Blue Jays manager John Gibbons thinks "the world needs to lighten up a little bit" after he came under fire this morning for a comment he made to reporters following the Toronto team's controversial 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays last night.

Gibbons said he was trying to inject some humour into a tense situation and had "no malicious intent" in his comment, which some people are calling sexist.

"It doesn't offend my mother, my daughter, my wife, who have a great understanding of life. I do think the world needs to lighten up a little bit," Gibbons said Wednesday.

In Tuesday night's game in Florida, Jose Bautista was called for an illegal slide in the top of the ninth that robbed the Jays of two runs that would have put them in the lead.

Commenting on the call, Gibbons said after the game that "maybe we'll come out and wear dresses tomorrow. Maybe that's what everybody's looking for."

Just last season, the slide might have been legal, but a new rule on breaking up double plays went into effect this year in an effort to prevent injuries.

Gibbons clearly isn't a fan of the rule that "turned the game into a joke," but many commentators and fans on Twitter weren't really fans of Gibbons after the comment.

The sheer number of people who think it's totally okay to use women as a quick and easy metaphor for baseball weakness is astounding. —@MissStaceyMay

Dear John Gibbons: not only am I plenty tough while wearing dresses to work, I can also run in heels. Call me when you can do the same <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jays?src=hash">#Jays</a> —@mcsmartypants

Maybe someone should remind John Gibbons playing baseball in a dress (OK, skirt) was pretty tough business. <a href="https://t.co/MjQXHUVnri">pic.twitter.com/MjQXHUVnri</a> —@JerryBurnes

Pretty disappointed by <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays">@BlueJays</a> manager <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JohnGibbons?src=hash">#JohnGibbons</a> sexist comments following the tough loss last night. Be better than that dude. —@tamalamm

Men: We need to do better. Everyone defending Gibbons is a man. Think about what that means. —@jessespector

Gibbons's clarification didn't do much to appease those he'd offended.

I.... I just.... sigh. sorry John Gibbons, but maybe you need to think a little bit. <a href="https://t.co/AB3sQCcSxN">https://t.co/AB3sQCcSxN</a> —@epagliarello

tfw John Gibbons says the dress thing was just a joke <a href="https://t.co/tRRal5M77W">pic.twitter.com/tRRal5M77W</a> —@Marc_Normandin

<a href="https://twitter.com/Bill_TPA">@Bill_TPA</a> feels like he's apologizing to the men he called women, not to the half of humanity being used as an insult —@nhojelttil

The Jays are playing the final game of their season-opening series against Tampa Bay this afternoon with J.A. Happ on the mound for Toronto.