MLB

Strasburg Replacement Accidentally Scorns Miss Iowa, Then Sends Her Flowers

Everyone wants to see Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg, so when fans have tickets to a scheduled Strasburg start and he doesn’t pitch (then promptly heads to the DL), they won’t be happy – even if replacement Miguel Batista does a superb job and leads the Nats to a win.

Even Batista understood – the only problem was that in expressing his misunderstanding, he made an analogy that sullied a proud distinction:

“Imagine if you go there to see Miss Universe,” Batista said, “and you end up having Miss Iowa.”

Now, the remark was clearly made in such good fun, and was so self-deprecating, that we hadn’t even considered the “offensive to Miss Iowa” angle. Fortunately, the actual Miss Iowa, Katherine Connors, didn’t seem too offended herself, responding:

“I know I can throw a pitch or two!” Connors said. “The question is, can Miguel Batista walk the runway in a swimsuit?”

We doubt anyone – Batista himself included – will be in a real big rush to find out, but he was in a rush to clarify his remarks. He told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that Connors is “gorgeous” and that he never meant to demean Miss Iowa’s beauty, but rather that what seems disappointing on the surface can actually turn out to be pretty great.

Oh, and the Miss Iowa pageant invited Batista to be a judge, and Connors and a different Miss Iowa want to throw out the first pitch at a Nationals game – an idea that Big League Stew says can’t miss (we agree). It’s nice to see a story where someone could conceivably get offended, but instead everyone just decides to have some fun.

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