Dear Ken Griffey Jr.

I don't see any of these roid-raged out players doing anything like this!!

It's never been cool for black kids to play baseball. Yeah, there were Little League teams all over the place and everyone went to Modell's to get their gloves and baseball bats. Sure, the MLB is trying to ramp up their initiatives to offer baseball in minority neighborhoods. At the same time, I've yet to hear a young black kid say 'I want to play baseball when I grown up'. It's always something to the tune of basketball player, football player, rapper or any profession offering a hefty paycheck. You could blame the lack of interest on a number of things: cost of equipment, lack of space for baseball fields, etc. But there's one reason, to me that makes minority kids not be as interested in baseball: no identifiable role models. When you name the top 10, 20, or however many best baseball players, how many of them are black and of American (rather than Hispanic) descent? I can name a bunch of black baseball players, but besides Jimmy Rollins & Ryan Howard, who of them are household names? This is why you were so important Ken.

Junior (crazy that I can call someone else that), in your heyday you were probably the most recognizable face in baseball. Between winning the 1997 American League MVP, blasting the best home run (home runs aren't that impressive; sorry...) I've ever seen, and trying to follow in your father's footsteps, your career just oozed greatness and integrity. You made it cool to like baseball, wearing backwards caps at a time when such a fashion statement could be seen as gang-related. Hell, you made baseball sneakers a fashion statement! (word to Ron & Yusuf with their Griffeys) I think what impresses me the most about you is that in the era of baseball players juicing left and right, you accomplished every feat on the diamond without so much as touching a needle. In this day and age, when all of the greats from the 90's and early 2000's are shuffling, trying to cover up their steroid use, you're cleaner than baby's bottom. Where other baseball players were in court lying their asses off, you were chilling, probably practicing rather than taking shortcuts. In my eyes, that's a role model for young black kids. That's reason enough to like you.

It's funny that I wasn't sports conscious enough at the beginning of your career, but still recognize your name and the impact that you had on the game. It's the same way that kids today have never seen Michael Jordan play basketball, but know immediately who he is and how he changed the game (overpriced sneakers et. al.). I'm not sure that your legacy will be comparable (honestly, who really is messing with MJ's reach?). Even so, on the baseball diamond, where black players have lost the enigmatic aura that guys like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron & Reggie Jackson had, you'll forever be remembered as the golden boy of this era. Happy retirement, Junior...

Come on, son... The charisma was incredible

Greetings From: Philadelphia, PA

via NBC Philadelphia:

Clemmens, 21, positioned himself behind the 11-year-old's chair, stuck his fingers down his throat and vomited on the girl and her father, police said.
"He leaned forward, he projectile vomited all over me and my daughter," Vangelo said with a look of hurt splashed across his face.
Clemmens then began wailing on Vangelo after he pushed him away from the girl -- hitting the off-duty officer in the head and neck, causing his ear to bleed, police said.
Surrounding fans jumped in to help subdue Clemmens before he was arrested.
"He was still vomiting on the other fans that were holding him down," Vangelo said.

I realize that Philadelphia's been getting a bad wrap in the past few weeks with a bit of negative press on the blog, but with shit like this happening, how can you blame me? Greetings from Philly... again. This time, we see that fanhood and regurgitation are much closer than we think. Is that really what heads do at baseball games? You know, instead of have a hot dog and a beer and have a relaxing afternoon at the ballpark, it's much more fun to vomit all over a little girl and snuff her father... I'd much rather get into a brawl with angry Phillies fans than leave the game and go watch the Office or something. What's even worse is the fact that the dude kept throwing up even while he was getting beat up by the fans around him. Oh well... I guess leaving with a black eye and looking like that are punishment enough...

Dear MLB

via MLB.com:

One day after admitting that he used and tested positive for cocaine one time last summer, Rangers manager Ron Washington found himself answering questions on Thursday about his use of marijuana and amphetamines during his playing career. The extra attention was Washington's doing. During numerous one-on-one interviews Wednesday, Washington admitted to various news outlets that he did indeed use both drugs on occasion as a player.

"When you're young, you make mistakes," Washington said. "I wish I could take back the mistakes I did, but I can't. You make mistakes.

"But the mistakes you make when I was young have nothing to do with what I'm facing today."

Washington admitted Wednesday that he used cocaine once last summer at some point before the All-Star break. Immediately thereafter, he was told that he was up for a random drug test. At that point, Washington told Major League Baseball, club president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels what he had done and that he would likely test positive for cocaine. Washington went public with his apology on Wednesday, and in subsequent interviews admitted to using marijuana and amphetamines during his playing career. Washington signed with the Kansas City Royals out of high school in 1970 and had a 20-year professional playing career with seven different organizations that included all or parts of 10 seasons in the Majors.

What a better way to start out the MLB season than another drug scandal. MLB, for the last 10 years, you've been my least favorite sport. From a ridiculous lack of parity, to a yearly borefest of 162 games that don't matter until August, to an even more boring playoffs, Major League Baseball has been in decline. But the number one knock against you is probably the biggest story and bullshit scheme in all of sports: the performance enhancing and illegal drug scandals of the past 20+ years. This week, Ron Washington, the manager of the Texas Rangers tested positive for cocaine last July, and admitted to using cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines during his career. He is not getting punished at all (or so far) by you, the league, or by his franchise. Nor was his All-Star outfielder, Josh Hamilton who came out as a crack and cocaine addict some years ago. Now, MLB, these are two isolated incidents, but indicative of a much wider problem in your sport.

Look at the professional leagues in the other 3 major sports: NBA, NFL, NHL. All three of these leagues have a no-tolerance policy for drug use, while you guys have coke fiends running around your bases. While the other leagues have no-tolerance and immediate suspension or banning for illegal substances and performance-enhancing drugs, you guys have apologetic press conferences and paid 90-game suspensions. Where you guys have the most tainted history of cheating, deception and lying up to a FEDERAL level, the other leagues are relatively blemish-free. Now, that's not to say that the other professional sports leagues are spick-and-span with no problems, but most of the issues from the NFL, NBA and NHL are issues of character moreso than hardcore drug use. I know I'd much rather have a slightly deranged Ron Artest talking to my child fans than a coked up Ron Washington doing the same...

MLB, you've been called America's Pastime for as long as I can remember. Since when does America's Pastime sniff coke though?? Or better yet, since when does America's Pastime sniff coke and get away with it?? That doesn't happen in any other league. For example, Chris 'The Birdman' Andersen was suspended indefinitely from the NBA for 2 years for his drug use. While he is now clean and is back in the league, it serves to say that the response was appropriate. Illicit drug use is something, that if taken seriously, should be treated seriously. MLB, it doesn't suffice to come out with press releases and put asterisks next to records if the behavior still persists. You guys might as well be the Major League Burnouts with all of the needles, snorting, snuffing and huffing that's been recorded in the last 20 years. Lord knows Darryl Strawberry will never be the same, and neither should the legacy of a league that's riddled with drug addicts...

Dear Outspoken Black Baseball Players

That microphone is as dangerous as a bat in your hands...

Yeah, that's a hell of a title, but I couldn't put it anymore concisely. You see, when you're writing, there's space to really think about what you want to say and to craft it differently if it might be misconstrued. As a writer, it's hilarious seeing people try to speak profoundly, only to have their comments spun into something disrespectful or controversial. Such is the case with two black baseball players, Milton Bradley of the Seattle Mariners and Torii Hunter of the Anaheim Angels. Both players, of the African-American diaspora were quoted in the past week as follows:

Torii Hunter via USA Today:

"People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African American," Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter says. "They're not us. They're impostors.

"Even people I know come up and say, 'Hey, what color is Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, 'Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black.'"

"As African-American players, we have a theory that baseball can go get an imitator and pass them off as us," Hunter says. "It's like they had to get some kind of dark faces, so they go to the Dominican or Venezuela because you can get them cheaper. It's like, 'Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?'

Now Torii, I hope you were wondering where the hell your publicist was after this interview, because you more or less just guaranteed that you'd be getting the side-eye from every dark-skinned Hispanic player in the MLB. I understand that you're upset because black players aren't properly represented in the L. Even so, was it really you're place to comment on it? As a matter of fact, will it ever be? You're an MLB player, Torii, not an athletic anthropologist specializing in baseball. Your job is to hit the ball over the fence and catch the ball when it comes to you; nothing more, nothing less. Learn to keep your underlying idiosyncrasies and bigoted (yes, it's considered bigotry even by a black person) under your hat. The media will take your comments out of context (hence the 10 million hits for 'Torii Hunter impostor' on Google) and you will get branded as the 'Angry Black Man,' as most black athletes do at some point. If you're going to criticize anything, criticize the teams for not taking chances on black players. Just don't do it like your homie Milton Bradley...

Milton Bradley via ESPN:

"I was a prisoner in my own home. I pretty much stayed at home, ordered in every day, never went anywhere."

"Well, I mean unless you go out there and you're Superman -- you're Andre Dawson, you're Ernie Banks, you're in the Hall of Fame -- then it's going to be tough," Bradley said. "People are just the way they are.

"When you get paid a lot of money to play this game, they expect miracles. And when you don't go out there and perform like that, then people don't like it. People don't want to see a guy that's brash and cocky and a little arrogant and kind of does his own thing making a lot of money. They were like, 'He doesn't deserve that.'"

Milton Bradley... Along with having the funniest name in baseball (I'm guessing your parents never played board games), you have a serious knack for being a hothead on whatever team you happen to be on. Last year with the Cubs was forgettable to say the least. You had the lowest averages of your career since 2002, and were heavily criticized for how much of a headcase you were. Now, I realize the Chicago Cubs fans are a tough bunch, but at the end of the day, THEY ARE PAYING YOUR SALARY. The booing and comments when you are out on the town should be expected. If you don't want the criticism, retire and open up an overrated restaurant. The hate mail is concerning, but should it really affect you that much? If it got to the point where there were physical threats being made, maybe your case holds some water. Aside from that, it just seems like you're bitching about the treatment you think you should be getting. Newsflash, Milton: You have to earn respect, not perform terribly and get mad when you get booed. It just so happens that you did the latter, and now you're mad. Boo-hoo. Take that other $20 million still on your contract and buy yourself a damn psychologist if it's that serious...

Now, I realize this letter might be somewhat of a shot in the arm for some of you guys, but it needs to be said: WATCH YOUR MOUTH. Every press interview should be treated like a meeting with a court liaison, save the fact that you won't go to jail for your words. As a black athlete, your words are put under the ILLEST of microscopes, regardless of how you mean them. The media are, and always have been vultures. Make sure your words don't become food for them...

Dear Philadelphia

I find it funny that I'm writing this letter whilst in Philadelphia. By now, oh great City of Brotherly Love, you've probably watched SportsCenter, read a newspaper, heard the radio or seen online that the Yankees are going to be facing you in the World Series. You guys are hyped, because you think it's going to be Repeat City. I can't blame you. The Dodgers posed no threat to the Phillies during the NLCS, so it's easy to think you'll walk all over the Yankees. I will say, that the Yankees faced a much tougher challenge in the AL, given the pitching and tougher hitting. There's no reason to gloat over who's team is better (though we all know who reigns supreme). There's no reason to bash anyone else's team. Just know that if the Yankees win, Yankees fitteds will be in full effect, just as I expect the opposite if the Phillies win. This figures to be a great World Series, considering the storyline. The media is going to kill us with coverage of it and we're going to watch it just the same. All I can ask for is a good series and pray that none of you crazed Phillies fans out there feel the need to riot after the Yankees do win (there I said it; sue me). Here's a video that should put you in the World Series mood...

Watch out for those close games..