Selig defends baseball’s record on minority hiring (and All-Star game)

[cory777]

Source: AP

NEW YORK (AP)—Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is ignoring calls to move next year’s All-Star game from Phoenix because of Arizona’s new immigration law.

Asked about such demands at a news conference Thursday following an owners meeting, he responded with a defense of baseball’s minority hiring record.

“Apparently all the people around and in minority communities think we’re doing OK. That’s the issue, and that’s the answer,” he said. “I told the clubs today: ‘Be proud of what we’ve done.’ They are. We should. And that’s our answer. We control our own fate, and we’ve done very well.”

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he wouldn’t participate in next year’s All-Star game if it remains in Arizona because of the law, which empowers police to determine a person’s immigration status. The Major League Baseball Players Association condemned the law and Rep. Jose Serrano, a New York Democrat whose district includes Yankee Stadium, sent Selig a letter asking him to move the game.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqRvmabernRlo-Y82CCOWAqZ23OQD9FM43I80

---

Let's just make the protests bigger than the game! The media will already be there.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Perhaps it is time to take another look

at the anti-trust exception for baseball

[EFerrari]

2. Flail while you can.

:kick:

[sdfernando]

3. What if you held an All-Star Game

and no players came?

[Tempest]

4. Selig is a racist prick himself

Under Selig African-American athletes have been ignored in favor of foreign Latinos because of what some sports writers and players say is that Latino players look more white than blacks do.

[naaman fletcher]

5. huh?

So what you are saying is that there are baseball teams who could hire better players than the ones that they hire now, but don't for racial reasons? Do you have anything to back that up?

[Tempest]

6. Yeah, there's never been any racism in baseball

:eyes:

How many managers and front office people in baseball are black?

[Nye Bevan]

7. Quick bit of backtracking there

You've hastily shifted from "African-American athletes being ignored" to the question of "how many managers and front office people are black".

I guess you realized you couldn't name one African-American who is a terrific ballplayer but is languishing in the minor leagues due to racism. "I know he's hitting 400..... but he's AFRICAN-AMERICAN! Get me a Latino instead!"

[classysassy]

8. Latin player

play for less money.

[Nye Bevan]

9. Yes. Take A-Rod for example.

He's a very good player but because of his Latino heritage is very much underpaid.

[Kurska]

11. I nearly laughed my ass of at that.

Atleast I would have if the rays weren't down to the Indians at home right now ;-;

[Kurska]

10. From what I understand 10% of MLB players are African American

Which is just around the percentage of African Americans in the total population. Or is this in regard to coaches and other positions, of which yeah, African Americans are underrepresented in non-player positions in all sports except the NBA.

What is "minority hiring" in reference to?