KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On a day in which the Kansas City Royals were trying to officially advance to their first World Series in 29 years, Game 3 starter Jeremy Guthrie was apologizing to his former club.
The former Orioles pitcher issued an apology for wearing a post-game shirt stating, “These O’s Ain’t Royal,” adding that he made no connection with the play on words from the song “Loyal” by Chris Brown. Countless fans and members of the organization took exception to what was perceived as a sign of disrespect for a club that helped Guthrie revitalize his career when he arrived in Baltimore in 2007.
“Unfortunately for me, I used a lack of judgment in putting that shirt on after the game,” Guthrie said Wednesday afternoon. “Never changed, came in here, and wore it. What ensued was not what I intended. There was no intention to call the attention to the other team, friends, and former teammates, certainly not the organization and most definitely not their fans.”
Guthrie allowed one earned run and three hits over five innings in Game 3 as the Royals won 2-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series. Guthrie said a few former teammates in the Orioles clubhouse reached out to him following the game to express they thought the shirt “was pretty low, a low blow, or inappropriate.”
In five seasons in Baltimore, Guthrie went 47-65 with a 4.12 ERA. He was traded to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for pitchers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom before the start of spring training in 2012. However, Guthrie had remained a fan favorite in Baltimore over the last couple years prior to Tuesday night.
“Anyone and everyone that was offended, you’ll never see the shirt again,” Guthrie said. “The shirt was sent to me, and it will be sent to the garbage, because that’s probably where it belongs at this point. And I am willing to accept that. And any reaction that’s come my way, I understand it. I’ve accepted it. And I’ll move on.”
Perhaps the most damning fallout from Guthrie wearing the shirt was the amount of attention it received prior to the start of Game 4 as the Orioles try to become only the second team in major league history to erase an 0-3 deficit in a playoff series.
