What do they all have in common? Five African-American players were selected for the All-Star Game. The 6.17 percent is less than the 7.2 percent of African-American born players that were on opening day rosters this season. For the first time in 63 years, the Philadelphia Phillies didn't have an African-American player on their opening day roster. 75 years after he made history, baseball is paying tribute to his legacy. Mookie Betts wore a shirt that said "We need more Black people at the stadium" before the All-Star game. He wished Rachel Robinson a happy birthday as she turned 100 this week. The game's best African-American player told baseball to do better.
Baseball fans who believe in hope will tell you that diversity in the sport is on the rise. They will agree with the numbers. Numbers can be manipulated. From MLB.com, check this out.
“The 2022 season is another example of how diverse the game has become since Jackie’s (Robinson) time. Of the 975 players on Opening Day rosters and inactive lists, 38% came from a diverse background (Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American) — a slight increase from 37.6% in 2021.”
When it comes to diversity, people like to talk about the statistics. When companies hire white women to fill their diversity quota instead of hiring an African American one, it's like that. Don't be fooled, when Major League Baseball points out how many players come from a "diverse background" it's their sleight of hand trick to get you to focus on how few of them are African American.
Rob wrote about why he thinks things are changing for black players in baseball. We don't agree with one another. Things may be better for Black players in general, but that isn't the case for African Americans. Four of the first five picks were African-American and came up through the MLB's Dream Series. MLB pledged $150 million to the Players Alliance in order to increase diversity in baseball. He thinks that Major League Baseball should be credited for having Robinson's number retired by every team.
I said that.
It isn't guaranteed that African-American players will become stars in the majors. Kyler Murray is the only player of any race that has ever been a Top 10 draft pick. After declaring that he was going to choose baseball over football, Murray hasn't been on the diamond since winning the award. It doesn't mean that something will come to fruition.
Don't give the benefit of the doubt to a league that has dealt with diversity issues for decades, just because they donated $150 million in an effort to get more Black people to play baseball. They show us that they don't care about Black people when they give money to the team. Forbes thinks MLB could make $11 billion in revenue. Before you praise the $150 million donation, be aware that it is a drop in a bucket.
There is a story about the number 42 being retired. It's never a good idea to confuse guilt with love. The men that Robinson represented were polling at single-digit percentages.
Dave Roberts told the Los Angeles Times that the Dodgers need to do better when it comes to African American ballplayers. I keep thinking about it. It is becoming uncomfortable. Tony Reagins, the MLB's chief baseball development officer, said in the same article that we need to get more African American players playing college baseball.
In an effort to keep the game white and boring, the NCAA baseball rules committee recommended last week that celebratory props wouldn't be allowed outside of the dugout. The story about Ohtani made baseball fun again.
Baseball's culture allows for making the game fun and celebrating.
The diversity that has taken place in baseball should be acknowledged. While more people of color are finding success and getting better opportunities, they are still left out in the cold, 75 years after they were promised a seat at the table where it was warm.
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