The New York Mets could very likely be heading to the World Series, and second baseman Daniel Murphy has been lauded for his performance in the postseason, with five home runs in seven play-off games.

Less impressive is Murphy's mouth: In the spring, when gay ex-outfielder Billy Bean was appointed MLB's ambassador for inclusion, he declared he disagreed with Bean's "lifestyle."

Here's what Murphy, an outspoken Evangelical Christian, told NJ Advance Media back in March:

I disagree with his lifestyle. I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn’t mean I can’t still invest in him and get to know him.

I don’t think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect. Getting to know him. That, I would say, you can still accept them but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100%.

Murphy couched his prejudice as a sort of "love the sinner/hate the sin" scenario:

Maybe, as Christians, we haven’t been as articulate enough in describing what our actual stance is on homosexuality. We love the people. We disagree the lifestyle...

It’s the same way that there are aspects of my life that I’m trying to surrender to Christ in my own life. There’s a great deal of many things, like my pride.

...Just because I disagree with the lifestyle doesn’t mean I’m just never going to speak to Billy Bean every time he walks through the door. That’s not love. That’s not love at all.

But you're happy to publicly dismiss his love, his family, and the cause he's dedicated himself to as MLB's diversity officer. Not a good start for building any kind of relationship.

Bean replied more tactfully, saying he "appreciate[d] that Daniel spoke his truth."

With Murphy's dramatic surge of late, comments about his homophobic response have resurfaced on Twitter.

Back in 2012 Murphy told the 700 Club God put him in Major League Baseball for a reason.

"And I believe that reason is to try and be a light."

Not the kind of light we're looking for.

h/t: NJ.com