K-pop singer Jang Won-young surprised fans when she threw the opening ceremonial pitch at the Mets game on Sunday with a “helluva windup.”
On Sunday, the IVE K-pop band, with over six million daily listeners across the globe, was invited to attend the New York Mets game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the entire IVE group was there, Jang had the honor of throwing out the first pitch, and her mechanical windup caused people to question whether South Korea taught basic pitching mechanics to its students. 
“​​To be fair, Jang has a helluva windup, which has me thinking, do they teach pitching mechanics in elementary schools in South Korea and Japan?” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/mets-trot-korean-pop-star-amazing-windup-first-pitch-duties-wemby-plays-soccer-rosie">OutKick Senior Director of Content</a> Joe Kinsey asked.
Kinsey wondered how Jang could come over here and put “our travel ball kids to shame?”
The K-pop group also filmed content with former Korean major leaguer Kim Byung-hyun and former professional pitcher Dustin Nippert. 
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to throw the first pitch at a game watched by baseball fans around the world,” Jang said according to <a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/k-pop/20260717/ive-invited-to-mlb-game-jang-won-young-to-throw-1st-pitch">The Korean Times</a>. 
“I’ll do my best to share positive energy with both the players and everyone in the stands,” she added.
The IVE K-pop group participated in the ceremony while on the North American section of its second world tour “SHOW WHAT I AM.” Called an “undeniable force in K-pop&#8217;s next generation” by Billboard, IVE will perform in eight arena shows in both the United States and Canada from July to August. Their world tour launched late in 2025 also includes performances in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
This is not the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/bts-soundtracks-mlb-opening-day-2026">first time</a> the MLB has integrated K-pop stars into the league in an effort to appeal to a younger audience. On the league’s opening day, <a href="https://www.grammy.com/news/bts-facts-proof-k-pop-butter-dynamite-records-collaborations-songwriters/">BTS</a> — one of the most popular music groups in global history — teamed up with MLB after its album “ARIRANG” debuted shortly before the baseball season began. MLB used the song for a hype video on Instagram.
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BTS band member V threw the ceremonial opening pitch at Dodger Stadium and met baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani in 2025.
K-pop has exploded in popularity in the United States, particularly due to BTS, who <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/today/2026/03/10/curiosity-why-k-pop-so-popular-united-states">won</a> the Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artist in 2017.

Los Angeles Dodgers v. New York Mets

K-Pop Singer Takes The Spotlight At Mets Game With Polished Windup

Baseball

Los Angeles Dodgers

Music

New York Mets

President Donald Trump advocated for a 35-year Atlanta Braves tradition during a rally in Marietta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon.
While introducing former Braves manager Brian Snitker and current president and CEO Mike Plant at the event, fans immediately began to do the “tomahawk chop” — a move that has been criticized as culturally insensitive — but Trump quickly voiced his support for the gesture, and the crowd continued, even louder than before.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald Trump in Georgia, introducing former Braves Manger Brian Snitker and the tomahawk chop chant breaks out&#8230;
&#8220;Ohhh listen&#8230; they say you are not allowed to do that.. do it&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/EzSDdKOOOF">pic.twitter.com/EzSDdKOOOF</a>
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) <a href="https://x.com/ZachKleinWSB/status/2080032996896178428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
After thanking the president, Snitker expressed his gratitude for how passionate “Braves country” truly is and how there was a “room full of Braves country right here.” Snitker ended his speech telling the rally about gifts President Trump received, as well as possibly receiving in a few months.
“Mike and I presented President Trump with one of our 4th of July 250th anniversary jerseys the team wore over the weekend,” Snitker said. “I just wanted to tell President Trump we are going to be back in Washington a year from now and we are going to give him another world championship jersey.&#8221;
For years, the chant has received pushback from the Left with claims saying the chant is “racist” and “offensive.” Petitions were drawn up calling for a ban on the chant in stadiums across the country. The chop originated at Florida State University — and is still a common occurrence at that school. The Native American tribe reflected in the Seminoles logo has not expressed pushback over the chant.
The “tomahawk chop” is one of the most notorious chants across sports, but it only came to Atlanta 35 years ago. The Braves started chopping in 1991 when former Florida State University defensive back turned outfielder Deion Sanders joined the roster, bringing the tradition from college to MLB.

President Trump Delivers Remarks At A Georgia High School

WATCH: Trump Gives Braves Fans Permission To Infuriate The Woke Left

Atlanta

Donald Trump

Georgia

President Trump

Sports

Oakland Athletics rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer underwent emergency surgery after rupturing a testicle by fouling a pitch into his groin during Monday night&#8217;s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. 
Kuroda-Grauer, 23, suffered the injury in the fifth inning but remained in the game long enough to finish the plate appearance, lining a nearly 100 mph fastball into right-center field for his second hit of the night. Earlier in the game, he had hit his first major league home run.
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&#8220;No balls and one strike&#8221;
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer fouled a ball directly off his nuts, then recovered and got a base knock <a href="https://t.co/wtFcxBXjKd">pic.twitter.com/wtFcxBXjKd</a>
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) <a href="https://x.com/JomboyMedia/status/2079423377463267769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
Kuroda-Grauer stayed in the game as a baserunner and even returned to the field for the bottom of the fifth inning before being replaced in the sixth with what the A&#8217;s initially described as a “testicular contusion.”
The A&#8217;s later announced that Kuroda-Grauer underwent emergency surgery Monday night at St. Joseph&#8217;s Hospital in Phoenix after doctors determined he had suffered a ruptured testicle.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
From the A’s : 
Kuroda-Grauer was injured last night after fouling off a pitch in the fifth inning. He underwent emergency surgery to repair a ruptured testicle last night at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix and is resting comfortably.
— Jody Jackson (@Jody_Jackson) <a href="https://x.com/Jody_Jackson/status/2079686675790488051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
“I think he might be the only player in Major League history to [rupture] a testicle, get a hit, then play a half of [an] inning of defense,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters. “It shows you the fight that this kid has. His desire to be on the field and just the will and want is pretty remarkable.”
Following an ultrasound, doctors determined immediate surgery was necessary. Kuroda-Grauer was placed on the 10-day injured list, and the team has not announced a timetable for his return.
Kotsay said the rookie remained in good spirits after the procedure. 
“He was joking about it. His personality is amazing,” he stated. “But we’re thankful the surgery went well and he’s recovering well. We’re thankful that he’s going to be fine and that it doesn’t impact his life.”
One of the A&#8217;s top prospects, Kuroda-Grauer has made an immediate impact since making his major league debut on June 29. Through his first 60 at-bats, he is hitting .417 with seven doubles, one home run, and four RBIs.

Athletics v Arizona Diamondbacks

The Hardest-Hit Ball Of The Night Wasn’t Put In Play

Arizona

hospital

Injury

Oakland Athletics

Phoenix

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
For much of the last decade, Pride month in Major League Baseball looked like an unstoppable corporate and cultural wave. More teams hosted dedicated nights, rainbow merchandise filled stores, and front offices rolled out pregame spectacles, partnerships with activist groups, and messaging that framed baseball as a vehicle for social progress.
Today, nearly every team still stages some version of a Pride event. Yet the surrounding conversation has shifted. What once appeared as inexorable expansion now looks more like adaptation — and, in places, retreat — as players, fans, and institutions negotiate the limits of institutional messaging in a divided country.
The story of Pride in baseball is no longer one of unbroken conquest. It is one of boundaries being tested and, increasingly, redrawn. 
The earliest LGBTQ-themed events in professional baseball were small and localized. In 1998, the Florida Marlins hosted a &#8220;Gay Day&#8221; tied to local community groups. Two years later, in 2000, the Los Angeles Dodgers organized what became widely recognized as the first major professional sports Pride Night. It followed an incident in which a lesbian couple was ejected from Dodger Stadium for kissing; the team responded with apologies and ticket giveaways to advocacy organizations.
The Chicago Cubs launched their annual &#8220;Out at Wrigley&#8221; events in <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2021/08/20/out-at-wrigley-celebrates-the-20th-anniversary-of-its-trendsetting-gay-day-sunday/">2001</a>. For years these remained exceptions, while most clubs stayed focused on baseball.
Everything accelerated after 2015, as corporate America aligned with Pride branding following the Obergefell decision. Major League clubs followed suit. Commissioner Rob Manfred&#8217;s office brought in former player Billy Bean as an inclusion ambassador. Clubs formed partnerships with local LGBTQ organizations. Pride Nights moved from occasional experiments to annual fixtures on team calendars.
By the early 2020s, 29 of 30 teams hosted some form of Pride event. Only the Texas Rangers consistently declined. The peak arrived in 2021, when the San Francisco Giants became the first club to integrate Pride colors directly into on-field caps and uniforms. Across the league, rainbow logos, specialty jerseys, drag performances, fireworks shows, and themed concessions became standard promotional fare. Pride Month ranked among baseball&#8217;s biggest off-field initiatives.
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<div id="attachment_1125601" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1125601" class="size-medium wp-image-1125601" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-1499077717-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-1499077717-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-1499077717-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-1499077717-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-1499077717.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images</div>
In 2023, the Dodgers infamously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-dodgers-will-honor-drag-group-mocking-catholics-sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence">invited</a> the Catholic-mocking Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to receive a community service award on Pride Night. The team rescinded the invitation after backlash from religious groups and leaders, but the LGBT backlash to the backlash won out, resulting in the group ultimately being <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boycott-the-dodgers-catholic-bishops-finally-fighting-back-against-anti-catholic-hate-group">reinvited</a>.
Even at the height of visibility, resistance surfaced. In 2022, several Tampa Bay Rays players declined to wear rainbow-themed logos, citing religious convictions. <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/dodgers-clayton-kershaw-displays-bible-passage-hat-during-pride-night">Similar</a> <a href="https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/35470032/flyers-ivan-provorov-boycotts-pride-night-cites-religion">defections</a> emerged across sports. Leagues faced a new question: How far could corporate branding extend when it conflicted with players&#8217; personal beliefs?
MLB did not eliminate Pride Nights. Instead, the league adjusted its approach. Commissioner Robert Manfred <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7389053/2026/06/24/mlb-pride-nights-giants-manfred/">explained</a> the goal was to avoid placing players &#8220;in an uncomfortable position.&#8221; Specialty on-field uniforms and mandatory rainbow elements became more restricted. Responsibility shifted back toward individual clubs. The emphasis moved toward optional ticket packages, giveaways, and fan experiences rather than compelling player participation.
The changed landscape was clear throughout this most recent Pride Month. Twenty-nine teams still hosted Pride Nights, complete with rainbow jerseys, caps, concerts, themed concessions, and community events. The Orioles distributed 15,000 Pride jerseys. The Blue Jays created interactive spaces inside Rogers Centre. The Dodgers, Mets, Cubs, Giants, Mariners, and many others ran large-scale celebrations. The Rangers again stood apart, choosing a Faith and Family Night instead.
But the defining controversy of 2026 was no longer whether these events would occur. It was how much players themselves were required to endorse them. During the Giants&#8217; Pride Night, pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker wrote the biblical reference &#8220;Genesis 9:12-16&#8221; on their rainbow-logo caps. The passage recounts God&#8217;s covenant with Noah and presents the rainbow as a divine sign. Critics called it a protest. Supporters saw it as an expression of faith.
MLB issued verbal <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7364268/2026/06/15/sf-giants-pride-night-caps-bible-verses-mlb-warning/">warnings</a> — not for the content of the message, the league insisted, but for altering uniforms in violation of collectively bargained rules. No fines followed. Manfred later <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/commissioner-rob-manfred-responds-to-letter-from-senator-josh-hawley">confirmed</a> the players &#8220;were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be,&#8221; while stressing that uniform policy remains content-neutral.
The episode drew <a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/mlb-backs-down-pledges-no-punishment-for-religious-beliefs-in-reply-to-hawley/">attention</a> from Senator Josh Hawley and reignited what seems to be an evergreen debate in the Pride era over religious expression versus corporate messaging.
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<div id="attachment_1125543" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1125543" class="size-medium wp-image-1125543" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2283032111-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2283032111-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2283032111-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2283032111-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2283032111.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images</div>
Despite the wins this year, Pride Nights remain embedded in 29 of 30 promotional calendars. Attendance for these specific nights is difficult to track, but these individual clubs seem to view them as effective business tools. However, what conservatives can hang their hat on is that the confidence that once surrounded Pride has faltered at MLB itself.
The league now stresses player choice, limits certain forms of on-field messaging, and lets clubs adapt events to local realities. The era of treating players as default ambassadors for left-wing causes has receded. Conversations that once centered on expansion now focus on boundaries — between inclusion and compulsion, corporate branding, and personal conscience.
This evolution offers conservatives a practical roadmap rather than an abstract complaint.
First, support alternatives that already exist. The Rangers&#8217; Faith and Family Night demonstrates that teams can prioritize unifying themes rooted in faith, family, and community without defaulting to identity-focused programming. Fans and sponsors can and should reward teams that offer genuine choice. The San Diego Padres <a href="https://www.mlb.com/padres/tickets/specials/faith-family-night">hosted</a> a Faith and Family Night, as <a href="https://www.mlb.com/astros/tickets/faith">did</a> the Houston Astros; the Arizona Diamondbacks will host theirs in <a href="https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/tickets/concerts/faith-family-night">August</a>, and <a href="https://www.mlb.com/mariners/tickets/specials/faith-and-family">so will</a> the Seattle Mariners — among many other teams. I encourage you to go out to those games and pack the house to show your team what you support. 
Second, champion content-neutral rules and player autonomy. The Manfred policy shift, however imperfect and mealy-mouthed it may be, represents a victory for the principle that no player should be forced to wear or endorse political or social symbols. The Faith and Family Nights mentioned above do not force players to participate, and neither should Pride Nights. Conservatives should defend and expand these guardrails across sports, insisting that uniform and player participation rules apply equally regardless of the message.
Third, leverage market and cultural pressure. Baseball&#8217;s <a href="https://votehub.com/2026/01/20/the-political-lean-of-pro-sports/">relatively conservative</a> player base gives it an advantage other leagues lack. When players push back on conscience grounds as the Rays did in 2022 and the Giants pitchers did in 2026, the response should be vocal public support. Attendance, merchandise sales, and sponsorship decisions remain powerful signals. Fortunately, this seems to be already proving its worth.
Fourth, focus on merit and unity over identity. Sports thrive when they celebrate excellence, competition, and shared traditions rather than importing divisive cultural battles. Conservatives can promote heritage, patriotism, military appreciation, and family-focused events that bring people together without requiring ideological conformity.
Fifth, engage politically where necessary. Episodes like the Giants controversy show that elected officials and public scrutiny can influence league behavior. Sustained attention to religious liberty and free expression in professional sports keeps the leagues honest.
Pride Month is not vanishing from MLB, much like in the culture at large. But the version that once seemed destined to dominate every uniform and every broadcast has encountered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-truth-behind-the-disappearing-rainbow-logos">real limits</a>. The league that once placed players at the center of social messaging has moved toward keeping those conversations in the concourse, not on the field.
The lesson of the past several years is simple: Cultural momentum is not irreversible. Institutions still respond to incentives, players still retain agency, and fans still have a voice. Baseball&#8217;s Pride era is no longer defined by relentless expansion but by negotiation and limits. Whether that trend continues will depend less on commissioners and front offices than on the people who buy the tickets, fill the stadiums, and ultimately decide what kind of game they want to support.

Colorado Rockies v Boston Red Sox

How Fans Can Save Baseball From The Rainbow Corporate Machine

LGBT

Upstream

Fresh off the heels of the San Francisco Giants &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; controversy, the Baltimore Orioles announced it will hold a &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; game, which will feature a drag queen performer.
The Orioles X account on Wednesday boasted, &#8220;Baseball is for everyone. See you at The Yard this Friday for Pride Night!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Baseball is for everyone 🧡
See you at The Yard this Friday for Pride Night!<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WallpaperWednesday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WallpaperWednesday</a> <a href="https://t.co/tQSns5fV7G">pic.twitter.com/tQSns5fV7G</a>
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) <a href="https://x.com/Orioles/status/2069778979905552733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
The team also bragged that a drag queen performer dubbed &#8220;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/heidincloset/">Heidi N Closet</a>&#8221; will be at the game, featured as a &#8220;guest splasher.&#8221;
At Orioles home games, there&#8217;s a section called the Bird Bath Splash Zone where a character named &#8220;Mr. Splash&#8221; sprays fans with a hose when the Orioles nab extra-base hits. This is typically promoted as a family-friendly event. As the guest splasher, the drag queen will apparently be spraying fans.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This Friday, Heidi N Closet will be our Guest Splasher in the <a href="https://x.com/TowerFCU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TowerFCU</a> Bird Bath for Pride Night at The Yard!
🎟️ <a href="https://t.co/YPUvkCiApe">https://t.co/YPUvkCiApe</a> <a href="https://t.co/JKra5hYa5y">pic.twitter.com/JKra5hYa5y</a>
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) <a href="https://x.com/Orioles/status/2069815004203778506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
One account on X noted how the incorporation of a drag queen in this role seems inappropriate. &#8220;I&#8217;m frankly indifferent on most of these political topics, but isn&#8217;t the splash zone area for kids? Like this is kinda weird even for centrist, independents, or even slightly Left-leaning folks right?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Im frankly indifferent on most of these political topics, but isn&#8217;t the splash zone area for kids? Like this is kinda weird even for centrist, independents, or even slightly left leaning folks right? <a href="https://t.co/7HUeywLsdB">https://t.co/7HUeywLsdB</a>
— Bird4Life (@BirdforLife49) <a href="https://x.com/BirdforLife49/status/2069835819704078559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
Two weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants held a &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; where players were pressured to wear LGBT rainbow-colored Giants caps. When some of the Christian players counter-signaled the event by adding Bible verses to their hats, the MLB gave them a &#8220;warning,&#8221; sparking outrage from some MLB fans and public officials.
Still, the MLB is moving forward with &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; events. Aside from the scheduled Baltimore &#8220;Pride Night,&#8221; the New York Mets will hold a &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; of their own on Friday, too. Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Athletics, and the St. Louis Cardinals similarly held these LGBT-themed games.
The Giants &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; notably featured a drag queen and 10 same-sex couples renewing their vows on the field.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mlb-scrambles-for-damage-control-after-targeting-christian-players-no-ones-buying-it?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=MLB+Scrambles+For+Damage+Control+After+Targeting+Christian+Players.+No+One’s+Buying+It.">MLB Scrambles For Damage Control After Targeting Christian Players. No One’s Buying It.</a>

MLB / LGBT

Another MLB Team Announces ‘Pride Night’ Game, Features Drag Queen Performer

Another MLB Team Announces ‘Pride Night,’ Features Drag Queen Performer

Baltimore Orioles

Drag Queens

Pride

Pride Month

San Francisco Giants leaders are refusing to speak ill of the Christian players who counter-signaled the team&#8217;s LGBT &#8220;Pride Night.&#8221;
Reporters on Tuesday night pressed San Fran manager Tony Vitello about the recent &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; fiasco, where players were pressured to wear gay pride rainbow-logo hats. When a reporter suggested Vitello was somehow disrespected by Christian ball players who added Bible verses to their hats, he refuted the journalist.
The reporter argued that because the Christian players didn&#8217;t tell Vitello they were going to write on their hats, it was an act of &#8220;disrespect to the manager.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t see that as a disrespect to me to be honest with you,&#8221; Vitello responded, adding that what would be disrespectful in his view would be players not giving it their all on the field for their teammates. &#8220;I have not been disrespected in this role, at all.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
From players writing on their Pride Night hats without him knowing to the Rafael Devers incident, Tony Vitello feels no disrespect whatsoever.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t see that as a disrespect to me to be honest with you&#8230; I have not been disrespected in this role at all.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Vemfv4ty11">pic.twitter.com/Vemfv4ty11</a>
— KNBR (@KNBR) <a href="https://x.com/KNBR/status/2069565974488179047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
Buster Posey, the Giants&#8217; president of baseball operations, also shared a vague statement about the Christian players, and then refused to answer questions about anything other than &#8220;baseball.&#8221;
“I’d like to recognize that the organization has shared its response to &#8216;Pride Night,&#8217; and I understand that there’s strong feelings on this topic,” Posey said, before taking questions from the media. “There’s differing perspectives, and out of respect to everybody involved, it’s not something that I’m going to revisit.”
Reporters continued to press Posey about the Christian players, stressing that they believe the LGBT community is vital to the San Fran area. Posey, time after time, told the press that he&#8217;d only take &#8220;baseball questions.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Buster Posey opened his media availability with a prepared statement on the Pride Night controversy, then proceeded to decline to answer further questions on the topic, stating he will only answer &#8220;baseball related questions.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/pxsC0p4hiQ">pic.twitter.com/pxsC0p4hiQ</a>
— KNBR (@KNBR) <a href="https://x.com/KNBR/status/2069535169497968640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
The response online was generally positive from apolitical and conservative X users, who criticized the media. However, as California-based civil liberties attorney Laura Powell highlighted, the controversy started because the Giants chose to host a &#8220;Pride Night.&#8221;
&#8220;Tense moments as the press pesters Buster Posey with questions about the Pride cap controversy, but he says he will only respond to baseball-related questions,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;I was on Posey’s side, as I’m sick of the local media milking this story with biased takes, but this reporter made a good point: &#8216;But you guys have made this baseball related because you had Pride Night.'&#8221;
&#8220;Stick to baseball, please!&#8221; Powell added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tense moments as the press pesters Buster Posey with questions about the Pride cap controversy, but he says he will only respond to baseball-related questions.
I was on Posey’s side, as I’m sick of the local media milking this story with biased takes, but this reporter made a…
— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) <a href="https://x.com/LauraPowellEsq/status/2069569429269356898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
Powell also noted the LGBT flags at the stadium, commenting on how &#8220;captured&#8221; the organization has become.
&#8220;The top of the pole is a position of honor, indicating a greater rank,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;Why did the SF Giants place the trans flag above the &#8216;progress pride&#8217; flag, which is a modification of the rainbow flag that expressly honors the trans identity? How captured is this organization?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The top of the pole is a position of honor, indicating a greater rank.
Why did the SF Giants place the trans flag above the “progress pride” flag, which is a modification of the rainbow flag that expressly honors the trans identity?
How captured is this organization? <a href="https://t.co/H4jXLz7aGr">pic.twitter.com/H4jXLz7aGr</a>
— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) <a href="https://x.com/LauraPowellEsq/status/2069674193395023905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mlb-scrambles-for-damage-control-after-targeting-christian-players-no-ones-buying-it">MLB Scrambles For Damage Control After Targeting Christian Players. No One’s Buying It.</a>

Athletics v. San Francisco Giants

MLB ‘Pride Night’ Fiasco Takes Another Turn

Christianity

San Francisco Giants

Backlash against Major League Baseball is continuing to build after the league condemned and warned Christian baseball players for counter-signaling or outright rejecting an LGBT &#8220;Pride Night&#8221; last week.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mlb-targets-christian-players-who-rejected-lgbt-pride-night">The Daily Wire</a>, several San Francisco Giants players marked their gay pride-themed baseball caps with Bible passages, while another player refused to wear the cap at all. In response, the MLB boasted to The Athletic — a subsidiary of The New York Times — that it &#8220;warned&#8221; these players against &#8220;future violations.&#8221;
Conservative commentators quickly reacted, condemning the MLB for supposedly preaching &#8220;inclusion&#8221; while targeting the handful of players who expressed their Christian beliefs. The MLB also caught the attention of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who posted, &#8220;Do you practice religious discrimination in Florida, [MLB]? You’ll be hearing from my office soon.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Do you practice religious discrimination in Florida, <a href="https://x.com/MLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLB</a>?
You’ll be hearing from my office soon. <a href="https://t.co/znUcRXH8p6">https://t.co/znUcRXH8p6</a>
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) <a href="https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2066923867189260382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley is demanding answers, too. &#8220;What does MLB think it’s doing penalizing players for their Christian faith? They owe us some answers. Right now,&#8221; he wrote on X.
The post captions a letter asking MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred about the apparent discrimination. Demanding answers by June 19, Hawley asks for information on &#8220;[a]ny policy, directive, or expectation-formal or informal governing whether players are required, encouraged, or expected to wear Pride Night caps, jerseys, or other themed apparel, and whether a player who declines to do so faces any consequence beyond the league&#8217;s written rules, including in playing time, roster or assignment decisions, club media and promotion, or standing within the organization.&#8221;
He also asks for information on &#8220;[a]ll approvals, authorizations, or directives by which the league created, permitted, or arranged the display of &#8216;Black Lives Matter,&#8217; &#8216;United for Change,&#8217; or comparable messaging on jerseys, mounds, or equipment, and any guidance by which the league relaxed its equipment rules to allow players to display social or political messages.&#8221;
The senator ended the letter with the following message: &#8220;The freedom to live out one&#8217;s faith does not end at the ballpark gate. Americans of every creed are entitled to confidence that the institutions of our national pastime will not single out religious expression for punishment while celebrating messages of the league&#8217;s own choosing. I trust the league shares that commitment, and I look forward to your prompt and complete response.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What does MLB think it’s doing penalizing players for their Christian faith?
They owe us some answers. Right now. <a href="https://t.co/yDPmjC6SMZ">pic.twitter.com/yDPmjC6SMZ</a>
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/2066929408913645917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
As The Daily Wire previously reported, starting Giants pitcher <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/giants-pitcher-refuses-to-hide-christian-faith-during-pride-night">Landen Roupp</a> on Friday etched a Bible passage found in Genesis onto his Giants cap, right next to the LGBT-themed rainbow logo the team had directed him to wear. Other players, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker, followed suit in standing up for their Christian faith, also adding Bible verses. And relief pitcher Sam Hentges refused to wear the rainbow cap altogether, stating, “I don’t morally support it.”
MLB’s chief communications officer Pat Courtney told The Athletic on Monday that these players have been “warned” about “future violations.” He said that writing on the team’s baseball caps “violates our rules.”
The Giants also addressed the Christian players. In a statement ironically about “inclusion,” the team apologized for its players apparently causing “pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community.”
“The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community,” the statement said. “Baseball should be a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued. We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations. We understand that the choices by individual players have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that.”
“Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all,” the team closed. “We remain grateful to our fans, partners, employees, players, and coaches who help make Pride Night a meaningful celebration.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mlb-targets-christian-players-who-rejected-lgbt-pride-night">MLB Targets Christian Players Who Rejected LGBT ‘Pride Night’</a>

Chicago Cubs v San Francisco Giants

Backlash Mounts Against MLB For Targeting Christians: ‘You’ll Be Hearing From My Office’

Christians

LGBTQ

Politics

After hosting Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Athletics for a third of their season with plans to do so until 2028, Sacramento announced its wager of one billion dollars of taxpayer money to bring an MLB team to the city for good.
In what is being called “The Sacramento Pitch,” the city plans to raise $ 1.8 billion to fund a stadium and team. $800 million of the proposition would come from land and tribal investments, while the remaining billion would come from tax-increment financing from the stadium, parking, and hotels currently or soon to be in the area. 
West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero seemed unbothered by the large-scale gamble when discussing the plan.
“Over 40 years, the ballpark district will lead to $1.77 billion in new revenue for the entire city, Yolo County, and our schools,” Mayor Guerrero stated in the announcement of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtqEyI4OPwI">bid</a>. “One billion of that will be dispersed to the City of West Sacramento and reinvested into the ballpark district. This one billion investment would be generated solely by activity in the ballpark district.”
The area around the proposed stadium will use taxpayer dollars to fund the tax-increment financing that is discussed in “The Sacramento Pitch.” While Mayor Guerrero mentions that they will not tap into the general fund and no taxpayer vote will be necessary, concerns are still being raised about whether public resources are being committed indirectly. Future increases in property taxes may be used for stadium upgrades down the line if the ballpark is built in West Sacramento.
This tension between economic development promises and the public’s part in the project is what led officials to propose the stadium initiative in the first place, as they attempt to structure financing in a way that appears fiscally neutral while still making the project viable.
West Sacramento’s proposition was born after the current MLB commissioner expressed his desire to expand the league to 32 teams before he retires in January of 2029. Sacramento is among Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Portland as potential cities looking to add a team. 
Currently, the capital region is home to the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats, as well as the former Oakland Athletics, who are waiting to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028. The support for baseball for a major league team that isn’t even theirs sparked the plan.
“The momentum around the team is growing, attendance is increasing, and community enthusiasm is building because people are starting to think that if we do a lot for the Athletics, we&#8217;re also demonstrating to Major League Baseball that Sacramento is ready,” president and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council Barry Broome told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/sacramento-makes-case-mlbs-next-expansion-city-calling-market-big-ignore">Fox News</a>.
Regardless of how ready Sacramento believes they are for a baseball team, gambling close to $1 billion in tax-increment financing is not always the safest way to spend a city’s money.

MLB: JUN 02 Orioles at Giants

West Sacramento Makes A Billion Dollar Tax-Payer Gamble To Keep Major League Baseball Around

Entertainment

Major League Baseball

Sacramento

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
Celebrations are so engrained in the history and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/on-opening-day-keep-your-eye-on-community">culture of baseball</a> that the <a href="https://x.com/MLBEurope/status/1912877725813010517">first ever recorded high five</a> came after a Dusty Baker home run in 1977. Joy is baked right into the soil of the diamond. 
Great traditions and celebrations also include the likes of the “Bash Brothers” — Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco — smashing meaty forearms after a homer, players spraying champagne on teammates after clinching a playoff berth, and even Ozzie Smith’s <a href="https://x.com/BSmile/status/1254401583087071233">beautiful backflip</a>. But as the modern game embraces a louder, more expressive era, a critical line is beginning to blur. There is a fundamental difference between celebrating with your teammates and hotdogging at your opponent. One builds the game up; the other tears sportsmanship down.
Look no further than the viral antics of the San Francisco Giants’ outfield. After clinching victories, Harrison Bader, Drew Gilbert, and a hilariously enthusiastic Jung Hoo Lee have huddled in center field to unleash a bizarre, Key &amp; Peele-inspired communal hip-thrusting routine. Old-head former players <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/former-giant-slams-team-hip-thrusts-outfield-losing-record">like Will Clark</a> grumbled about it, especially with the team grinding through a tough season under Tony Vitello, and MLB’s front office eventually sent a subtle &#8220;keep it family-friendly&#8221; warning.
But at its core it’s completely harmless. It is goofy, insular, and entirely about the bonds of the clubhouse. It’s simple fun between teammates.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Giants postgame celebrations have escalated <a href="https://t.co/ctJ6oTdueq">pic.twitter.com/ctJ6oTdueq</a>
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) <a href="https://x.com/JomboyMedia/status/2054223181230096783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
The same can be said for the beautiful art of the bat flip. While American critics historically decried it as &#8220;showing up the pitcher,&#8221; we only have to look to the high-respect, intensely competitive baseball cultures of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/03/sports/baseball/bat-flipping-draws-shrugs-in-south-korea-but-scorn-in-america.html">South Korea&#8217;s KBO</a> and Japan&#8217;s NPB to see its true context. 
There, a bat flip isn&#8217;t a personalized insult; it’s a release of pure kinetic energy and personal triumph. The focus remains on the accomplishment, not the loser.
When done right, a bat flip can encapsulate the raw theater of sports. Consider the 2015 American League Division Series, when Toronto’s Jose Bautista launched a tie-breaking, sky-scraping three-run home run into the Rogers Centre sky. His subsequent <a href="https://x.com/JomboyMedia/status/1978162377620082842">bat flip</a> — a defiant, majestic hurl of lumber — stands as one of the single greatest moments of modern baseball history. It was the organic climax of an incredibly tense, emotionally draining inning. Yet, the next year it led to an ugly, benches-clearing brawl when the Rangers hit Bautista with a pitch and second baseman Rougned Odor took exception to a slide into second base.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1106275" style="width: 402px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1106275" class=" wp-image-1106275" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-492830792-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="392" height="261" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-492830792-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-492830792-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-492830792-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-492830792.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 392px) 100vw, 392px" />Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images</div>
That fight never should have happened. Bautista wasn’t staring down the pitcher or showing up the Texas Rangers; he was reacting to a city-shaking moment. This is where baseball&#8217;s infamous &#8220;unwritten rules&#8221; require a heavy dose of contemporary prudence. Those rules exist for a reason: to prevent chaos and preserve a baseline of dignity. But they must be tempered with situational awareness. A game-winning postseason blast or slam-the-door strikeout warrants a theatrical release; an unprompted ego trip does not. The unwritten rules are meant to guard the respect of the game, not act as a fragile ego-saving mechanism for a pitcher who just gave up a 450-foot bomb to dead-center.
But then we cross the line into the unsportsmanlike.
Just last week, Milwaukee Brewers reliever Abner Uribe struck out a St. Louis Cardinals batter and immediately turned toward the opposing dugout to fire off a series of aggressive, WWE-style crotch chops. MLB swiftly handed down a one-game suspension, and rightly so. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Abner Uribe with a triple chop toward the Cardinals dugout and Pat Murphy wasn’t happy about it <a href="https://t.co/tutsuCvSTq">pic.twitter.com/tutsuCvSTq</a>
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) <a href="https://x.com/JomboyMedia/status/2059473061926076469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
Uribe wasn&#8217;t celebrating with his catcher; he was actively taunting his peers. Even his own manager, Pat Murphy, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48887705/brewers-manager-pat-murphy-calls-abner-uribe-mound-antics-unacceptable">pulled no punches</a>, calling the behavior entirely “unacceptable” and “embarrassing.”
When a celebration transforms from an internal burst of team camaraderie into an outward display of playground antagonism, something has gone wrong. Baseball is a game built on the tension of failure. If you fail seven out of ten times at the plate, you&#8217;re probably a Hall of Famer. Because the game is inherently humbling, it demands a baseline of mutual respect between the lines.
If you want to thrust with your buddies in the outfield, mimic a sketch comedy show, or throw a high-five that alters pop culture history, go for it. Let the clubhouse chemistry spill onto the field. But the moment you turn your joy into a middle finger aimed at the guy holding the bat or standing on the mound, it isn&#8217;t pageantry anymore. It’s just cheap.

San Francisco Giants v Athletics

Baseball’s Biggest Culture War Isn’t About Politics

Special Reporting

A Washington Nationals executive was fired this week after he claimed on a hidden-camera video that an outspoken Christian pitcher was excluded from some of the team&#8217;s promotional content because of his religious views.
The Nationals fired Sean Hudson, its director of community relations, after undercover journalist James O&#8217;Keefe posted a video showing Hudson admit to blacklisting pitcher Trevor Williams from the team&#8217;s social media content.
&#8220;One of our pitchers, Trevor Williams, he is very Catholic,&#8221; Hudson said on the hidden camera video.
The former Nationals executive then provided an example of why he avoided featuring Williams for the team&#8217;s promotional content.
&#8220;The Dodgers had a group out to the stadium who were drag queens who sometimes dressed up as nuns. He went on social media [and wrote], ‘This is wrong. This is my religion. You all are mocking it.&#8217; Because of that, we don&#8217;t use him on social [media],&#8221; Hudson said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/l-a-dodgers-will-honor-drag-group-mocking-catholics-sisters-of-perpetual-indulgence">condemned</a> by Christians across the country, including multiple MLB players, for inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a drag queen group that mocks Jesus Christ and Christians, to perform at one of their games in 2023.
After Hudson was canned, Washington Nationals President of Business Operations Jason Sinnarajah went on live TV to <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2060560136804954555">apologize</a> to Williams and the team&#8217;s Christian fans for Hudson&#8217;s remarks. He also said Hudson&#8217;s comments were false and &#8220;don&#8217;t reflect us as an organization, our values, who we are.&#8221;
&#8220;We took action right away, and [Hudson] is no longer employed by the team,&#8221; Sinnarajah added.
&#8220;We do not hide players from social media. Even just last week, we featured several players, including Trevor Williams, as part of their visit to the Museum of the Bible,&#8221; Sinnarajah <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2060560136804954555">said</a>.
In the hidden-camera video, Hudson also talked about his disdain for War Secretary Pete Hegseth and said that he prevented some Nationals players from meeting Hegseth after they expressed interest in talking to the top Trump official when he attended a game.
&#8220;We had Pete Hegseth at Space Force Day last year &#8230; and a few players texted me and they were like, &#8216;Is he going to be here after the game? I want to say hi.&#8217; And I&#8217;m like, &#8216;Oh, no he left, he&#8217;s gone, sorry.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING NEWS: Washington <a href="https://x.com/Nationals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nationals</a> Director of Community Relations Admits on Hidden Camera to Active Religious Discrimination Against Starting Pitcher Trevor Williams, Surveillance of Nationals Fans’ Google History, and Segregated LGBTQ+ Corporate Meetings to an O’Keefe… <a href="https://t.co/AWqlq6wXV9">pic.twitter.com/AWqlq6wXV9</a>
— James O&#8217;Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) <a href="https://x.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/2059322421371605039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of the team&#8217;s social media stunts that Hudson claimed specifically excluded Williams was a video of Nationals players being asked whether a hot dog is a sandwich. Williams posted a photo on Instagram on Friday that appeared to reference Hudson&#8217;s comment about the hot dog video. The post showed numerous photos, including one that features a hat that reads &#8220;Bad Day to Be a Hot Dog.&#8221;
In the post, Williams also discussed his reading of 1 Peter chapter four and wrote, &#8220;This entire chapter really addresses the social costs of the faith &#8230; As my friend Fr. Joshua said &#8216;Sometimes we lean into it and bravely bear witness to Christ’s truth; sometimes we dodge it and regret it later, feeling we’ve let Jesus down.'&#8221;

Trevor Williams

MLB Exec Fired After He Claimed To Exclude Christian Player From Team’s Social Media

Catholics

The Tulsa Drillers have suspended their &#8220;bat dog&#8221; program after a bizarre on-field collision left top Dodgers prospect Kendall George with a knee injury earlier this week.
The Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers announced the suspension after Monday&#8217;s Memorial Day game, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/27/sports/dodgers-affiliate-suspends-bat-dog-program-after-freak-injury/">The New York Post</a>.
George, the Dodgers’ No. 13 prospect and a 2023 first-round draft pick, appeared to leap out of the way of the team&#8217;s bat dog as the animal ran onto the field to retrieve a bat. The outfielder landed awkwardly and injured his knee.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tulsa Drillers plan to suspend bat dog program after Kendall George knee injury, per <a href="https://x.com/ByJackHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ByJackHarris</a>.<a href="https://t.co/CDjKsTGMSg">pic.twitter.com/CDjKsTGMSg</a>
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) <a href="https://x.com/UnderdogMLB/status/2059694968059404293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
The incident was caught on camera, showing George limping after the run-in with the four-legged friend.
Minor league teams have recently started using &#8220;bat dogs&#8221; as a way to add to the eccentric atmosphere that comes with the minor leagues. Tulsa has been incorporating a dog into game day since 2022, per <a href="https://www.newson6.com/story/6657a715fa70eac939a5aa7e/fans-love-the-new-bat-dogs-for-the-tulsa-drillers">News On 6</a>. When the Drillers decided to go all in on the “dog days of summer” baseball trend, the team used dogs that were trained to retrieve bats after plate appearances and return them to the dugout.
The dog-induced knee injury that George sustained is an unfortunate setback for a guy who was the fourth minor league player since 2005 to steal 100 bases in a single season while posting a .409 on-base percentage.
This season, George had already stolen a division-leading 26 bases in 43 games while batting .333 for the Drillers. He also leads the Texas League in runs scored with 52.
The timing of the suspension is ironic: Tulsa&#8217;s home game Wednesday night against Northwest Arkansas is also the team&#8217;s first &#8220;Bark in the Park&#8221; promotion of the season, where fans are encouraged to bring their canine friends to the stadium.

Bat Dog

WATCH: Bat Dog Benched After Freak Injury To Dodgers Prospect

Dodgers

Dogs

L.A.

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
I coach Little League Baseball with one of my best friends, “Barney.” Before I considered him a friend, he played 10 years of pro ball. Shortly before our first practice this year, he called a coaching staff meeting. This would be the first season of kid-pitch, and the intensity would be different than in years past. This is the same guy who puts six hours of effort into compiling stats and providing each kid with a customized report on what he did well and what he needs to work on at the end of the season.
So, I leaned in when he announced we would have a coaching mantra for this season: “Make every kid want to come back tomorrow.” That was it. Meeting over. While I expected notes on mechanics, technique drills, and precision, instead, I got a lesson in the emotional experience.
The only kids who get good at baseball are the kids who keep playing baseball. And the only kids who keep playing baseball are the kids who love it. If you love something, you come back to it. Tomorrow. 
While I am on the more intense end of the spectrum when it comes to my kids’ activities — youth sports led to me being a college athlete — over the years, I have become observant of the culture that has changed so much since my childhood. In modern youth sports, so many adults become obsessed with performance before kids ever fall in love with the game. 
As a conduit between the parents in the stands and the kids on the field, I have to be aware of this, whether or not it is my approach. Thus, my expectation for this season was that I was here to teach baseball. What I learned instead was that if a kid quits, none of the instruction matters. So before we taught a kid how to throw from the mound, we vowed to teach him to enjoy showing up. 
Now, all this is admirable in theory. But for many kids, including my son, winning is always the most “fun” part. And we were far from winning form at the start of the year. We began the season with multiple first-year ballplayers, but if I’m being honest, some of our veterans looked like rookies. Errors were abundant, our best sluggers were going down looking, and for the life of us as coaches, we couldn’t convey what a cutoff man’s job was. 
After a 1-2 start, a little luck allowed us to win our fourth by one run. The dugout floor was damp with tears more than once. 
Up to this point, we had yet to lock our kids into their best positions. Every team has that star shortstop, stud pitcher, and big first baseman. But if a kid lived in right field all season, would he want to “come back tomorrow”? 
The easy approach would have been to panic and optimize. Lock everyone into their primary positions and prioritize winning immediately. But were we going to emphasize short-term efficiency, or continue to develop our kids over the course of the season? In a culture obsessed with early specialization, we chose patience. 
We learned something else along the way. Fun doesn’t have to be a distraction from learning. In fact, with 8-year-old boys in the Florida spring sun, fun should be encouraged. Practices started with water balloon fights and ended with everyone competing for the fastest throw on the radar gun. This wasn’t unserious coaching. It was an understanding of childhood. Eight-year-olds don’t learn well when they are terrified of disappointing adults. 
After the slow start, we sat the team down at Monday’s practice. Barney brought a picture from his time with the Brewers. In the clubhouse, a sign reads, “Effort Knows No Score.” He then gave a talk about effort and attitude being the only two things we can control. Wins and stats are outcomes. Effort and attitude are inputs. Choices. The two things we can control. We made each player vow to bring those two things to the field every day.  
We immediately noticed the results. Kids were showing up early, asking for extra time in the cage; team chemistry was improving (watching two eight-year-olds at shortstop and second base communicate on a double-play is pretty darn cool). The point is, the transition started internally before it showed externally. The season turned on a dime.
The season ended with us riding a 9-game winning streak into the championship. That day began with me being awoken at 6 a.m. by my son, completely dressed in his uniform, asking if we could head to the cages two hours early to “warm up.” This is the kid who wasn’t sure if he wanted to sign up for this season. 
We headed into the last inning down 4-1. The bats were ice cold. Adversity had hit us for the first time in a long time, and you could feel the pressure in the dugout. This would be our ultimate test: What does effort and attitude look like when things finally go wrong again?
What it looked like for us was our left-fielder, who was 0-6 in the playoffs, hitting a leadoff triple, followed by our right-fielder, who had learned how to swing a bat three months prior, following on with a double to spark a rally to send us into extra innings. My son, who is no Aaron Judge, smacked one down the line too for his first hit of the game.
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<div id="attachment_1099063" style="width: 215px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1099063" class="size-medium wp-image-1099063" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/IMG_5590-205x300.jpg" alt="" width="205" height="300" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/IMG_5590-205x300.jpg 205w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/IMG_5590-393x576.jpg 393w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/IMG_5590-768x1125.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/IMG_5590.jpg 819w" sizes=" (max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px" />Photo courtesy of Gates Garcia</div>
We won by one run in extra innings and were crowned champions. But “championship” is too small for this team. The championship became evidence of something larger. It was proof of what kids become when adults create environments where effort matters, failure is survivable, joy exists, belief is constant, and toughness is encouraged without humiliation.
I entered the season thinking my job was to help boys become better at baseball. I left realizing my real responsibility was to help shape how they experience challenge, failure, teamwork, accountability, and belief in themselves.  
My son was in his uniform at 6 a.m., not because someone forced him — I was asleep. Not because of pressure — I was in no rush to be there that early. But because he had fallen in love with the process, and that goes for both of us. 
At the end of every season, Barney defines the success of the season on one metric. How many of our 12 players are going to sign up again next year? While our record on the field was 18-3-1, we know we really went 12-0.
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Gates Garcia is the host of the YouTube show and podcast We The People with Gates Garcia. Follow him on X and Instagram @GatesGarciaFL.

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The Simple Fix For America’s Broken Youth Sports Machine

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