Trea Turner apologizes for offensive tweets

Nationals shortstop Trea Turner met with the media regarding offensive tweets he posted on Twitter back when he was playing baseball at North Carolina State.

He opened with an apology for the tweets he wrote in 2011 and 2012.

"For starters, I want to apologize to everybody that was affected by things that I said: LBGT community, African-American community, special-needs community," Turner said.

"I'm truly sorry for what I said and I want to take full responsibility for that. I want to apologize to my teammates, I just talked to them, make sure that they know my thoughts and where I'm at. I want to apologize to Mike Rizzo and the Nationals for bringing this distraction to their team, their organization, sorry for that as well. Most importantly, apologize to the fans. A lot of fans had been sharing their thoughts in the last few days and I've had a chance to read a few of them. I think that's where it is most affected by what I said, and I want to apologize to those people.

"It's not when I said the things I said, it's that I said them at all. That's a clear learning point from this, to make sure that anybody is aware of what they're saying at all times. No matter how you use it or what context you are using it in, words hurt. It's wrong and inexcusable for what I said. I know as an athlete I want to use the platform for good and make a difference in a positive way. I think I can do that and I want to do that. That's something I can look into and make sure that I'm doing. Just want to reiterate I'm truly sorry for what I said."

Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo said he understands what negative words and actions can do to hurt people, and that what Turner did was wrong. Rizzo said the shortstop apologized to everyone concerned for those tweets.

Rizzo said he hopes that social media can be a place where everyone is treated like one would want to be treated.

"It's an unfortunate situation. It can't be glossed over," Rizzo said. "Those things are very, very serious. Trea has apologized to me personally, to the organization, to the Lerner family. He's apologized to his teammates. The Trea Turner I know since we brought him into the organization is a fine human being. He's a fine person and a guy who conducts himself in a very dignified, classy manner.

"Love one another. This is a cultural thing. It's not about social media. It's about people's attitudes. Love one another. Treat others how you want to be treated, and I think that rule of thumb is long-lasting and forever."

Turner said he has had time to reflect about the words he typed on Twitter seven years ago, and how those words have hurt people.

"I just got a lot of time to think about a lot of things. I think, growing as a person, as a player, I've talked about growing as a player in interviews, but you don't always talk about growing as a player. That's something that I think I've done a lot in the last few years since I've been drafted. Throughout my life, you learn. Things change, people change. For me, I think it's my teammates. I've talked a lot to the coaches, my teammates. Things that they have said kind of stick with me the most, I guess.

"I don't think that I've ever had those views that people are saying about me. Which is fair. I think you can definitely accuse me of that."

Nationals manager Davey Martinez said he spoke to Turner about the situation and got a sincere, heartfelt apology from the player. Martinez said Turner became emotional during their conversation.

"It's ... a tweet's a tweet, obviously," Martinez said. "No matter your age. I know, myself, this organization, we don't condone those things. I talked to Trea. He heavily regrets outing that out there. He cried, which I expected. But I think, moving forward, he understands. He wants to make things right. He's taken full responsibility. He's a good kid and I tell him I'll help him out any way I can. But it's going to be ... you got to live with it and you got to understand that you hurt people. Real people. So he gets it."

Turner said his actions have also made him rethink how he wants to give back to the community and work with children.

"(T)his year I've gotten the chance to work with the anti-bullying campaign, which MLB has done, which I've really enjoyed," Turner said. "I think that makes a difference. You don't know who's going through what at any age, at any time. You hear stories all the time after it's too late or something could've been done before. I think its eye-opening, ear-opening to hear people. You need to listen more than you say, and learn.

"I think going forward I can do a lot more things, I just need to assess what's important to me, what can make the biggest difference. And from reading the last few days, being a kid and things kids go through is kind of overlooked. That's something I would like to take part in. I have, in the past couple years, done quite a bit through the team, but doing more and more is better."

Turner said he understands his actions and his words can have a profound effect on youth who look up to him on the baseball diamond. But he has learned these last few days that his words also hurt adults.

"I think all of us, including myself, know that. But sometimes it's hard to see how far it goes. A lot of times people say 'kids, kids, kids.' Kids look up to you the most, but there's plenty of adults that have reached out to me that gave their side of the story. It's not just one person, one community. It's a lot of people in a lot different places doing a lot of different things. I think that's something that athletes have to keep in mind. It's not a niche, or a small community, or one person, it's much larger.

"People, if they shared their story, I've read some of the things and just tried to listen and try to think. Just try to soak all that in and try to be a better person, better human being and move on."