"It was just overkill on this baseball in our opinion. I wasn’t upset. It was sort of, ‘Come on you guys!'” - Former football reporter Michelle Tafoya clarifies her reasons for the tweet on Shohei Ohtani that drew flak from MLB community including Buster Olney
Shohei Ohtani smacked his hundredth career home run against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday night. The baseball world came alive with tweets and other social media posts praising the Los Angeles Angels superstar for the accomplishment.
As has been happening for some time now, many praised Ohtani for being the greatest player of his generation. He's certainly the most talented, and not many are arguing against his productivity. But some baseball fans seem to be growing tired of all the "Shohei Ohtani chatter."
Last Saturday night, many thought former NFL reporter Michele Tafoya was one of them.
@Angels broadcast… Enough with the @Ohtani baseball chatter!!!
@BallySportWest
"@Angels broadcast… Enough with the @Ohtani baseball chatter!!! @BallySportWest" - @Michele Tafoya
Evidently, Tafoya was watching the Angels versus Athletics game, but didn't seem to be pleased with how much the away feed was talking about Shohei Ohtani. She sounded frustrated. Many replied to her tweet criticizing what seemed to be anti-Ohtani negativity. However, Tafoya clafiried her intent in a tweet today.
Michelle Tafoya clarifies her reasons for the tweet on Shohei Ohtani
In Ryan Glasspiegel's New York Post article about the incident, Tafoya explained that she wasn't tired of hearing about Ohtani. Rather, she was tired of hearing about the actual baseball that he hit his hundredth home run with. She also explained in a tweet today, in which she said "the coverage of the physical baseball was a little much."
Really? If you read the tweet again, I said enough with the talk about the Ohtani “baseball.” IMHO, the broadcast went overboard showing the actual BALL — maybe more than they showed Ohtani. The home run was fantastic, the coverage of the physical baseball was a little much.
"Really? If you read the tweet again, I said enough with the talk about the Ohtani 'baseball.' IMHO, the broadcast went overboard showing the actual BALL — maybe more than they showed Ohtani. The home run was fantastic, the coverage of the physical baseball was a little much." - @Michele Tafoya
Tafoya furthered this explanation in the New York Post article. She said that she was watching the game with her husband and son, both of whom have played high-level baseball at one point or another during their lives. Apparently, the Angels broadcast feed just couldn't get enough of the baseball Ohtani hit his home run with.
“We were laughing because they did not stop talking about this baseball and how someone brought it to their booth, and people taking pictures of it, and on and on and on and on and on,” Tafoya said. "It was just overkill on this baseball in our opinion. I wasn’t upset. It was sort of, ‘Come on, you guys!'”
With those words, Tafoya may have saved herself from baseball fandom cancelation. MLB fans are in awe of Shohei Ohtani. In their eyes, anybody who's not clearly underappreciates the superstar. But Tafoya explained that she was not referring to Ohtani -- just the excessive baseball coverage.
“It was more sarcastic. It was like ‘We see the baseball.’ The moment itself was an amazing moment! This guy is incredible. Ohtani is a freaking miracle. He’s awesome.”
Good enough, Tafoya. The baseball world will accept her back into the flock.