Jays manager Gibbons gets apparent pass from boss on women’s dresses remark

TORONTO – It appears Blue Jays manager John Gibbons has got a pass from his boss on his heat-of-the-moment comment about baseball players wearing dresses.

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro says when someone in the organization says something that crosses the line, they will be spoken to. Gibbons’ dig earlier this week that “maybe we’ll come out wearing dresses tomorrow” does not meet that standard.

“I guess I believe in individuality of employees, to be able to express themselves and what their beliefs are,” Shapiro said prior to Friday’s home opener when asked about the general issue of political correctness. “There’s obviously a line — it’s hard to give you what that absolute line is. I don’t feel we’ve had to deal with that any time recently. Because I think we understand intent and we understand who the people are and when the situations have occurred. Recently with Gibby in particular.”

An irate Gibbons made the comment Tuesday night after the Jays lost 3-2 to Tampa Bay because of baseball’s new rule on breaking up double plays. A video ruling negated the go-ahead run.

Gibbons, who drew some fire in social media, said the next day that he was trying to inject some humour into a tense situation and had “no malicious intent.”

“There’s clearly a line. Maybe political correctness is not the right word,” Shapiro said. “But when there’s a level of insensitivity that is not tolerable, I think you’d see us act. The fact that we didn’t act in any way kind of states that this wasn’t that circumstance.

“It doesn’t mean we agree,” he added.