it (which was enabled at some point) sadly showed me society’s ways off still.

    Reply
  2. joshstuart

    10 years ago

    Tremendous milestone in sport history – nothing but love and respect to David Denson for coming out.

    Reply
  3. yanksfan2010

    10 years ago

    Who cares if a player is gay or straight as long as they help the team when a game.

    Reply
    • start_wearing_purple

      10 years ago

      Amen. The great manager John McGraw once reportedly said he didn’t care what color a man was if they could play baseball. Same thing today, sexual orientation doesn’t matter, just want to guy to play the game.

      Reply
    • Meow Meow

      10 years ago

      Unfortunately, a lot of people care in a negative way, and that caring trickles down to lead to discrimination and harassment at all levels, especially college and high school. Visibility of diversity of all kinds is important if we want sports to actually be welcoming to any player who can help a team. Every young athlete deserves a professional role model they can identify with.

      Reply
      • yanksfan2010

        10 years ago

        I agree 100 percent, people look at this in a negative way and not the positive. Children need a role model and if this young man coming out gives them something to feel better about themselves that’s great. Some don’t realize that I bet several hall of famers who they looked up to were probably gay and could not come out due to backlash. Maybe one day we’ll see this young man make it to the major leagues

        Reply
        • tstokes97

          10 years ago

          This is the most intelligent statement I’ve read all day. Couldn’t have stated that point any better myself.

          Reply
          • Meow Meow

            10 years ago

            Thanks 🙂 This is a pretty important issue to me, so I tend to think about it a lot, and I feel like I should at least try to educate anyone willing to listen.

            Reply
            • Joseph Anderson

              10 years ago

              “Educate” how did you educate? You’re saying the same things everyone else in the media says. Bottom line overall should be everyone should start caring a little more about their own messed up lives before sticking their nose in other peoples lives. People don’t NEED role models, they need parents that are willing to actually teach their own kids rather than rely on the media and schools to do all of that for them. It really is sad that we have to do all this media stuff to bring attention to things that really don’t matter. Unfortunately people like to make up excuses for their actions or thoughts. This will do nothing to change the negative people and might not even do anything for LGBT community overall. There’s good press, there’s shove it down their throats press and then there’s bad press. This is a shove it down their throats kind of story. We get it, it’s 2015 and we want everyone to accept everyone but the bottom line is, that will never happen. Sorry, but it’s true.

              Reply
      • Joseph Anderson

        10 years ago

        Then they need to start focusing more on black AND white people in general in America. White people are the minority and get called out far more than black people because it’s not cool to be white anymore.

        Reply
        • yanksfan2010

          10 years ago

          Joseph, are you serious? First educate yourself about stats before you quote them. Whites make up 77.7 percent of the population and blacks 13 percent. People should be happy to black, white or any other race they may be. All you do is show you judge people by the color of their skin.

          Reply
  4. jim12345

    10 years ago

    Why is MLB Trade Rumors getting involved in the gay agenda?

    Reply
    • jackstigers 2

      10 years ago

      /realizes how amusing the comments on this will be

      Reply
    • iowarockeyes

      10 years ago

      It’s the politically correct thing to do now! Didn’t you know?!

      Reply
      • jim12345

        10 years ago

        I agree. No one forces anyone to go to any website. However, I thought this site just talked trades and contracts and nothing else. I guess I was wrong. Another site that has caved to PC nonsense. We can’t escape the agenda even on a trade rumor website.

        Reply
        • fanthopolous

          10 years ago

          technically almost all the stuff on this website isn’t a rumor. Trades, Injuries, DFA’s, Signings aren’t rumors, they are finished transactions. This is big news in MLB history, and if you don’t like it maybe you should’ve just bypassed this thread…

          Reply
          • Joseph Anderson

            10 years ago

            Actually, a lot of the stuff on here IS rumors. You might only read stories after the transactions are complete but currently they’re talking a lot about Utley….. Has a deal been made yet? So is it a rumor or a finished transaction? Herp derrrrrrrrp

            Reply
        • Tim Dierkes

          10 years ago

          Not sure about your “agenda” hang-ups, but we’ve always stepped outside of trade rumors to mention major baseball news on the site. It’s been about a decade now.

          Reply
    • woodhead1986

      10 years ago

      because its big news all across not only baseball but general media. He could be the first openly gay MLB player, sorry thats a problem for you.

      Reply
      • raef715

        10 years ago

        he’s hitting .195 in A ball and was a 15th round pick- he came out to his teammates- that was all thats required here.

        Reply
    • klnjjkjknh2

      10 years ago

      It has nothing to do with trade rumors. Not sure why it is here.

      Reply
      • jackstigers 2

        10 years ago

        MLBTR has long been a site that posts all news. The site surpassed its name a long time ago.

        Reply
      • woodhead1986

        10 years ago

        neither do articles referring to draft results, manager hiring/firings or prospect call ups. its a site about baseball, its much broader than just trades now.

        Reply
    • mrnatewalter

      10 years ago

      It’s a story about a baseball player.

      If you don’t like it, go find another site to peruse.

      Reply
      • jim12345

        10 years ago

        Where? Every baseball site is talking about this gay player. If you have a suggestion on a site that I can go to that avoids it, I’m listening.

        Reply
        • woodhead1986

          10 years ago

          If every site is reporting this very relevant news, and you are all moody about it, maybe YOU are the one who is the problem?

          Reply
          • jim12345

            10 years ago

            It’s not relevant on this site. I came here to see if Chase Utley was traded yet and saw this. We, the majority, are sick of hearing about this gay crap agenda. I refuse to go to the majority of websites that are out there because of it. One of the few baseball websites that I respect has now joined in on this. I’m out. It’s now another site with an agenda other than reporting just sports.

            Reply
            • wahoomaniac

              10 years ago

              Jim12345, I will let you in on a little secret: Most Americans now favor gay marriage. But that’s something else your favorite news sites probably haven’t informed you about.

              Reply
              • rbomb2844 2

                10 years ago

                Sorry, most Americans do not favor gay marriage. In fact, when put to a popular vote in each state it has overwhelmingly been defeated (even in California). It has mostly passed through legislation and the courts, not because of popular vote.

                Reply
                • wahoomaniac

                  10 years ago

                  California? That vote was in 2008. The latest from Pew: Based on polling in 2015, a majority of Americans (55%) support same-sex marriage, compared with 39% who oppose it.

                  pewforum.org/2015/07/29/graphics-slideshow-changin…

                  Reply
              • Joseph Anderson

                10 years ago

                If most American are in favor than it shouldn’t be big news really. MLBTR should start reporting if someone starts dating a blonde, brunette, asian, Latina(o), canadian, tall, short, chubby, skinny lady/gentleman. I can see why this makes news, I’m upset that this IS news. It’s stupid to me that it has to be big news. Who cares who you want to date/marry? This country is full of double standards though so it’s really no shock. You can fly an ISIS flag but not an American flag because a muslim in America is offended by the flag of the country they live in….. We also like to blame dentists for killing a lion but blame guns for murders in the US. Our minds are ran by the media whether we want to believe it or not. Just sheep 🙂

                Reply
                • wahoomaniac

                  10 years ago

                  Who says you can’t fly an American flag? Or are you one of those people who longs for the day when you could fly a Confederate flag proudly?

                  Reply
                  • rbomb2844 2

                    10 years ago

                    Again, who cares if someone wants to fly a Confederate flag? Since when does your feelings trump someone else’s rights? So much for the tolerance.

                    I am not a bigot and I do not believe in hating someone just because of his or her skin color but if someone wants to believe that they have every right to so long as they do not act upon that belief in a way that violates the individual’s freedom or sovereignty.

                    Reply
            • mrnatewalter

              10 years ago

              They wrote one article. Exactly one. And they made no comment supporting or dissenting with Denson’s coming out. They simply said it happened. Not sure what your angle is.

              Reply
            • jacobyrush25

              10 years ago

              It might be the majority in the close-minded conservative wasteland that you apparently thrive in, but I think if you took a broader view of our society you would realize that it certainly is not the majority anymore

              Reply
              • thecoffinnail

                10 years ago

                Hey now!! Don’t lump all of us Republicans in with this homophobic fool!!

                Reply
            • A'sfaninUK

              10 years ago

              You’re not relevant on this site!

              Reply
            • robb 2

              10 years ago

              Speak for yourself for you are so obviously not the majority. If it is Utley stories you want then read those, comment on those and just refrain from stories in baseball such as this. It is a baseball news story on a site that covers all things pertaining to the game. If it offends your delicate moral sensibilities then perhaps sports is not a past time you should have.

              Reply
            • yourfacedude

              10 years ago

              The Gay Agenda 8/16/2015: 1) grocery shopping (check), 2) be fabulous (check), 3) make Jim12345 uncomfortable (check).

              Reply
            • azbacksfan

              10 years ago

              I love it when straight people stop going on a website because of one article. Good riddance!

              Reply
          • raef715

            10 years ago

            how is it relevant that a guy in A ball who none of us has heard of, and will likely never have heard of based on his baseball abilities, is gay? im sure other minor leaguers have come out to teammates before, just not announced it to the world because they realized almost nobody around the country knew who he was, so there was no reason to tell them.

            Reply
        • mrnatewalter

          10 years ago

          You know you can simply ignore articles of this nature if you don’t agree with them, right?

          MLBTR isn’t going to devote their entire site to this story, so there will be many, many others you can read all the while skipping past this one.

          Reply
          • jim12345

            10 years ago

            No. They reported on a lifestyle I disagree with vehemently. I’m out.

            Reply
            • woodhead1986

              10 years ago

              lol bye dude. Have fun being in the “majority”

              Reply
            • jackstigers 2

              10 years ago

              And?

              Reply
            • jacobyrush25

              10 years ago

              In that case we’re better off without you. See yah man.

              Reply
            • A'sfaninUK

              10 years ago

              Leave America while you’re at it: if you want to take away other people’s freedoms because you “disagree” with them then you aren’t a true American.

              Reply
              • thecoffinnail

                10 years ago

                Well said man.. I usually disagree with your posts but you sir wrote poetically there..

                Reply
              • rbomb2844 2

                10 years ago

                I thought we had the freedom of expression? Sorry, this means the freedom to express opinions that you sometimes disagree with. I shouldn’t have to “leave the country” to exercise my Constitutional rights.

                Reply
                • wahoomaniac

                  10 years ago

                  rbomb, freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to avoid the repercussions of your speech. If you don’t want to be castigated for your speech, then perhaps you shouldn’t espouse intolerance and untruths (like your saying above that most people oppose gay marriage).

                  Reply
                  • rbomb2844 2

                    10 years ago

                    I understand that there are repercussions for certain speech that is espoused. However, there is also a difference between repercussions and forcing someone to abandon their First Amendment right. Who is the intolerant one then? Just because you don’t like to hear something (such as, “I oppose gay marriage”) doesn’t give you the right to tell me, I don’t like that….”leave America” (not my words). Again, who is the one being intolerant?

                    Reply
            • bruinsfan94 2

              10 years ago

              Then leave the country buddy, boats and planes are leaving everyday!

              Reply
            • yanksfan2010

              10 years ago

              Jim, Congrats on coming out

              Reply
            • Cias

              10 years ago

              People like you are the what’s wrong with the world we live in.

              Reply
        • rct

          10 years ago

          If it bothers you so much, you could go outside and mow the lawn or something and take a day off from reading about baseball.

          Reply
    • Meow Meow

      10 years ago

      Oh my god, do people still unironically say “gay agenda”

      Reply
      • bruinsfan94 2

        10 years ago

        OF COURSE! Thats clearly part of the Gay Agenda…

        Reply
    • thecoffinnail

      10 years ago

      Because backwards knuckle dragging neanderthals like you make young athletes think they have to fit a certain mold.. We are all people.. Regardless, of the minor things that make us different.. Unfortunately, you are entitled to your opinion and I hope that some day you don’t see it as a “gay agenda”.. He is just a normal person like the rest of us but what makes him special is that he has the courage to announce to the world something that even 20 years ago would have probably ruined the career path he has chosen for himself.. I am glad to see that his teammates have embraced him and don’t think any differently about him.. It shows that as a society we have taken several steps forward.. I am glad to know that people like you are now in the minority and hopefully soon your way of thinking will go the way of the dinosaur..

      Reply
      • rbomb2844 2

        10 years ago

        Really? What’s courageous today is standing against the PC police and expressing one’s religious beliefs. That is true courage in today’s society. Just ask Daniel Murphy, Jeremy Hefner, or the vast majority of other professional baseball players in the game today.

        Reply
  5. duderawk

    10 years ago

    This post makes no sense, there is nothing about a trade or contract extension in it. If this site is going to be about social agendas, I think I will need to find another site.

    Reply
  6. iowarockeyes

    10 years ago

    I have no issues with a player being gay. But it has nothing to do with baseball just because he is a baseball player. Why does it need to be made into a big spectacle? The media blows these things up way too big. Will it cause an unnecessary distraction? Probably not. But we will hear about this just as much as we had to hear about Michael Sam (which was no fault of his own). Media will blow this thing way more then it needs to be.

    Reply
    • Ray Ray

      10 years ago

      I am assuming there was no pun intended with that last sentence.

      Reply
      • iowarockeyes

        10 years ago

        I had to throw a joke in there 🙂

        Reply
    • woodhead1986

      10 years ago

      because it represents progress in our society that even in jock culture, we can have openly gay people accepted and embraced as members of the team. If athlete culture is becoming more open to gays, that’s newsworthy. Not to mention it gives encouragement to young aspiring athletes that they don’t have to hide who they are to be part of athletics, and they can be who they are.

      Reply
      • Ray Ray

        10 years ago

        How exactly is the “jock culture” becoming more accepting of gays when it was mentioned in the story that he was called a derogatory term for a gay man? I’m not a big fan of the concept of homosexuality in general (none of my business really), but that doesn’t seem very accepting to me.

        Reply
      • duderawk

        10 years ago

        But you agree it isn’t a trade rumor, or a contract extension correct?

        Reply
      • iowarockeyes

        10 years ago

        I’m all for progress. The media can’t have it both ways. They can’t say we should treat everyone equal no matter their sexual orientation but put every gay athlete on a pedestal.

        Reply
      • tstokes97

        10 years ago

        Bingo, it’s important because of the message it sends to young people that they can play pro sports and still be who they are.

        Reply
      • thecoffinnail

        10 years ago

        jock culture? Lol nice one..

        Reply
    • A'sfaninUK

      10 years ago

      *Dodgers sign Jackie Robinson*

      iowarockeyes: I have no issues with a player being black. But it has nothing to do with baseball just because he is a baseball player. Why does it need to be made into a big spectacle? The media blows these things up way too big. Will it cause an unnecessary distraction? Probably not.

      Yeah, you’re dead wrong, on pretty much everything.

      Reply
      • Ray Ray

        10 years ago

        Big difference there. Race cannot be changed, orientation can be. Not to mention the fact that someone can be gay and have no one know about it, but everyone knows if you are black. Just a bad comparison.

        Reply
        • treday

          10 years ago

          “Race cannot be changed, orientation can be.”

          I think a lot of my gay/lesbian friends would object to that statement, and I’d have to say it seems pretty disingenuous to me. As a straight man, I really don’t think I have the ability to change my sexual preferences to men on a whim. I’m attracted to women and I can’t help it, and most people in the LGBT community would argue much the same.

          Reply
        • Meow Meow

          10 years ago

          “Race cannot be changed, orientation can be.” No.

          Just.

          No.

          Reply
          • Ray Ray

            10 years ago

            Sure it can. Just ask Anne Heche. I’m not saying EVERYONE can change, but it is a choice for some. Race is not a choice for anyone.

            Reply
            • Meow Meow

              10 years ago

              Some people have a difficult time understanding their sexuality, because our society is so WEIRD about it. Some people’s feelings fluxuate (if you’ve ever had feelings, surely you know they’re Very Complicated), but who you’re attracted to and who you love are not things you get to choose.

              Reply
              • rbomb2844 2

                10 years ago

                I’m sorry but this is simply not true. Love is not a constant. It fluctuates akin to other emotions. Also, I used to be attracted to certain people that, now, looking back, I have said, “what did I ever see in that person?” Love and affection change as the variables do. One of those variables is environment, a key to the nature of homosexuality according to many experts.

                Reply
            • wahoomaniac

              10 years ago

              As far as Anne Heche: Sexuality is not always a binary thing, like straight or gay. There are probably tens of millions of bisexual people on the planet, and someone moving between the sexes as far as who they’re “with” likely has attractions to both sexes, which experts say can become stronger to one or the other over time but aren’t etched in stone.

              Reply
            • Sang-Min Jin

              10 years ago

              So, Ray Ray, when did you choose to be straight?

              Reply
        • jacobyrush25

          10 years ago

          “Race cannot be changed, orientation can be”

          What? I’m sorry, Pardon? Are you fucking joking me?

          Do you seriously believe that?

          Reply
        • jacobyrush25

          10 years ago

          “Race cannot be changed, orientation can be”

          What? I’m sorry, Pardon? Are you frigging joking me?

          Do you honestly believe that someone’s sexual orientation can be changed? Because if you do you are horribly mistaken.

          Reply
        • Brixton

          10 years ago

          Some are born with feelings for women. Some are born with feelings for men.
          Orientation can’t be changed..

          Reply
        • wahoomaniac

          10 years ago

          The vast, vast majority of people who have studied this issue disagree with you on changing people’s orientation. The ones who do agree with you tend to be cranks and quacks who are trying to make a buck off anguished parents and other confused people.

          Reply
          • Ray Ray

            10 years ago

            So the people that disagree with you are “cranks and quacks?” Very open-minded of you.

            Reply
            • wahoomaniac

              10 years ago

              Ray Ray, can you tell us about the moment that you decided to be straight, instead of gay?

              Reply
        • NoAZPhilsPhan 2

          10 years ago

          I suggest you update your scientific readings with particular emphasis on the research done since the conclusion of the Human Genome Project in 2004. Start with the research papers dealing specifically with Xq28 or 7q26 or 10q26 and go from there. There is not a respected geneticist in the world that believes it is purely a choice.

          Reply
        • tstokes97

          10 years ago

          You can’t change orientation you ignorant fool, what the f*** is wrong with you?!

          Reply
          • Ray Ray

            10 years ago

            My opinion differs from yours. There is nothing wrong with me.

            Reply
          • rbomb2844 2

            10 years ago

            You can “change” orientation. There are thousands and thousands of people who were once gay and now they are straight. Look it up. What’s more, there are people who have been married to someone of the opposite sex only to “realize” that they are now gay. Additionally, I personally know people who are bisexual and attracted to both sexes. Sometimes they like guys, sometimes they like girls. It’s called experimentation and satisfying sexual urges, which is, by the way, a choice!

            Reply
            • wahoomaniac

              10 years ago

              Sorry, “look it up” does not cut it on the Internet. It’s not appropriate to make other people do YOUR homework for you. Cite. If you can’t cite, then your point of view likely has much less validity than you think it does.

              Aside from that, “gay conversion therapy” has been rejected by the courts (yes, the same courts that forced gay marriage down your throat, so to speak, so I’m sure you reject it), but it has destroyed more people than it has “saved,” I guarantee it.

              Reply
        • Ray Ray

          10 years ago

          You gotta love the open-mindedness of people that want everyone to be included and at the same time completely excluding the viewpoint of everyone that disagrees with them.

          Reply
          • tstokes97

            10 years ago

            I’m all for being open-minded about most opinions, but your opinion contradicts facts. Orientation like race cannot be changed, that’s a fact that has been proven. I’m willing to listen to opinions but not when they contradict facts.

            Reply
          • Meow Meow

            10 years ago

            Your viewpoint is that people like me don’t deserve the same respect as anyone else, so, yeah, we’re gonna disagree with that.

            Reply
      • iowarockeyes

        10 years ago

        You are definitely entitled to your opinion. are you wrong to have that opinion? Nope. Very narrow minded to call someone’s opinion wrong.

        The fact that this kid was already on a team makes it irrelevant to baseball. If they want to be treated equal (which they should) this is a non story. Play the game of baseball your orientation has no affect towards the game.

        Can’t wait for the first bi-sexual player to come out and say they are. The media will eat it up!

        Reply
      • iowarockeyes

        10 years ago

        Good job putting words in my mouth. That was a different era where black people weren’t allowed in that league up until that time. Are you saying we shouldn’t allow gay people to play baseball? Because your example insinuates that. If the media wants everyone to treat homosexuas the same, they shouldn’t treat them any different. Plain and simple.

        Reply
      • iowarockeyes

        10 years ago

        Apparently I can’t comment without it being deleted. I promise it isn’t anything but related to a healthy debate. So I will just say you are entitled to your opinion just as much as I am but just because you don’t agree with me, it makes me wrong. Different opinions is all my friend.

        Reply
        • Brixton

          10 years ago

          Assuming your post is related to the orientation thing.

          It isn’t an opinion is science as proven you are born with whatever orientation that you have. If you believe you can change your orientation, you ARE wrong.
          If your post isn’t related to the orientation thing, well ignore me then lol.

          Reply
          • iowarockeyes

            10 years ago

            Lol it definitely was not. I am personally all for people coming out living their lives the way they wanted to. I guess my main point was that the media and society wants us to treat them no different (which I complertely agree with) yet the media blows up when something like this happens. They can’t push both agendas on people.

            Reply
            • thecoffinnail

              10 years ago

              You make a valid point there Iowa..

              Reply
            • wahoomaniac

              10 years ago

              So what you’re saying is that Jackie Robinson was NOT a big deal then, Iowa?

              Reply
              • iowarockeyes

                10 years ago

                Give me a break. If you want to put words in people’s mouths do it somewhere else. I said nothing about race and race has nothing to do with this subject. If you want to troll go somewhere else. If you have a comment about the exact words I said, by all means do so.

                Reply
    • rbomb2844 2

      10 years ago

      Agreed. Everyone has the right to live the lifestyle they wish to live just as everyone has the right to disagree with it. How is it that someone like Daniel Murphy is told to stick to baseball talk only but someone like David Denson is celebrated, yes, I said celebrated, for “coming out?”

      Reply
  7. wahoomaniac

    10 years ago

    People who say “why is this news?” or “See how little I care” are not fooling anyone. You are emotionally invested enough to be commenting about something you “don’t care about,” and everyone can see the irony.

    Reply
    • Allismileo

      10 years ago

      I have no interest in reading about ball players personal lives. Good for him for being gay and out, but why do people care about this? I’m not asking thus rhetorically…

      Reply
      • wahoomaniac

        10 years ago

        Oh, I don’t know, things like justice, fairness, equity. If you don’t understand why it’s of interest that people who have historically been marginalized are now being given opportunities they might not have received before, then you probably aren’t really that interested in the answers you’re going to get here.

        Reply
        • Allismileo

          10 years ago

          So he was being treated unfairly or not as an equal? Nice attitude. It’s that kind of condescending attitude in your response that doesn’t help the cause for actual equality and respect.

          Reply
          • wahoomaniac

            10 years ago

            Please don’t accuse me of things that aren’t in my words, please. Nowhere did I say he was being treated unfairly, but there’s been a reason why out gay players have not broken through in the major sports, and it’s because of fans’ and executives’ regressive backwards attitudes.

            Reply
            • Ray Ray

              10 years ago

              Why are you blaming fans and executives? The article specifically says that it was a player that “jokingly” called him a derogatory name, not a fan.

              Reply
              • wahoomaniac

                10 years ago

                Sorry I forgot “players.” Maybe you’ve forgotten the stories about Tommy Lasorda and Billy Martin giving outfielder Glenn Burke a hard time when he was closeted and playing for the Dodgers and A’s.

                Reply
                • erasingus

                  10 years ago

                  Glenn Burke’s homosexuality eventually lead to his premature death caused by the AIDS virus.

                  Reply
            • iowarockeyes

              10 years ago

              its funny that you said this hours before you accused me of something I clearly didn’t say. Good job!

              Reply
      • Meow Meow

        10 years ago

        Visibility is an important step on the path to social acceptance. If we only talked about acceptance of diversity while everything was dominated by straight white men (which many things still are), it doesn’t have nearly as much of an effect. LGBT bullying is very much still a reality, especially in schools and ESPECIALLY within sports. If nobody in sports ever came out, there’d be no role model for gay athletes in high schools, and no normalizing agent for everyone else to look to and say “huh, I guess this is just pretty normal and okay.”

        Reply
      • tstokes97

        10 years ago

        Some of us care because we have a vested interest in gay people being more accepted into all aspects of society.

        Reply
  8. gwell55

    10 years ago

    All this come out BS is getting to be bullcrap … no one cares if he is have sex with his boyfriend or girlfriend just like like every other player the only time it matters if he is letting sex get in the way of playing for the team.

    This “make a play for TV” is getting old. What does matter is when someone goes into public and starts whining that they are gay or straight and demand you know all about their lifestyle and who they are having sex with…. I like 99% of the public don’t care and also I just like most others don’t go out trying to tell a bunch of strangers how I had sex with my wife or where or when … so the idiotic morons who are going out declaring their sex life as such just need to shut up and go about their life and leave the world out of it. Life goes on that way.

    Reply
  9. Meow Meow

    10 years ago

    Proud of him for having the courage to come out. Hopefully this can inspire others to do the same and help lead to greater acceptance of LGBT athletes at all levels in all sports.

    Reply
  10. A'sfaninUK

    10 years ago

    The best thing all the people who feel the need to make a non-positive or 100% supportive comment on this, all the people who say dumb things like “why does this have to be a big deal?”, those who TRULY want it to “not be a story”…is to say absolutely nothing about it.

    Reply
    • davidalanu .

      10 years ago

      Just to be sure, you’re saying that unless people completely 100 pct agree with you they should shut up, right? Tolerant, indeed.

      Reply
      • wahoomaniac

        10 years ago

        If you want to speak out against other human beings being treated fairly, then yes, you probably should shut up.

        Reply
        • davidalanu .

          10 years ago

          I’m all for him being treated fairly, I just don’t think it’s a story. And some folks idea of “tolerance” is laughable.

          Reply
          • wahoomaniac

            10 years ago

            No one finds every story of interest. Your complaint about what is newsworthy and compelling and interesting has been registered. It was compelling and interesting enough for you to comment on, at any rate.

            Reply
  11. jacobyrush25

    10 years ago

    Good for him. Hopefully this can inspire people in athletics to really be themselves and soon enough this won’t have to be a story, as it will be a normality.

    Reply
  12. bobbleheadguru

    10 years ago

    Sad that he came out after being called a derogatory name. For those that feel that an agenda is being forced on them, perhaps you can consider the context. No derogatory name and he does not need to come out.

    Reply
    • Meow Meow

      10 years ago

      Pretty much exactly this. This will stop being a story when casual homophobia stops being normalized, excused, and accepted.

      Reply
  13. baseballfan 3

    10 years ago

    I skipped straight to the comment section for some lulz. I was not disappointed.

    Reply
  14. mookiessnarl

    10 years ago

    Wow, that’s weird. Everyone outraged about how this has nothing to do with a trade rumor didn’t seem upset at all when this site reported John Farrell’s cancer. That didn’t have anything to do with a trade rumor either. It’s almost as if they’re using that as an excuse and really are complaining about something totally different. For the life of me I can’t figure out what that might be though. Give me a minute I’m sure it will come to me…

    Reply
    • Meow Meow

      10 years ago

      I was just thinking about this too. Thanks for bringing it up!

      Reply
      • NoAZPhilsPhan 2

        10 years ago

        before I made it to the bottom (newest posts) I thought the same thing. I even went to the JF article to see if the “complainers” had complained that it wasn’t a baseball article…not a peep.

        Reply
    • Brixton

      10 years ago

      While I agree with you, Farrells’ cancer does effect who manages the Red Sox, which is an MLB-related thing that this site covers

      Reply
      • raef715

        10 years ago

        not to mention, people actually know who John Farrell is- if the manager of the lansing lugnuts was diagnosed with cancer, chances are its not appearing on this site.

        Reply
    • davidalanu .

      10 years ago

      There were plenty of examples you could’ve used. that one was…not good.

      Reply
    • rbomb2844 2

      10 years ago

      It’s more of an issue of hypocrisy. You’re called all sorts of names if you disagree with the lifestyle and it being celebrated by the media. By the way, where was your support for Daniel Murphy’s courage to come out and disagree with Billy Bean’s homosexual lifestyle because he is a Christian? Last time I checked, Murphy has that right and has the right to disagree with something because of his spiritual beliefs but there was no support from people like you for his courage and him being told to stick to baseball talk by the Mets organization.

      Reply
  15. zxcx

    10 years ago

    Some of the comments here are just a firm reminder of the bigotry that still exists surrounding the sport, that’s part of why it’s a big deal. He plays the sport we all love and should be able to be comfortable with who he is while doing it. He should be judged by how good of a player he is, not who he is. This isn’t some guy pushing an agenda, or a fallacy of choice. It’s being real with himself and his teammates. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Reply
  16. Brixton

    10 years ago

    The only thing more ridiculous than people having an issue with people being gay, is (most) of the reasons that they for having an issue with it.
    Can someone give me a logical, reasonable reason for having a problem with this?

    Reply
    • bruinsfan94 2

      10 years ago

      Because Jesus

      Reply
      • Brixton

        10 years ago

        You mean because a book written thousands of years ago that may or may not be true (thats a different discussion for a different time) tells you its wrong?
        Bible also says to treat others how you want to be treated.. so..

        Reply
        • bruinsfan94 2

          10 years ago

          I was joking. There is no logical argument to be made here.

          Reply
          • tstokes97

            10 years ago

            You had me worried, the Bible argument never made much sense to me, the only book that has a clear statement against gays(all the others have several possible) also says do not eat ham, and what is Christmas dinner traditionally? Ham which is why the Bible argument seems off to me because it’s based on a book that for the most part is full of rules that are ignored frequently.

            Reply
            • Dock_Elvis

              10 years ago

              It’s also mentioned in Romans in the New Testament. God essentially has an issue with sin, and sexual immorality… That’s the biblical take and Christian perspective on the matter

              Reply
            • Dock_Elvis

              10 years ago

              The ban on ham was part of the Law…Christians have been delivered from The Law and are free to eat. There are two separate systems dealt with within the Biblical canon…the Old Testament Hebraic and the new covenant established at Jesus resurrection and ascension… this brought the gentiles into the equation.

              Reply
              • tstokes97

                10 years ago

                Thanks for explaining that, Hasn’t changed my opinion on the issue but at least I know why that ham and dietary rule stuff isn’t followed.

                Reply
                • Dock_Elvis

                  10 years ago

                  Also homosexuality is discussed directly in Romans. It’s linked to sexual immorality. The God of the Bible basically has an issue with sin. That’s just the take on it from that perspective. If someone doesn’t wish to believe the Bible.. That’s their free will…but anyone that says the Bible doesn’t have an issue with it is wrong…its there.

                  Reply
                • Dock_Elvis

                  10 years ago

                  The system really doesn’t want me to give a biblical take on the subject. That’s an entirely different conversation. Biblically, someone would need to explain God’s take on sin before it could be broken down to this. I’m just trying to enlighten.

                  Reply
                  • tstokes97

                    10 years ago

                    I’m not trying to argue, my last post was really just me trying to thank you for what you told me about the dietary rules. I know everyone has a take on the subject, I don’t want to argue it, I know everyone has their beliefs but I’m happy with mine and where I stand in then and that’s all that should matter. Everyone has their beliefs and if they are happy with them that’s all that matters.

                    Reply
                    • Dock_Elvis

                      10 years ago

                      Sure, I realized you weren’t arguing…I just wanted to clarify that my explanation is only based on biblical concept. But to get to this issue through that takes a few steps. I’m a born again Christian, and I’ll never deny that. I’m highly involved in my church as well as being a church trustee. My feelings on the subject can only be addressed from my viewpoint of scripture…but beyond that I also have to account for how I treat others and respond. I’m a regular around here and have been for 8 years. I have a long history with baseball.

                      Reply
                      • raef715

                        10 years ago

                        well said- and you can be against homosexuality, and also be against attacking/mistreating people who are homosexual. in this case im just bothered by the celebration of it, and the attacking of anyone who doesnt line up with the gay agenda.

                        Reply
            • Dock_Elvis

              10 years ago

              Also, Romans has a clear statement on homosexuality in the NT. I’m just stating this as information. God, biblically, has an issue with sin…sexual immorality is part of that equation.

              Reply
            • raef715

              10 years ago

              look, if you are going to try to use Biblical arguments to argue against what the Bible says, at least have some idea what you are saying, the difference between the old testament and new testament, statements about food that reflected the culture of the time, vs a statement about sin and God’s plan for sexuality. it’s at best intellectually dishonest, and at worst stupid, to compare a biblical passage about food, to one about homosexuality.

              Reply
              • Dock_Elvis

                10 years ago

                I really don’t understand what you are saying. I was just following up on two different raised questions. 1. The old testament Jewish law banning non kosher food, and 2). The multiple references to homosexuality in the Bible. It’s two separate items in a conversation… It’s not comparing food to this….read through the conversation. I actually had difficulty with the moderation last night and a few of my posts cleared after other ones had posted…thus it looks jarring. I was only trying to supply info.

                Reply
              • Dock_Elvis

                10 years ago

                This comment system has me confused, raef715…I reread your post above and realized you might have been replying to the other commenter….this system needs better subheading strings… It’s incredibly hard to follow

                Reply
    • erasingus

      10 years ago

      Who has a problem with it, exactly?

      The majority of the comments you will look upon as “negative” are people who are merely expressing an opinion that they do not care about this young person’s sexuality. It’s not newsworthy. This is 2015, nobody cares if you are gay anymore as long as you can produce be it in the baseball world or whatever profession path you have taken in live.

      He is a poor ball player and the only reason anyone will know his name is because of his his intimate proclivities are.

      Reply
  17. go_jays_go

    10 years ago

    It wasn’t Glenn Burke?

    Reply
  18. ratty1

    10 years ago

    Who cares what this kid likes to do with his pecker.

    Reply
  19. ratty1

    10 years ago

    All I care about is his batting average…really

    Reply
    • raef715

      10 years ago

      its .195, by the way.

      Reply
  20. ratty1

    10 years ago

    I really don’t care about his sex preferences

    Reply
  21. erasingus

    10 years ago

    I guess his sub .150 batting average wasn’t getting him positive press, the career in baseball wasn’t going too well so now it’s time to look to his future as a professional male who has intimate feelings for other males.

    For real, if we want this “stigma” to go away people need to stop selling their stories in books and to the media.

    Big deal, you’re a guy who likes guys now to hit the damned ball.

    Reply
  22. Dock_Elvis

    10 years ago

    My only real comment on this post is more about MLBTR commenting protocol. Many of us have been regulars for years, and during this time we’ve tried to obey the commenting policy that does not allow for personal commenting on players or other commenters. After reading through this comment section I’m disheartened. After a summer that we’ve been loyal during this commenting service switch…which has been difficulty… We’ve been reduced to virtually 100 comments that do little more than attack each other. That’s not productive, informative, and its certainly not in compliance with the stated policies I believe most have tried to adhere to. The reaction to this post should have been seen in advance. I’m reading through here and seeing people that have had excellent conversations in the past reduced to spite. It’s a disgrace. The line between basic humanity and civil conversation should not be drawn here regardless of feelings

    Reply
    • mrnatewalter

      10 years ago

      I whole-heartedly agree. I don’t know if this new system has made it more difficult to moderate these boards, but I’ve been thoroughly disappointed on a multitude of different articles and the comment section, so much so that I have not visited the site as much. I really wish there was a “flag” or “report” button.

      Reply
      • tstokes97

        10 years ago

        Also problematic is that you can’t edit comments after a period of time which makes it hard for someone to later retract something they didn’t think through.

        Reply
        • mrnatewalter

          10 years ago

          Or better yet, delete comments. There have been times where I post something in jest and I realized that it sounded really mean or was inappropriate, and I deleted it.

          It might serve some people a great opportunity to go back and be able to delete a comment.

          Reply
      • Dock_Elvis

        10 years ago

        I know Tim had relaxed the moderation, but some issues with tourist trolls during the trade deadline made him tighten it again I believe…because I’m back to having many comments sent there before they get posted here.

        The real telling sign is that if you type any word associated with this subject..it automatically gets sent to moderation. Why? Because it’s potentially triggering the comment policy criteria.

        I have no idea how moderating is accomplished..but its best if it’s done fairly and applied within context of a story. Moderating should take into consideration the subject matter, as well as it’s context….and it should never be a matter of personal preference or opinion.

        All that I’m 100% certain of is that this site is quite a bit more difficult to use and a lot less fun.

        Reply
        • Tim Dierkes

          10 years ago

          We relaxed moderation big-time at the same time the new system rolled out. For the trade deadline we were essentially doing no moderation because we were too busy. Anything going to Pending is an automated technical error I still have to sort out.

          My goal now is to just remove really extreme stuff. I think it has worked out fine. The volume of moderation-related complaints I’m getting is way down.

          Reply
          • Dock_Elvis

            10 years ago

            I’ve never been able to figure the moderation out…I make extreme attempts to make sure I’m not violating commenting policy…and I’ll be shocked at how often I get sent for moderation. But a comment section like this will drive a moderator crazy…even having a civil conversation will use words that might trip the censor.

            Reply
            • Tim Dierkes

              10 years ago

              It’s just an automated word filter, probably malfunctioning and/or catching too much stuff. Just start sending in the text of anything that goes into Pending and I’ll determine how to fix it.

              Reply
              • Dock_Elvis

                10 years ago

                I figured as much. I’ve wondered if using a colorful adjective has set it off in the past…it seems to like basic comment statements. But this post…I really had no way to answer a question without violating something. The filter probably doesn’t care for biblical reference no matter what the context, or referring to a players orientation by word term no matter what.

                Reply
      • Dock_Elvis

        10 years ago

        Well, what I’ve learned about the comment section recently is that I know who I can engage in conversation and who I can’t. Some people seem to live to make pithy remarks. I’ve worked as a social worker with teens on the autism spectrum…and I’ll be honest and say it’s made me guage my response to who might potentially be commenting on the site from time to time…because more than a few comments have set off my alarms that the comment might actually be from a baseball obsessed Aspergers individual that struggles with recognizing and giving appropriate human response.

        Reply
    • iowarockeyes

      10 years ago

      I think another real problem is that there are certain people are all for the right to state your opinion until you disagree with them. I feel like that is when the attacks started and it went downhill from there. People get defensive when their personal opinion is attacked. At the end of the day it sounds like a lot of people (including myself) posted things they shouldn’t. It is rather shocking that this thread wasn’t a little more closely moderated given the subject of this situation is a very sensitive subject that usually causes a heated debate, much like we see above. A healthy debate is never a bad thing, as long as people don’t attack you for not agreeing with you.

      Reply
  23. rbomb2844 2

    10 years ago

    Everyone is jumping all over anyone who opposes such a lifestyle and this story being news (even going as far as name calling, i.e., “Neanderthals”) but it is okay to silence someone like the Mets’ Daniel Murphy for expressing his views. How come that wasn’t a story on MLBTradeRumors? Why didn’t anyone support Murphy for his freedom of expression and religion? Hypocrites much?

    Reply
  24. azbacksfan

    10 years ago

    Teammates: *calls Denson a slur that is demeaning to LGBT+ people*
    Denson: *actually comes out as gay*
    Teammates: “Oh we won’t treat you any differently, we’ve got your back!”

    Makes me pretty sad the people that kids are supposed to look up to are still using language like that nowadays.

    Reply
  25. Stoibs

    10 years ago

    This is MLB”TRADE”RUMORS!

    Reply
  26. Cias

    10 years ago

    Nothing but respect for this dude. No one should be ashamed to live in their own skin.

    Reply
  27. david53916

    10 years ago

    Hopefully, what comes out of all of this is that David Denson either succeeds or fails on his merits, and ONLY his merits, and nothing else. I don’t want to see the kid made into a “hero” for his lifestyle, whether it’s a chosen one, or one from birth. I also do NOT want to see him scorned for what he does in his private life.

    To date, he has proven he is a fringe minor-league prospect who so far has struggled, but he is also still very young, and was only drafted two seasons ago. He may or may not develop into a Major League ballplayer. If he was not gay, or never came out, he would still be a fringe prospect who has struggled, but is still young, and could develop into a Major League ballplayer.

    If the kid makes it, I hope it is because he was both good enough, and had an opportunity that opened up for him based on ONLY baseball reasons. If he doesn’t, I hope it’s because he wasn’t good enough, or opportunities didn’t come to him because of ONLY baseball reasons.

    If coming out gives him the peace and serenity he needs to focus on his chosen career, ok. He’s out, it was reported, hopefully now our attention will be turned towards what he can or can’t do on the field, and his private life can become his (and any potential partner’s) again.

    Let’s wish the kid luck. He was always going to need some of luck anyways, whether gay, straight, or whatever.

    Reply
  28. Joseph Anderson

    10 years ago

    I don’t like it that coming out is as big as it is. I get WHY it HAS to be that way, because the media needs something to talk about and the LGBT community is a hot topic right now, but for me, this is like saying you’re into brunettes or blondes, asian or swedish, tall or short etc… It’s really sad this has to be such “big” news. Who cares who you’re attracted to? I like Bill Burr’s response to the Michael Sam draft day ordeal…

    Reply

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