Banny On Gottlieb's Theory About Beltre: "I Don't Care About His Opinion"
DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Rangers manager Jeff Banister responded to Doug Gottlieb's hot take opinion earlier this week about Adrian Beltre.
The Fox Sports radio host insinuated that Beltre was taking performance enhancing drugs because he's a better hitter than he was early on in his career and because he's Dominican.
"It's unfortunate that there are those who will have opinions that feel the need to express them at times ... in a way that's condemning of certain people," Banister told the GBag Nation on 105.3 The Fan. "I gotta believe that not having any time with Adrian, not knowing Adrian, not being in this arena, maybe he's confused in his opinion, I don't know...
To not have watched a guy that is really just a master at how he keeps himself in shape. ... This has nothing to with anything other than hard work. You all know what he goes through every single day and there are times that we marvel at how he's able to endure pain and will himself to play this game at such a high level.
The more you talk about it the more legs you give this story. Doug's gonna get exactly what he wants and that's people talking about his opinion. Quite frankly, I don't care about his opinion because I know the man and I know who Adrian is. ... I've gotten to know him by being with him every single day. I watch him work and how he works. ... He's not the first player, let alone a Dominican born player, to play at a high level at an age where it does marvel. ... And others, we can look up the history of baseball and see throughout time players that have performed extremely well and at high levels at this age. That's about all I've got to say about Dough Gottlieb."
The whole ordeal started a day after Beltre got his 3000th hit when Gottlieb tweeted, "Adrian Beltre with VERY rare offensive explosion in his 30s - forgive me if I wonder."
Adrian Beltre with VERY rare offensive explosion in his 30s - forgive me if I wonder ????????????
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) July 31, 2017
The initial tweet sent off alarms in North Texas and eventually the baseball world.
The face of the Texas Rangers, Michael Young, blasted Gottlieb on Twitter, but the host didn't back down and has continued to tweet his opinion this entire week.
Nope, just a power hitter who has better production in his 30s, same background as other PED guys, same team too https://t.co/ejUXIIfIJQ
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) July 31, 2017
You mean I'm not allowed to mention he is Dominican? Why? High % of DR dudes popped for PEDs... or am I supposed to forget? https://t.co/NzxDRtQ7X5
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) July 31, 2017
Gottlieb's claim is that there are players from the Dominican Republic that have been caught using performance enhancing drugs, which there have been.
Gottlieb has yet to back his claims with any factual proof that Beltre used steroids.