USA TODAY International Edition
Gurriel incident elicits attempts to bridge divide
HOUSTON — In the furor over Yuli Gurriel’s slant-eyes gesture during Friday’s Game 3 of the World Series, Major League Baseball planned to suspend the Houston Astros first baseman for the following two games. Then a remarkable thing happened: As all the participating parties got together, including representatives from MLB and the players association, a better understanding of the different cultures at play was reached. Away from the incessant prattle of social media and the knee-jerk demands for harsh immediate action, a variety of perspectives was considered. This was an episode involving a player from Cuba who moved stateside a year-and-a-half ago and Japanese star Yu Darvish opposing each other in America’s biggest baseball event, all in front of a worldwide audience. United Nations gatherings have less diversity of voices. In rendering his decision that Gurriel be suspended without pay for five games next season and undergo sensitivity training — but be allowed to play in the World Series — Commissioner Rob Manfred said he took into consideration Gurriel’s remorse. He also heard testimony about the character of a player who is quite popular with his Astros teammates despite his limited Englishlanguage skills. “Nobody thought this would turn into such a big deal, but the reality is Yuli’s a great guy who gets along with everybody on the team. He has nothing but friends,” said Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, a native of Puerto Rico. “Yuli is the humblest person you could ever meet. It’s sad this is happening, but we’re his teammates and we’re behind him.” Manfred was mindful of the differences between what’s socially acceptable in Cuba and in the United States, emphasizing the importance of the sensitivity training. Besides the gesture, Gurriel acknowledged uttering the word “chinito” — or little Chinese guy — in reference to Darvish. He later apologized, acknowledging he knew from his one season playing in Japan that it’s improper to lump Japanese and other Asian people under the umbrella of “Chinese.” “I believe based on my conversation that he understood that both the language and the gesture were offensive,” Manfred said. “He maintains that he did not intend to be offensive, but he understands that it was. And that’s what’s important.” In weighing the punishment, Manfred was just as swayed by Darvish’s expressed desire that a larger good come out of the episode. “I believe we should put our effort into learning rather than to accuse him,” Darvish said in a tweet. “If we can take something from this, that is a giant step for mankind.” Darvish was no longer playing in Japan at the time of Gurriel’s 62-game spell with the Yokohama Bay Stars, a stint that ended prematurely when Gurriel went back to Cuba to rehab from an injury and never returned, upsetting team officials. Their on-field history was limited to seven at-bats in the majors the last two seasons, with Gurriel managing one hit. Nonetheless, both players expressed respect for each other after Friday’s game, and Gurriel reiterated his apology to the pitcher in a statement issued Saturday. Manfred’s decision attempted to balance the seriousness of the offense with a desire not to infringe on the outcome of the World Series, particularly when the transgression was committed off the field. In addition, he was aware the union would appeal any immediate suspension. And the court of public opinion will get its say, now and in coming years. Tuesday, Gurriel will experience his first road game since the incident when the Astros and Dodgers play Game 6 at Dodger Stadium. “I think everyone is aware it’s going to be a rough setting for him,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch says. “I don’t think you can convince 55,000 fans to turn the page as fast as maybe the two teams have. And that goes out of support for their own players and their own people. But Yuli has got a good heart. He made a mistake. He’ll pay for it. And I think that obviously in the looming suspension to come, but also with the reaction in L.A., I’m sure will be on the aggressive side. “Knowing Yuli, knowing what he will do to convince everyone that this incident was not in his heart will be key,” Hinch adds. “And then also how everybody else responds to the cultural diversity that is our sport will all be governed by the commissioner’s office. And we’ll support and continue to try to educate everyone.” As Darvish said, that would be a step forward.