For no apparent reason...

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

... The Associated Press issued a story today about Murphy's heroics and contrasted them with his controversial Billy Bean comments in March.

http://www.mlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/10/mets_hero_daniel_murphy_vilifi.html#incart_river_home

I don't want to get into another debate about his comments -- we did that already -- but question why AP is trying to make this an issue now. Now that the Chase Utley storyline is over, is AP looking for something to be troublesome? Confident MLive is using the story as click bait, but I'm wondering if this will get picked up elsewhere and get legs.

I also question "vilified" in the headline, which AP doesn't write.

Mets' hero Daniel Murphy was vilified for gay lifestyle comments in March The Associated Press | Wire reports LOS ANGELES � Mets fans chanted "Re-sign!" in a boisterous hint to management to bring back playoff star Daniel Murphy. Seven months ago, much of New York was calling for his departure after he said he disagrees with the lifestyle of gay people. Murphy stole an uncovered third base and went on to score the tying run in the fourth inning Thursday night of a decisive Game 5 in the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two innings later, he hit a go-ahead homer off Zack Greinke that led the Mets to a 3-2 victory and into the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs. Murphy had a hit in each of the five division series games, going 7 for 21 with a double, three home runs and five RBIs. He was loudly cheered by a small group of blue and orange-clad Mets fans when he came on the field after the game. Two of Murphy's homers in the series were off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. "You never think that you're going to be able to take advantage of Clayton or Zack with as good as they are," he said. "You're kind of hoping to scratch out maybe one base hit and do something positive. To be able to have three good at-bats off of somebody that good, I was surprised, but it was a lot of fun." That feeling was in sharp contrast to spring training. Murphy drew plenty of ire in March with his comments after the Mets brought in former major leaguer Billy Bean to talk to the team. Bean came out as gay after retiring and is now MLB's first ambassador for inclusion. Murphy, a self-described Christian, said, "I disagree with the lifestyle. I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual." Murphy described Christians' stance on being gay by saying, "We love the people. We disagree (with) the lifestyle." The public outcry against Murphy was swift and loud. For his part, Bean wrote in an online column that he admired the 30-year-old second baseman for saying publicly what he really believed privately. Murphy drew attention last year when he chose to skip opening day to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Later in the year, he spoke at the White House about parental rights and being a working parent at a summit on working families. He is eligible to become a free agent after the postseason and he could end up leaving the Mets who drafted him in the 13th round in 2006. He was a first-time All-Star in 2014. With the Mets clinging to a 3-2 lead after his homer in the sixth Thursday night, Murphy referred to his faith in describing what he was feeling knowing there was still time for the Dodgers to regain the lead. "There was a lot of prayer going on out there, just asking for peace and just talking to Jesus and asking for peace those last three or four innings," he said. New York trailed 2-1 in the fourth when Murphy singled and the Dodgers shifted three infielders to the right side, leaving no one near third with left-handed hitter Lucas Duda at the plate. When Duda walked on a 3-1 pitch with one out, Murphy jogged to second and suddenly sprinted to third. "That was all Dan Murphy," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "As soon as he hit second, he took off for third and obviously made it. That tells you the player Dan Murphy is. He's alert. He's always trying to find an edge."

[Farmer Ted]

The Associated Press | Wire reports = YLDB journalist

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's probably a "you may remember Daniel Murphy as the guy who..." kind of thing.

Just like when the Billy Bean story broke they mentioned his previous "controversy", about when he was with his wife after his son was born.

[Edgy MD]

WtF is a "boistrous hint"?

Yes, the article grossly overstates the backlash against Murphy. There was briefly a fake scandal around it, but it was about seventh biggest among the many fake scandals in Metsville between the end of the 2014 season and the start of the 2015 season.

Most are now forgotten, but several were cause for calls-to-arms for somebody or other at the time. Fake culture war outrage always has more legs than most other forgotten stupid stories of the day.

[RealityChuck]

They don't even quote him correctly. (Everyone leaves off the meat of the quote, which was basically saying, "If a player were gay, I'd treat him like any other teammate.")

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

I also question this: "Seven months ago, much of New York was calling for his departure after he said he disagrees with the lifestyle of gay people."

Much of New York? Was there a poll? Other than a typical tabloid splash, wasn't this issue pretty much over in less than a week? Was there even any mention of this once the season started?

[Guest cooby]

Anything to stir up the crap

[soupcan]

"We love the people. We disagree (with) the lifestyle."

I have no problem with that quote.

[Gwreck]

Mets Guy in Michigan wrote: Much of New York? Was there a poll? Other than a typical tabloid splash, wasn't this issue pretty much over in less than a week? Was there even any mention of this once the season started?

Exactly. People may not like what he said but since he didn't say anything else and isn't actively-campaigning-against-Obergefell (or something like that), it went away.

Murphy never talked about it again and the issue was closed.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Gay Dodger Fan at AP Beats His Drum - details at eleven.
Has anyone seen this in other papers yet? I am so out of how the news
works and how AP stories make it to individual paper publications.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

A Google search shows it's being picked up on news sites all over. That doesn't indicate how prominently it's being played, just that it exists somewhere on a site. The top Google story is the MLive version, so that one is getting the most traction.

[Ceetar]

also saw someone today note that Bobby Boni...YAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Today is clearly troll day, then we move on to previews and pizza wars.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Invoking Bobby Bo into a post-postseason-series story is the
ultimate in lazy and lame.

[The Big O]

Seems to just be an AP story. Moved on the wire in the wee hours. By Beth Harris (@bethharrisap), sportswriter out of the L.A. bureau.

[Valadius]

The Big O wrote: By Beth Harris (@bethharrisap), sportswriter out of the L.A. bureau.

And there's your answer. Sour grapes.