The New York Yankees were swept by the Toronto Blue Jays last week. The Blue Jays took over first place in the AL East from the Yankees, and have since added to that lead. Lost in the drama of little brother's midseason sweep big brother is a broadcaster battle. Prior to the Yankees series, Michael Kay of YES Network made it clear that he did not view the Jays as a first-place team based purely on run differential. Techically, he was right. The Jays run differential suggested they should be a bit closer to .500, rather than on the Yankees heels. Kay said Toronto was "not playing great baseball. I'm sorry. They're not."
After the Blue Jays sweep, Sportsnet's Jamie Campbell responded, with a broom in hand, asking if the Yankees broadcaster considered Toronto a first-place team following the series.
"We have been asked about the broom relentlessly these last couple of days, so here it is because we just witnessed something that has not been done in the history of the Blue Jays," said Campbell. "Sweeping all four from the Yankees here in Toronto. First time. And I can think of a certain Yankee broadcaster in fact who is going to have to go on his show tomorrow and admit that the Blue Jays are a first-place team because the standings prove it."
Michael Kay's rebuttal to Blue Jays broadcast isn't a good look
This, by all accounts, was in good fun. Campbell was simply adding some fuel to the Yankees fire. Broadcast teams often go back and forth throughout the season, especially in big baseball markets like New York and Toronto. The Blue Jays have been chasing the Yankees for years. Now that they finally gained the upper hand, it shouldn't surprise Kay that he caught some strays, especially as the voice of the team.
Kay could've swept this under the rug, but instead insisted on responding to Campbell and Sportsnet. In his response, Kay said that if he or Jack Curry went on the air with such clear partisan intent, they would be fired. He also implied that Campbell was a "fawning fanboy."
Michael Kay is a test case in why Blue Jays fans can't stand the Yankees
“It’s interesting, so what I would say to Jamie is: I could easily say the Blue Jays are a first-place team because I’m not a fawning fan boy,” Kay said at Citi Field on Sunday. “I’m a broadcaster. And the bottom line is they’re, in fact, a first-place team. Also, the whole narrative has been skewed by people who misinterpreted and didn’t hear everything that I said on my radio show."
Kay's professionalism isn't in doubt, but he's kidding himself if he truly believes he doesn't lean towards the Yankees while broadcasting games on YES. In many ways, that is his job, even if done subtly.
In fact, Kay provided a great summary as to why some fanbases cannot stand the Yankees. It's okay to root for your favorite team, especially if it's your job to cover them on said broadcast! Kay does it frequently, even if he won't admit it, and so does Campbell. The issue becomes when Kay (or his Yankees coworkers) pretend they are better than the rest of us.