Chris Bosio 'Shocked' After Being Fired by Tigers After Misunderstanding

The Detroit Tigers fired pitching coach Chris Bosio on Wednesday for allegedly making "insensitive remarks to a team employee," but he believes it was a case of misunderstanding. 

On Thursday, a "shocked" Bosio revealed to USA Today's Bob Nightengale that he was fired for using the word "monkey" after an African American clubhouse attendant overheard him. He explained that he did not use it in a racist manner, saying that he was referring to pitcher Daniel Stumpf, who is white, by his "Spider Monkey" nickname:

“Someone in our coaches' room asked me (Monday afternoon) about Stumpf. And I said, "Oh, you mean, 'Spider Monkey.' That’s his nickname. He’s a skinny little white kid who makes all of these funny faces when he works out.

"The kid thought we were talking about him. He got all upset. He assumed we were talking about him. I said, 'No, no, no. We’re talking about Stumpf.'

"And that was it. I swear on my mom and dad’s graves, there was nothing else to it.'"

Bosio attempted to clear up the matter with Detroit general manager Al Avila on Tuesday, although it did not help him keep his job: 

"I didn’t deny it. But it was directed at Stumpf, and the face he makes when he lifts weights. That’s it.

"Al said, we got all of our information, and we’re firing you because of your insensitive comments. I said, 'Comments? There was one comment. And it wasn’t even directed at the kid.'

Al said, "We and Major League Baseball have a zero-tolerance policy. I said, 'Al, I don’t have any issues with anybody. I didn’t cross the line. I’m really sorry, but that’s not my intent. I can’t believe this."

Avila addressed the matter on Wednesday:

Before being hired by Detroit this past offseason, Bosio had spent the previous six seasons with the Chicago Cubs. He was a part of the 2016 team that broke the Curse of the Billy Goat and gave the franchise its first World Series championship since 1908.

He joined the Tigers under new manager Ron Gardenhire. However, he was let go less than a year into his contract.

Now, Bosio told Nightengale that he wants to set the record straight:

"I’ve got protect myself someway, because this is damaging as hell to me. I’ve got to fight for myself. Everyone knows this is not me. I didn’t use any profanity. There was no vulgarity. The N-word wasn’t used. No racial anything. It was a comment, and a nickname we used for a player.

"I don’t know what else to say, but I know I don’t deserve this."