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NEW YORK - JULY 17: Hall of Famer Rich Gossage looks on during the New York Yankees 64th Old-Timer's Day before the MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 17, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Goose Gossage criticizes Jose Bautista

Hall of Famer Rich “Goose” Gossage has been outspoken on a variety of baseball topics ever since he retired in 1994. On Thursday, he turned his attention to the Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista, calling him a “f—ing disgrace to the game.” Here’s the full quote, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York:

“Bautista is a f—ing disgrace to the game,” Gossage told ESPN. “He’s embarrassing to all the Latin players, whoever played before him. Throwing his bat and acting like a fool, like all those guys in Toronto. [Yoenis] Cespedes, same thing.”

Gossage, your classic old-school kind of ballplayer, is alluding to the epic bat flip “Joey Bats” had in the playoffs last year. My guess is that Gossage would’ve drilled the next guy in the back with a 98 mph fastball.

He also took a shot at the “nerds” in baseball, referring to the guys who focus on SABR/advanced stats. “It’s a joke,” Gossage said. “I’ll tell you what has happened, these guys played Rotisserie baseball at Harvard or wherever the f— they went and they thought they figured the f—ing game out. They don’t know s—.”

Conveniently, the Blue Jays are in Tampa to face the Yankees today, so Bautista had a chance to respond to the comments:

“He’s a great ambassador for the game,” Bautista told ESPN after being told of Gossage’s comments. “I don’t agree with him. I’m disappointed that he made those comments, but I’m not going to get into it with him. I would never say anything about him, no matter what he said about me. I have too much good stuff to worry about his comments. Today’ is my first game [of the spring,] getting ready for a new season, hopefully, we will whoop some more ass.”

These comments come on the heels of Bryce Harper’s remarks about the game today being too boring, and how other sports are more exciting because guys show emotion. There seems to be a never ending debate on what’s gamesmanship and what’s disrespectful.

Ah, the unwritten rules of baseball.