Jake Mintz and Alanna Rizzo

Who would have thought the biggest story of the MLB Postseason would be an “attaboy Harper!” coming from the Braves locker room? While seemingly everyone has had a say on the matter, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) has thrown their hat into the ring.

The story truly caught fire after MLB Network’s Alanna Rizzo took personal shots at the Fox Sports reporter, Jake Mintz, who shared the comments of Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia from the Atlanta clubhouse. Not only did Rizzo attack Mintz personally, but she tried to set the rules for what should and should not be reported from the team’s space, even when reporters are present.

Scores of individuals from the baseball media have stepped up to defend Mintz and now the BBWAA itself has taken up for one of their members with a blistering statement not just addressing Rizzo, but MLB Network as well.

While you can certainly agree or disagree with Rizzo’s thoughts about what should and should not be reported from the baseball clubhouse, her depiction of Mintz was just plain wrong. Not only did she attack him personally as a ‘jackoff’ but also questioned his credentials, portraying him as someone who flew in off the street just trying to make a name for himself. That’s an unfair and inaccurate depiction of someone who is clearly dedicated to covering the sport and seems well-liked by his baseball colleagues.

The larger issue here might just be how MLB Network responds because the BBWAA is clearly taking issue not just with the comments, but with the fact that they were aired on the league’s own network. We’ll see if Rizzo or MLB Network feel as though they have to respond and set things right with Mintz and the wider baseball media who cover the sport on a day in and day out basis.