ESPN Insider and Former MLB Player Engage in Twitter Spat

Jeff Pasan from ESPN and ex-MLB player Doug Mientkiewicz found themselves in a heated exchange on Twitter this past Thursday, and it was quite the spectacle.

The discussion boiled over after Pasan referred to Edglen Perez, a newly acquired player for the Pirates, as having a “good swing decision.” This comment didn’t sit well with Mientkiewicz, who fired back, questioning the notion of praising a player with a notably low batting average.

“When someone says ‘Excellent swing decisions’ about a guy who’s hitting .209, you have to wonder about the judgment at play. I mean, what about the career .241 batting average? I feel like some scouts and writers just want to sound smart to those outside the baseball world,” Mientkiewicz remarked.

Perez, just 19 years old, was picked up from the Yankees as part of a trade for closer David Bednar ahead of the deadline Thursday.

Pasan, known for his sharp critiques, quickly shot back at Mientkiewicz.

“The scouts are the source of this, Doug. Are you upset with them too, or is it that you’re just bitter because batting averages are the only thing you’ve excelled at? People don’t really seem to care anymore,” he replied.

Mientkiewicz, a champion from the 2004 World Series against the Red Sox, counters with a reminder, saying, “Never forget this: I can do what you do, but you can’t do what the players do.”

Things heated up, and Pasan unleashed a series of passionate posts in response.

“Look, it’s cool that I’ve avoided playing baseball, Doug. The frustrating part is when you seem to miss the point completely,” Pasan noted. He continued affirming Mientkiewicz’s successful career but insisted it doesn’t grant him the right to make absurd claims. “I know I don’t know everything, so I turn to those who do. You, on the other hand, think you have it all figured out, and the irony of that is laughable,” he wrote.

Ultimately, Mientkiewicz wrapped up the exchange by saying Pasan’s comments had hurt his feelings, adding that he was only providing information as a scout based on what he had learned about Perez’s swing.

“I’m just relaying information to people who, like you, give credit to players—it’s really that simple,” he concluded.