Goose Gossage calls Jose Bautista a 'disgrace' for bat flip

Hall of Famer Goose Gossage went on a tirade about the state of Major League Baseball and pulled no punches when it came to Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista. 

In a 10-minute interview with an ESPN reporter on Thursday, the former reliever called Bautista "a disgrace to the game."

"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. [Mets outfielder Yoenis] Cespedes, same thing," Gossage said. 

Gossage, 64, was referring to Bautista's now infamous bat flip that followed a three-run, seventh-inning homer that propelled Toronto to a Game 5 victory in the American League Division series.

Bautista seemed to take the high road in response. 

"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," Bautista said. 

Bautista also said he had no plans to reach out to Gossage.

"I don't think it's my job," Bautista said. "I'm just going about my work. Showing up here to do my job, and help this team win ballgames."

Gossage's profanity-laced rant further targeted the "nerds" who he believes are ruining the game.

"The game is becoming a freaking joke because of the nerds who are running it," Gossage said. 

"You can't take out the f---ing catcher because [Buster] Posey was in the wrong position and they are going to change all the rules. You can't pitch inside anymore. I'd like to knock some of these f---ers on their ass and see how they would do against pitchers in the old days."

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons agreed in part with Gossage's assessment of how the game has changed.

"Baseball was kind of always the one game that policed itself and there was no showing everybody up. Players would handle it. Umpires would let players handle it. That's not the case anymore," Gibbons said.