Mets' Dan Warthen back in dugout after apologizing
Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen. Credit: MLB
VIERA, Fla. -- Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen was in his usual spot in the dugout Thursday, one day after he apologized in a statement for making insensitive remarks to a Japanese-American translator that were overheard by a Chinese-American reporter.
Warthen, along with Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, issued statements of apology after a blog was posted on The Wall Street Journal's website on Wednesday detailing the incident, which occurred on Monday in the locker room.
Alderson would not say Thursday if the organization had or was planning to discipline Warthen, 61, the team's pitching coach since 2008.
"I have nothing to add to the statement," Alderson said.
In the statement, Alderson said, in part: "The remarks were offensive and inappropriate and the organization is very sorry."
Before the Mets left Port St. Lucie for an exhibition game against the Nationals, Warthen said: "I issued the statement. I put out the apology. I'm sticking by the statement. I already made the apologies to all the appropriate people. I don't think there's any ill feelings by any of the people in this room. I made a mistake. I live up to it. It will not happen again."
Warthen was reported to have made the remarks to Jeff Cutler, who is the translator for Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Reporter Stu Woo, who posted a first-person blog on the Journal website after a planned meeting with Warthen did not occur, said he was "surprised" and "startled" by the remarks.
Warthen said in his statement that his remarks were "a poor attempt at humor."
Cutler and Matsuzaka said yesterday they would like to put the incident behind them.
"Everyone makes mistakes," Matsuzaka said through Cutler. "Dan's already commented on it and I don't want to dig deeper or try to make it something or try to add to it."
Asked if he was offended by Warthen's remarks, Cutler said: "Dan's already commented on it, Sandy's commented on it. I don't have anything else to add."
