Ken Rosenthal backpedals on his column about "Racial concerns" about the Red Sox.

[Dipre]

Looking back on race, Red Sox.

During the 2008 postseason, I wrote a column pointing out the Red Sox's roster was largely white. If I noticed it, minority players might notice — and perhaps, given the past reputations of both the team and city, shun the Red Sox in free agency.

The reaction stunned me.

The Red Sox were furious, even though I had written that the makeup of their roster appeared "nothing more than a coincidence, a fluky snapshot in time." Their anger did not surprise me, but that was the least of it. I was called a "race-baiter" and worse on the Internet. A white-power Web site trumpeted the column, to my everlasting embarrassment.

The point of the column — the point of every column I write — was to provoke thought. But the subject of race remains so explosive, I should have known that much of the ensuing discussion would not necessarily be rational, or even based upon what I actually wrote.

Well, here we are, getting ready for a new season, and the subject is worth revisiting.

Three of the Red Sox's offseason additions are minorities — center fielder Mike Cameron and infielder Bill Hall are African-American, and third baseman Adrian Beltre is Dominican. It's only fair to note the words of Sox general manager Theo Epstein ring true: "Our player-personnel decision making is completely color-blind and always will be."

Equally important, Cameron and Beltre were free agents who chose Boston.

Beltre, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract, needed a short- term, high-dollar landing spot after his long-term market failed to develop. The Sox were a logical choice — they not only had money, but also have benefited from a strong, recent Dominican presence, from Pedro Martinez to Manny Ramirez to David Ortiz.

Cameron, unlike Beltre, had multiple suitors he found attractive. He was aware of the Red Sox’s racial makeup and the perception among some African-American athletes that Boston can be unpleasant for players who are not white. But he picked the Sox for the most basic of reasons: He wanted to win.

Cameron's insights are valuable; he is 37 now, a 15-year veteran, practically an elder statesman. He was honored Jan. 30 at the 10th annual Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Legacy Awards, receiving the Pop Lloyd award in recognition of baseball/community leadership.

Playing in Boston, he says, is just another test.

"I'm down to the sunset of my career," Cameron says. "I wasn't really thinking about it that much. With all the different situations I've been through, all the tests I've been through already, I thought, 'Why not grasp the opportunity?'

"Maybe I can be a new era of pioneer. Pokey Reese played there. He's a real good friend. He really enjoyed his time there. Ricky Gutierrez, Rickey Henderson, Coco Crisp all had good experiences in Boston.

"I'm comfortable, knowing Tito (manager Terry Francona) and a few other guys on the team ... I would never have gone there if I didn't think I was up for the challenge."

What had Cameron heard about the Red Sox?

"Just that they haven't had many African-American players in the past," he says. "But that's never been a major concern of mine. I feel like before I make any judgments about a situation, I need to live it first.

"Different teams go through stages where they have more or less African-American players on their roster. With only about nine percent in the league, it's going to happen."


Cameron's agent, Mike Nicotera, discussed with Cameron the possibility he might be the only African-American on the Red Sox's roster. Cameron says he spoke with Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice, an African-American, about "what life in Boston is like." Rice told him, "It was a great place to play baseball."

This is not some 25-year-old rookie, inexperienced and na?ve. The Red Sox are Cameron's seventh team. He began his career in Chicago with the White Sox. He was traded for Ken Griffey Jr. and replaced him as the Mariners' center fielder. He played for a 71-win Mets team in New York, and recalls being one of the Padres' few African-American players in San Diego.

His biggest concern is not succeeding as an African-American in Boston, it's succeeding as a player, period, in such a high-pressure environment. Cameron is a major part of the Red Sox's shift to a more defensive-oriented club following the departure of left fielder Jason Bay.

His fitting in off the field will not be a problem; everywhere Cameron goes, he is one of the most popular players in his clubhouse. In Milwaukee the past two seasons, he was part of a group that he described as “a brotherhood.” No doubt, he will blend in well with the Red Sox, helping create a happy, diverse mix.

What's more, he plans to continue his practice of reaching out to children in his community, believing that fans relate better to players when they meet them instead of just watching them play.

I think back often to my column from '08. I know that for many, the topic was — and is — discomforting. But it's important to keep talking about race, particularly in a sport that faces dwindling numbers of African-American players. It's also important to remember that players choose teams for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes racial makeup is a factor; sometimes not.

Cameron says he cannot wait to play in a town where baseball is "deeply rooted." In the end, he does not view the world in terms of black and white.

"I've never been a person like that, who viewed people in terms of color," Cameron says. "I've never looked at it from that aspect. I try to treat everyone the same — my kids, parents, grandparents, the guy on the street.

"I believe the people in Boston will see it the same way, understand that all we do as players is put on the uniform and have a little bit of talent to play the game of baseball.

"I know the expectations are very high, and I'm looking forward to being part of our success, the team, the community and the fans."

That's a prominent African-American free agent talking. Maybe I should not have been so concerned in '08.

Lol Rosenthal.

[a700hitter]

Rosenthal is such a twit. He was trying to be address what he thought was a controversial societal issue, but it backfired on him and he looked like a major jerk.

[Plumpamania]

I don't know who's worse, him or Joe Buck.

[a700hitter]

I don't know who's worse, him or Joe Buck.Rosenthal is worse. Buck seems almost as bad, because he has 10 times more air time.

[BSN07]

What a tosser...

[26 to 6]

I don't get what the big deal is. At the time he wrote it (2008) there was some truth to it. He didn't say that the Sox were racist, just that coincidentally most of their roster was white, and based on that coupled with their past history with minority players that some free agents might be discouraged from going to Boston. Now that the Sox have acquired several minorities since then, especially this offseason, he's backing off his statement. Sure, it was probably foolish to even write the article in the first place, but (to me at least) he didn't seem to have any ill intentions, nor do I recall him attacking the Red Sox personnel because of this. He was simply making an observation that at the time held some water.

[a700hitter]

I don't get what the big deal is. At the time he wrote it (2008) there was some truth to it. He didn't say that the Sox were racist, just that coincidentally most of their roster was white, and based on that coupled with their past history with minority players that some free agents might be discouraged from going to Boston. Now that the Sox have acquired several minorities since then, especially this offseason, he's backing off his statement. Sure, it was probably foolish to even write the article in the first place, but (to me at least) he didn't seem to have any ill intentions, nor do I recall him attacking the Red Sox personnel because of this. He was simply making an observation that at the time held some water.^ This. If there was no point to the article, he should have had the good sense not to publish it. It had no possibility of being positive for the Red Sox and baseball, and there was no unethical or bad behavior that need to be exposed.

[rhet]

I watched the Duke basketball team play BC the other day. I wonder if any of these writers who count minorities ever look at the Duke roster, year after year.

[Plumpamania]

B/c it's calling wolf. You can't start throwing around a race card if there is no premise to it. Should I speak about the number of white players on the Yankees: Jeter (even if only half), Texeira, Pettite, Hughes, Chamberlain, Coke, Damon, Gardner, Swisher, Burnett, Ransom......They only have 4 solid players of non white descent (Rivera, Posada, Sabathia, Rodriguez) and 1 iffy one (Cano).

God the Yankees are full of white power neo nazis.

[Imperial59]

I don't get what the big deal is. At the time he wrote it (2008) there was some truth to it. He didn't say that the Sox were racist, just that coincidentally most of their roster was white, and based on that coupled with their past history with minority players that some free agents might be discouraged from going to Boston. Now that the Sox have acquired several minorities since then, especially this offseason, he's backing off his statement. Sure, it was probably foolish to even write the article in the first place, but (to me at least) he didn't seem to have any ill intentions, nor do I recall him attacking the Red Sox personnel because of this. He was simply making an observation that at the time held some water.

I don't think he meant any ill will towards the Red Sox either, but it was a badly written article.First of all, the entire premise of the article was that he didn't think the Red Sox were racist, but he was going to take an in depth look at their lack of minorities and suggest it may have something to do with their race. Come on...

He also suggested that the Red Sox trading Julio Lugo had something to do with his race which was laughable. And he acted like black people are the only minority. The Red Sox have more Japanese players than most teams. And they have plenty of latinos on the team as well.

[Spudboy]

I watched the Duke basketball team play BC the other day. I wonder if any of these writers who count minorities ever look at the Duke roster, year after year.

Interesting post.

This should stir the pot!

[yeszir]

You know you've failed at making a post when a white power website trumpets your column. :lol:

[Spudboy]

I must confess that Boston teams are really racist. Like the Celts with Scal being the only white player.:rolleyes:

His article was ill-advised. Had it been written in the sixties and even the early seventies, it may have been topical. But No scribe had the balls to do that back then.

Another thing Rosenthal fails to point out (I think) is that the Sox had three Jews playing on the team at the same time. I find that an odd omission.

[Plumpamania]

I kind of remember Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz being on this team. I remember Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra, Orlando Cabrera, Dave Roberts, Heathcliff Slocumbe, Bill Hall, Mike Cameron, Freddy Sanchez...and that's off the top of my head at work while getting slammed with business calls.

Yea..

[Spudboy]

I kind of remember Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz being on this team. I remember Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra, Orlando Cabrera, Dave Roberts, Heathcliff Slocumbe, Bill Hall, Mike Cameron, Freddy Sanchez...and that's off the top of my head at work while getting slammed with business calls.

Yea..

Nomar? He's of what, Mexican/American decent?

[yeszir]

For some reason I don't think "But look at all these Jewish players we have!" would stop racism claims :lol:

And wasn't Nomar's dad hispanic? Ramon?

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Nomar is Mexican, yes. I also read somewhere he is part Lebanese or some other middle eastern nationality.

[example1]

I watched the Duke basketball team play BC the other day. I wonder if any of these writers who count minorities ever look at the Duke roster, year after year.

Really? I've watched Duke for years and while I acknowledge they have more "white" players than most college basketball teams, they aren't lacking for African American players and haven't been historically. Elton Brand, Luol Deng, Jason Williams, Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Jeff Capel, Gerald Henderson, just to name a few all come to mind in recent years.

I get that you were kind of making a point tongue in cheek, but the difference between Duke and many other schools is that Coach K expects his players to stick around for longer than one season and many immediate NBA guys don't want to do that. It is also a smaller campus and not athletically driven like many other bigger schools are.

[Spudboy]

For some reason I don't think "But look at all these Jewish players we have!" would stop racism claims :lol:

And wasn't Nomar's dad hispanic? Ramon?

My point was that there were 3 Jewish players on anaMLB roster at the same time. Which, I believe, is unusual. Also Rosenthal is presumably a Jew. I think it's strange he did not make note of that.

BTW, Who were they?

[Ray10]

Honestly sometimes I can't stand Rosenthal the guy is a moron who writes something like this like honestly.

[Keeper]

My point was that there 3 Jewish players on anaMLB roster at the same time. Which, O believe, is unusual. Also Rosenthal is presumably Jew. I think it's starng he did not make note of that.

BTW, Who were they?

It is unusual, and if Rosenthal was fair and impartial he would have pointed that out.

Youk, Gabe Kapler, and Craig Breslow.

[Spudboy]

It is unusual, and if Rosenthal was fair and impartial he would have pointed that out.

Youk, Gabe Kapler, and Craig Breslow.

I didn't know Breslow was Jewish. I was thinking of Jonathan Van Every. I Think?

Or some other rule 5 signee that played center field.

[Coco's Disciples]

Adam Stern.

[Keeper]

Ah, good catch. Forgot about Stern. That makes four who were on the roster.

[Spudboy]

Adam Stern.

That's the Guy!!!

Did he stick with Baltimore? Is that where he went?

[Dojji]

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/Adam-Stern.shtml

[Spudboy]

Guess not.

[BoSox21]

I think I wrote this at the time of Rosenthal's original column but in the very recent history of the Red Sox, the faces of the franchise have been primarily Pedro, Manny and Ortiz......minorities.

[Imperial59]

I must confess that Boston teams are really racist. Like the Celts with Scal being the only white player.:rolleyes:

His article was ill-advised. Had it been written in the sixties and even the early seventies, it may have been topical. But No scribe had the balls to do that back then.

Another thing Rosenthal fails to point out (I think) is that the Sox had three Jews playing on the team at the same time. I find that an odd omission.

Or the Bruins being the first team in the NHL to have a black player.

[Lester82]

I never read Van Every was Jewish, but then again, I didn't read that Breslow was either. So who knows, anyway though, it was funny when K.Rosenthal was interviewed by Dale & Holley/ WEEI in Boston
(after writing that article ).
Michael Holley asked Rosenthal at the time why FOX's baseball team was so white. Jeanie Zelasko, Kevin Kennedy and usually some other white host.

Rosenthal said "that was different".

Then Rosenthal was asked why there was mysteriously no "comments/reader feedback section" in the FoxSports.com article he wrote about racial makeup of the Red Sox.

Rosenthal said he was glad there was no reader feedback section to the article he wrote.

Eh.... he's a winner. That's why I can't stand his work.

[SCM33]

I cant stand this "Boston is racist" bullshit. Ill go back to 1991 and list the major team contributers (in terms of appearances) of different race other than white (right around the time the Yawkeys ended their ownership, since they were believed to be racist):
1991: Tony Pena, Carlos Quintana, Luis Rivera, Ellis Burks
1992: Tony Pena, Mo Vaughn, Luis Rivera, Billy Hatcher
1993: Tony Pena, Mo Vaughn, Billy Hatcher, Carlos Quintana, Andre Dawson
1994: Mo Vaughn, Otis Nixon, Billy Hatcher, Andre Dawson
1995: Mo Vaughn, Luis Alicea, Lee Tinsley, Troy O'Leary, Jose Canseco, Willie Mcgee, Rick Aguilera
1996: Mo Vaughn, Lee Tinsley, Troy O'Leary, Jose Canseco, Reggie Jefferson, Tom Gordon, Heathcliff Slocumb, Rich Garces, Wil Cordero
1997: Mo Vaughn, Nomar, Cordero, O'Leary, Jefferson, Gordon, Slocumb
1998: Vaughn, Nomar, O'Leary, Darren Lewis, Jefferson, Damon Buford, Pedro Martinez, Gordon, Garces
1999: Jose Offerman, Nomar, O'Leary, Lewis, Jefferson, Buford, Butch Huskey, Martinez, Mark Portugal, Garces, Gordon
2000: Offerman, Nomar, Wilton Veras, O'Leary, Carl Everett, Lewis, Martinez, Ramon Martinez, Rolando Arrojo, Tomo Ohka, Garces, Hipolito Pichardo
2001: Offerman, O'Leary, Everett, Manny Ramirez, Hideo Nomo, Frank Castillo, Pedro, Ohka, Arrojo, Garces, Pichardo, Sun Woo Kim
2002: Tony Clark, Rey Sanchez, Nomar, Manny, Carlos Baerga, Offerman, Rickey Henderson, Cliff Floyd, Castillo, Ugeuth Urbina, Garces, Darren Oliver, Willie Banks
2003: Nomar, Manny, David Ortiz, Damian Jackson, Pedro, BK Kim, Ramiro Mendoza
2004: Pokey Reese, Manny, Ortiz, Orlando Cabrera, Nomar, Dave Roberts, Pedro, Mendoza, Kim
2005: Renterria, Manny, Ortiz, Jay Payton, Geremi Gonzalez
2006: Alex Gonzalez, Mike Lowell, Manny, Coco Crisp, Ortiz, Wily Mo Pena, Alex Cora, Julian Tavarez, Manny Delcarmen, Rudy Seanez
2007: Julio Lugo, Mike Lowell, Manny, Crisp, Ortiz, Cora, WM Pena, Dice-K, Tavarez, HIdeki Okijima, Delcarmen, Joel Pineiro
2008: Lugo, Lowell, Manny, Crisp, Ortiz, Cora, Dice-K, Delcarmen, Okijima, Javier Lopez
2009: Lowell, Ortiz, Victor Martinez, Alex Gonzalez, Lugo, Dice-K, Ramon Ramirez, Okijima, Delcarmen, Takashi Saito

I dont see the problem here. If less than 9% of all major leaguers are black, how are we at fault for having so few? We have plenty of other races. Can we really be at fault for not having 100% of the 9% African American ballplayers available?

[Lester82]

I even wonder why the Red Sox always seem to have to stand alone in the stain of racism among baseball teams, even if they don't truely stand alone. (But they have to deal with that when they were the last team in the majors to intergrate...)

ESPN Classic once had a tremendous piece on the life of Jackie Robinson.

They read letters that Jackie Robinson had written, in the letters Jackie Robinson specifically mentions the Red Sox. He says although there happened to be racism in the Red Sox organization, the Red Sox were far from the only team with tolerance issues. Robinson mentioned racism in the Yankee organization.

The Yankees were one of the last clubs to add a black player to their team, Elston Howard. This ESPN piece explained part of the backwards reasoning on the Yankees' part for why they chose a catcher to be their 1st black player. Because he would be behind a catcher's mask (well part of the time). They could sell it better to their white NYC investors on Wall Street. The Yankees even privately said a black ballplayer had to be the "right kind of n-gger to play for the Yankees."

The more racially progressive teams in baseball were in the National League. The Cardinals with black and Latino players on their teams years before other clubs, and of course the Dodgers having Jackie Robinson as the first black player and the Giants were also progressive.

[a700hitter]

I even wonder why the Red Sox always seem to have to stand alone in the stain of racism among baseball teams, even if they don't truely stand alone. (But they have to deal with that when they were the last team in the majors to intergrate...)

ESPN Classic once had a tremendous piece on the life of Jackie Robinson.

They read letters that Jackie Robinson had written, in the letters Jackie Robinson specifically mentions the Red Sox. He says although there happened to be racism in the Red Sox organization, the Red Sox were far from the only team with tolerance issues. Robinson mentioned racism in the Yankee organization.

The Yankees were one of the last clubs to add a black player to their team, Elston Howard. This ESPN piece explained part of the backwards reasoning on the Yankees' part for why they chose a catcher to be their 1st black player. Because he would be behind a catcher's mask (well part of the time). They could sell it better to their white NYC investors on Wall Street. The Yankees even privately said a black ballplayer had to be the "right kind of n-gger to play for the Yankees."

The more racially progressive teams in baseball were in the National League. The Cardinals with black and Latino players on their teams years before other clubs, and of course the Dodgers having Jackie Robinson as the first black player and the Giants were also progressive.When the Yankees brought up Ellie Howard, Casey Stengel said "the finally get me 'one' and he can't run." I don't think Casey was a racist. Attitudes were different back then. He used to call Joe D "Big Dago" and of course Rizzuto was not the Scooter to Stengel. He was "Little Dago." He loved those guys, but things were not PC back then.

[Lester82]

Things "weren't PC then"... Well, sure. That's also code for they were racist. Old boys network. Sorry, this is going back in time, but whatever Joe DiMaggio was nicknamed wasn't quite on par with the Yankees saying "you gotta be the right kind of n-gger to play for the Yankees."
It was a statement that was a mix of both the arrogance then of the perennial winner Yankees, coupled with their racism. Then there was Tom Yawkey, who might as well have worn a Klan robe at times.

Thankfully we're past those days. Dan Duquette was actually quite great at looking to players of all corners of the globe. And there were others before or after him that were progressive. (Which is what Ken Rosenthal missed when he was talking modern Sox.)

[a700hitter]

Things "weren't PC then"... Well, sure. That's also code for they were racist. Old boys network. Sorry, this is going back in time, but whatever Joe DiMaggio was nicknamed wasn't quite on par with the Yankees saying "you gotta be the right kind of n-gger to play for the Yankees."
It was a statement that was a mix of both the arrogance of the perennial winner Yankees and racism on their part. Then there was Tom Yawkey, who might as well have worn a Klan robe at times.

Thankfully we're past those days. Dan Duquette was actually quite great at looking to players of all corners of the globe. And there were others before or after him that were progressive.I'm not absolving the Yankee organization of any bad behavior. I was just relating a story that I had heard or read about the time when they signed Ellie Howard.

I do think actions need to be put into the context of the times before judgment can be passed. I don't think people realize what an act of courage it was for Branch Rickey to break the color barrier. Robinson gets all the accolades, and he deserves to be honored, but Robinson himself humbly acknowledged that he was merely a player in Rickey's great social experiment. You have to remember what Rickey was up against. He was risking his business, because they didn't know how fans would react. Many of the white players didn't like it, because it threatened their job security. He had to worry about sponsors. Financially, there was really nothing to gain by Rickey, and a lot to lose. He did it because he thought it was the right thing for society. Rickey was a uniquely courageous, moral and ethical man. That doesn't mean that the rest of the owners and executives were racist. I hear and read a lot about Yawkey being a racist, but I have never read or heard any accounts about him doing something racist. My recollection is that his players throughout the decades had a great deal of affection for the man and vice versa. I think smearing a man who was so charitable based on nothing other than being a team owner during segregation is a bit unfair.

[vic vinegar]

what an idiot, who brings out the race-card in these times

and joe buck is way worse

[Eck20and8]

ridiculous, part of the issue is baseball is a much whiter sport than other pro games, these PC baseball writers need to stick to finding out about trade rumors

[Imperial59]

ridiculous, part of the issue is baseball is a much whiter sport than other pro games, these PC baseball writers need to stick to finding out about trade rumors

The thing about baseball, is it does have a lot of white players. 60% of MLB players are white. But it's one of the more diverse major sports in the U.S. Whereas 68% of MLB is made up of white and black people, 97% of the NFL is made up of white and black people and 96% of the NBA is made up of white and black people. If you just look at race as a white and black issue, then sure, baseball isn't very diverse. But it's the only major sport in the United States (including MLS) with four races which are represented by at least 3% of the sport's major league athletes.