One of the key pieces of any journalist's foundation is the trust that he or she builds when reporting on a story. Without trust, it's hard to really get deep inside the feelings or emotions or reasoning of another person when it comes to something that has happened that fans or the general public might want to know more about it.
Of course, one of the biggest stories inside the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies NLDS skirmish has become the quote by Orlando Arcia about Bryce Harper that was reported by a fraction of the media members who were in the clubhouse after Atlanta's Game 2 win. I was among those in the Braves clubhouse that night, looking to get into a scrum or two with Max Fried, Michael Harris II or any other Atlanta players who were key members of that night's storyline.
When the doors opened and we were allowed in, I was like so many who went straight to Harris' locker to get his reactions. I then listened to Fried and finally caught up with Pierce Johnson, who was on the mound for the odd catcher's interference call in Game 1 and came back with a strong performance in Game 2. I left the clubhouse, wrote my article and headed out. I admit that I did not hear Arcia's comments that have been reported and, even if I had, I wouldn't have reported them.
Let me explain why.
Why the Orlando Arcia quote should have never been made public
Before I go any further, please understand this isn't a "holier than thou" article. This is my way of explaining why I believe so many reporters in that clubhouse chose not to report Arcia's words.
As a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), I know there is a fragile existence between baseball players and the media. We reporters are in their space, asking them about why they failed to make the right pitch or come through in a clutch situation. Not all questions are asked inside a winning clubhouse and, even if they were, not everything is always reported from what was seen and heard in that space.
While Arcia did admit to saying the now infamous words about Harper, this is a space where players should be allowed by members of the media to celebrate after a game. That includes moments that happen between teammates that, in my opinion, should be left to stay within the hallowed walls of that clubhouse.
There's a reason why only a small fraction of those of us in the clubhouse on Monday night told the world of Arcia's words. It's the trust that has been built with players and the unwritten rule that words spoken in the heat of the moment stay in that moment. Many of us who are in clubhouses throughout the year understand that. As the postseason comes and the battle for clicks and page views begins, the lines are often blurred in the hopes of going viral.
After spending countless pregame and postgame moments inside various MLB clubhouses around the country, I can tell you there is an absolute understanding between players and media of what is on or off the record, and what should be reported or kept as a personal memory. Because I consider myself a journalist, I have buried many quotes or observances because it's not just about that moment. It's about the relationship with the players who allow me to come into their workplace and talk to me, even in some of their darkest professional moments.
During the COVID season of 2020, reporters weren't allowed in the clubhouses. We all relied on Zoom interviews for our articles and all worked with the same quotes from the same interviews. When the pandemic started to lessen, many of us wondered if we would be allowed back into the locker room. After all, the players could still communicate without us being in there, right? Thankfully, there was an agreement made that clubhouses would be opened once again.
I've never taken those moments of being in the clubhouse for granted since 2020. I also believe every day I have to show players and administrators from teams that I am there to report on a story and not make a name for myself. As Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black says often, "Every day is a test." It is for his players, and it is for those of us who cover them as well. Will we sacrifice trust and relationships for one viral moment?
There were plenty of stories to tell that night in Atlanta. Arcia's words should have never have been one of them.
