Minnesota Twins Orlando Hudson Thinks Racism Why Jermaine Dye Doesn’t Have Job

Is It As Easy As Black & White?

Minnesota Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson hints at that that some African-American Major League Baseball players are getting the blackballed treatment not for declining skills but because of their skin color.

“You see guys like Jermaine Dye without a job. Guy with [27 home runs and 81 RBIs] and can’t get a job. Pretty much sums it up right there, no? You’ve got some guys who miss a year who can come back and get $5, $6 million, and a guy like Jermaine Dye can’t get a job. A guy like Gary Sheffield, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, can’t get a job. We both know what it is. You’ll get it right. You’ll figure it out. I’m not gonna say it because then I’ll be in [trouble].”

Between the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program and Urban Youth Academies, baseball has tried to resolve that gap between the sport and African-Americans. Compared to football and the stranglehold of basketball, baseball finishes a distant third. While the tremendous influx of upcoming African-American talent in the major leagues in recent years from Philadelphia Phillies Ryan Howard, Tampa Bay Rays Carl Crawford to Arizona Diamondbacks Justin Upton and Atlanta Braves Jason Heyward is a positive sign, it doesn’t eliminate the feeling that others have been mistreated.

While some will accuse Hudson of race baiting and paranoia, the reality is quite the opposite, he is taking public a concern that promotes discussion and forces MLB to be honest with itself.

However I don’t think it’s as clean or easy to explain Dye’s unemployment as a racist thing as it is to explain the context of financial realities in baseball. Has racism been a problem in baseball’s history? Of course it has, it’s been a problem throughout American history. It still exists today but figure into the equation that the market for aging sluggers with little defensive value is minimal and with the the free-agent market in the last 5 years shifted drastically away from older players at high cost.

Consider the former World Series MVP’s phone did ring in the offseason with Dye and his agent, Bob Bry, turning down offers from the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, and last week rejected an offer from the Washington Nationals.

In comparison aging outfielders with similar skill like Milwaukee Brewers Jim Edmonds and Seattle Mariners Mike Sweeney have jobs but it also has to do with they were willing to take $650K and Dye is not.

MLB.com lists 25 unsigned free agents. Of those 25, two are African-Americans, Dye and Sheffield.   Dye is still sitting at home for similar the reason that Jarrod Washburn is and that’s unrealistic salary demands.

Apr 14, 2010 | MLB | Comments Off

Baseball PSA: Save A Baseball Free Agent Today

A Public Service Announcement urging all of us to do our part to save an unsigned free agent.  Sarah McLachlan even lends her gracious heart in this worthy cause. Truly touches the heart and makes it strings.

Seriously we need to get Jermaine Dye a job now!

Mar 04, 2010 | MLB | Comments Off

Vladimir Guerrero Signs With Texas Rangers

Don't Expect Him To Be Using That Glove Anymore

The Texas Rangers have signed Vladimir Guerrero to a one year contract worth $5.5 million with a mutual option for 2011. Guerrero is expected to give all his time as a designated hitter and hopes to help the Rangers improve their run production which took a dip after leading the MLB in 2008. Guerrero battled through the 2009 season to hit .295 with 15 home runs. Despite landing on the disabled list twice.

Despite never calling Arlington home Vlad always batted like he owned the place in 193 career at-bats in Rangers Ballpark, Guerrero has hit .394 with a .471 on-base percentage and 14 home runs which the Rangers are banking he will continue to do at the Rangers Ballpark.

Guerrero, 35, will not provide any luxury to the outfielders in need of a day off and his body has shown it is in the process of breaking down. No longer is he expected to play 162 but with hope of just making it the 100 game plateau so I understand for the need of the bat but wouldn’t have Jermaine Dye be a more valuable option and if bargain hunting was what the Rangers where after then maybe they could have made a real offer to former Ranger Andruw Jones.

Being a Guerrero Stan since he began his career with the Montreal Expos, it’s hard for me to say what I said about Vlad but it needed to be said.

In related Ranger news they have botched another signing by agreeing to a one year contract with former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Khalil Greene worth 750,000 dollars. Greene struggled in 77 games for the Cardinals last season, hitting .200 with just 6 home runs and spent time on the disabled list with social anxiety disorder.

Don’t ever expect to find him competing for a spot in the everyday lineup and set the bar low if looking if using Greene as platooner.

Jan 12, 2010 | MLB | 1 Comment »

Andruw Jones Signs With Chicago White Sox

Still Can Play Just Not Everday

Last off season in Major League Baseball the Texas Rangers pulled off the best free agent signing in all of baseball by acquiring outfielder Andruw Jones. The former Gold Glover signed for a little over $100 K while losing 25 pounds and it showed in his performance hitting 17 homers and putting up a .782 OPS in 82 games despite his .214 batting average. That’s not a great line, but it’s a huge improvement over his .158/.256/.249 disaster with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.

If Jones is asked to take on a platooning role then this is a very good signing by the White Sox but if Kenny Williams hopes that Jones will provide a regular outfield spot at a cheaper cost than Jermaine Dye then the decision goes a whole different direction.

Nov 26, 2009 | MLB | Comments Off

120 MLB Players Opt For 2010 Free Agency

On the third day of Major League Baseball free agency a 120 players have elected to pursue Article XX B (2) of the Basic Agreement out of the 183 eligible. Bobby Abreu, Tim Hudson, Cliff Lee, Manny Ramirez, Brandon Webb, have had their 2010 options picked up bringing a total of 58 players still eligible but have yet to file. November 19 marks the last date in which players may give notice of their election of free agency. If that punk ass Matt Holliday decides to leave my St. Louis Cardinals, I do see suitable replacements…cough Jermaine Dye.

Est. 1869

Nov 08, 2009 | MLB | Comments Off