Just two weeks after the New York Mets fired Jared Porter over unsolicited sexual messages; the same scandal surrounds former manager, Mickey Callaway. Major League Baseball has immediately launched an investigation into the allegations against the Los Angeles Angels pitching coach.
"Two or three times a week for a month he’d send me shirtless selfies … He’d follow up with something like, 'Now you send me one of you.'”
Five women have accused Mickey Callaway of lewd advances, spanning at least five years and three teams.
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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 2, 2021
Callaway’s past employment links him with the Mets, but this issue encompasses the entire sport. The degrading responses from men regarding women in sports keep this behavior alive. We also cannot forget about the people with power who misuse it. Victims are afraid to come out and speak their truth for many reasons, one being the lack of action taken to punish the abuser.
Bring in More Qualified Women
After watching Mickey Callaway manage for two seasons, it is easy to say that there are plenty of women who would have been a better manager. The biggest challenge is getting those women the opportunities they deserve. Alyssa Nakken, Kim Ng, and Bianca Smith are the beginning of women receiving prominent baseball positions. Their credentials show they deserve their opportunities, but we can only imagine what they have dealt with on their way up.
Combatting this issue is a team effort. When men see or suspect this behavior taking place, there has to be something done about it. Stepping in, reporting it, or doing more than nothing is a way to fight the issue. Working together to keep predators out of the game will allow it to grow in character. Once Callaway is fired, it will be another person kicked out of the game for good. Hopefully, others are not far behind him.