The Mets invited Billy Bean, Major League Baseball's ambassador for inclusion, to spend Tuesday with the team at its spring training facility. Not everyone was thrilled to have the openly gay ex-player around.
Second baseman Daniel Murphy was clear about where he stood.
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"I disagree with his lifestyle," Murphy told reporters, according to NJ.com . "I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual."
Murphy also said he would not shun Bean.
"That doesn't mean I can't still invest in him and get to know him," he was quoted as saying. "I don't think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect."
NY DAILY NEWS: Murphy expands on comments
A devout Christian, Murphy said the moment was an opening for a conversation and an opportunity to move past stereotypes.
"Maybe, as a Christian, that we haven't been as articulate enough in describing what our actual stance is on homosexuality," he said in response to a question. "Getting to know him. That, I would say, you can still accept them but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100 percent."
Bean, who was a guest of Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, is hopeful that big leaguers will become accepting of a gay player. Bean played for the Tigers, Dodgers and Padres from 1987 to 1995. He came out in 1999.
"We're trying to reach out to people and we are there if they reach back," Bean told reporters. "What's important is that if we have one or two people on a team that we might have exposed them to something they hadn't thought about before."