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@Mae: Totally agree. The league said it was ok, his team said it was ok -- frankly everyone can just STFU. Because here's the danger of this kind of criticism -- I saw lots of fans saying, "Paternity leave is for women" all over social media. Putting aside the hilarity of that statement ("paternity" by definition applies to MEN, people!) I just think that's a terrible sentiment for people to have.
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How DARE someone rather be home to take care of their newborn and recovering wife instead of playing a sport. Does this man have no sense of priorities!?
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@MrsSCB: lolz. Sort of like the coke commercial Super Bowl controversy where people were upset that "our national anthem" was being sung in other languages... but it wasn't our national anthem. At least dumb people self-identity in their criticism
But I do think, just generally, it's sad that America culture doesn't really seem to value families at all. I mean-- we SAY we do. Although most of the talking points on valuing families somehow get twisted into things that have nothing to do with families like gay marriage. But I think a lot of other countries recognize that people work to support their families, and allowing people to be good parents makes better workers. In America we soooort of want you to have kids (so those kids can support us when we retire) but you better figure out how to have them all while not losing an ounce of productivity... capitalism dont-ya-know 
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My husband took three weeks of partially paid paternity leave, after the birth of our daughter. It was such an important and special time, for our family. I hate the idea that men aren't necessary sources of love and support during the newborn period, as it's so far from the truth. It's unfortunate that this player is receiving such dated backlash, but it's likely he feels zero remorse.
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@Mae: Exactly. For the most part, I think true "work-life balance" is a completely foreign concept in this country -- from parental leave to vacation time and more -- and it's just sad.
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Yes, it is the culture/expectation here in America that sucks. My husband doesn't get paternity leave of any kind and will have to use his vacation time. Even then he'll be the first male in his company to take any kind of time off after a birth - even though he's the last to become a father. It's bizarre for them that he isn't just having a nanny tend to everything for me (not that having help is wrong, just that he should get the right to be there too).
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@MrsSCB: I agree with you regarding the lack of work-life balance in the US.
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This makes me think of the golfer who was winning a tournament when he got the call that his wife had gone into labor (a few weeks early), so he walked right off the course and headed to the airport...IIRC, he got mainly applause for being a good husband and father. Is it due to individual vs team sport? Or are the fans of the two sports really so different? Regardless, I'm glad this player took what he was entitled to, or at least part of it, and I bet by midseason nobody is going to remember that he missed a game. But he and his family will remember those precious first few days with their little one.
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@PurplePeony: Well golf tends to hit an older demographic, people who are more likely to be parents, so maybe that's it?
The people who made these comments though aren't young.
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I find the idea that the wife should schedule non-trivial surgery to better accommodate two baseball games laughable. By and large though, I felt the talk show guys were doing their job as far as I could tell (riling people up on a call in show, preaching to their audience of rabid sports fans) and plenty of people came to the player's defense. The fact that he had the option to take time and most people seemed to defend his choice seems promising to me.
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@MrsMcD: if he did indeed take off 3 games out of 162, that's only 2% rounding up, which equals about a 40 hour week for a normal FT job. if that's the agreed upon amount between DH and his employer, i would absolutely use it, especially in the beginning of the season and especially for our first child! if you're taking play offs, etc, then i might change my tune, but sounds totally appropriate for the situation.
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@birdofafeather: That's such a great opinion!
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I read this too and was very bothered. My husband helped a lot while we were in the hospital. I don't understand why people think a father wouldn't want to spend time with their newborn child! Ridiculous!
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@rattles: I hear that too--that the other commentator said, "well if it was my wife, I would have had her do a c-section before opening day" WTF?! Watching this made me so angry--what assholes. You can disagree with the player's choice, but it was his choice to make, and he shouldn't be disparaged as a person or a player for it.
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To me, it's one thing for a talk show host who has a history of being obnoxious to rile fans up to say this, but it's another that this became such a big deal he had to issue a statement defending his actions! Are you kidding me?? defending taking time he is entitled to take during the first week of the season? Pathetic!
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Also, should we take away their bereavement leave as well? I mean, it's not like they are the ones who died, right? There are actually a few things in life more important than a baseball game and a job.
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@Pirouette: love this analogy!
But I do think, just generally, it's sad that America culture doesn't really seem to value families at all. I mean-- we SAY we do. Although most of the talking points on valuing families somehow get twisted into things that have nothing to do with families like gay marriage. But I think a lot of other countries recognize that people work to support their families, and allowing people to be good parents makes better workers. In America we soooort of want you to have kids (so those kids can support us when we retire) but you better figure out how to have them all while not losing an ounce of productivity... capitalism dont-ya-know 
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