Toronto's Fan590 suspends radio guy after a run-in with Cito Gaston

[Huggy]

I'm not in the business but I am interested in the thoughts of those here on this issue here in Toronto.

Mike Wilner is a host on the Jays' radio brodcasts. After Wednesday's loss to Tamap Bay he questioned Cito Gaston on his use of his bullpen and later wrote about it on his BLOG! (a link to it is inlcuded in the national Post article below). The Fan590, the Jays' flagship station, subsequently suspended him for this weekend's series against the Yankees.

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2010/06/04/disagreement-with-jays-manager-earns-radio-announcer-the-weekend-off/

The Fan is owned by Rogers which also owns the Jays who have said they had no part in the suspension. Jays BLOGS! and message boards I frequent seem to be split: many dislike Wilner's rude, condescending tone on his post-game show (I felt he was too much of a Ricciardi apologist/sympathizer when he was the host of J.P.'s weekly post-game, call-in segment) while others aren't happy to see Rogers' heavy hand coming down on someone who disagrees with Gaston's bullpen management.

The Toronto chapter of the BBWAA has written a letter in support of Wilner.

As an employee of the company that owns the team, Wilner isn't exactly an independent voice here. What do you guys think of this?

 

[Drip]

He's basically a team employee. The suspension is warranted.

 

[Double J]

I don't know if a suspension is warranted.....maybe a reprimand was in order, given that he's using an organizational platform to pick a fight with the manager.

Unless The Fan 590 presents itself as a fully independent operation when it comes to the Jays. Does it? I wouldn't think that it does, but I really don't know. If it does, I don't know that any discipline could really be defended.

Then again, anybody who is a J.P. Ricciardi apologist/sympathizer honestly doesn't deserve a lot of sympathy, if any. Especially if he's as big a douche to callers as you say (I don't listen to him, so I have no idea).

 

[Sic semper tyrannis]

If Wilner weren't Wilner, the suspension wouldn't have happened. He comes across as thinking he's a baseball genius, and yes, was a Ricciardi apologist.
He has every right to question to Gaston, as does Gaston to be pissed off at the line of questioning. Gaston responded to the question, perhaps not as Wilner would have wanted, but Gaston didn't have him cut off or thrown out of the scrum.
Wilner asked Gaston if he had used his bullpen incorrectly. Gaston said no, he didn't think that. Wilner then argued with the answer. I don't blame Gaston for being pissed off. Question asked and answered. Next.
Wilner shouldn't have whined about being "belittled" in his blog.

 

[friend of the friendless]

Sirs, Madames,

His condescension towards those who bother to listen and phone in is grating. It would be fine in a chat room, but it's not suitable for someone drawing a cheque. I can't imagine that he's a helluva lot of fun to hang out with. The Bill Needle act is hard to take. If the Fan590 becomes Homer Central under a new station manager why would anyone be surprised? And while ye olde Bobcat doesn't like Cito he has been shilling the Jays lately.

o-<