Sheffield says Latin players easier to control than blacks

[Dback Jon]

The percentage of African-Americans playing Major League Baseball is at an all-time low and Gary Sheffield says he has a theory why that's the case.

In an interview with GQ magazine that's currently on newsstands, the typically outspoken Tigers designated hitter said Latin players have replaced African-Americans as baseball's most prevalent minority because they are easier to control.

"I called it years ago. What I called is that you're going to see more black faces, but there ain't no English going to be coming out. … [It's about] being able to tell [Latin players] what to do -- being able to control them," he told the magazine.

"Where I'm from, you can't control us. You might get a guy to do it that way for a while because he wants to benefit, but in the end, he is going to go back to being who he is. And that's a person that you're going to talk to with respect, you're going to talk to like a man.

"These are the things my race demands. So, if you're equally good as this Latin player, guess who's going to get sent home? I know a lot of players that are home now can outplay a lot of these guys."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2891875

 

[Gee!]

Eh, dont think thats it.. I think Latin players come from other countries and dont speak that great of english.. Add to that they dont have many opprotunities to make alot of money in sports in their countries and they just seem to only play baseball. Not many are playing basketball and football where as most black kids are playing those sports more now..

 

[Gaddabout]

Could it be that a lot of this Latino players are playing at a high-level competition in their early teen years? Year-round? Often against other MLB players during the MLB off-season?

A lot of the Latino players come in light years ahead of American players in terms of preparation and knowledge of the game because they often have more valuable game experience. It can be something of a different game south of the border, but it's still baseball. It's not nearly the quantum leap between U.S. and Japan.

 

[The Commish]

Black kids grow up wanting to play football or basketball, not baseball. It's pretty simple - nothing racist about it.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Black kids grow up wanting to play football or basketball, not baseball. It's pretty simple - nothing racist about it.

That's it right there... Go to any 'hood, and you won't see black kids playing baseball...
There was a special on ESPN not too long ago about this... You can look at all the major universities and the minor leagues, and you'll see a HUGE variance between #'s of blacks versus non-blacks... It's a trend that actually started many years ago. Blacks are simply no longer interested in baseball to the degree they once may have been. Their hero's are not Derek Jeter or Ryan Howard, or Dontrelle Wills... It's all about Kobe, Amare', Wade, Shaq, the sneaker deals, and the NBA life which is 100x more glamourous than major league baseball...

 

[green machine]

Eh, dont think thats it.. I think Latin players come from other countries and dont speak that great of english.. Add to that they dont have many opprotunities to make alot of money in sports in their countries and they just seem to only play baseball. Not many are playing basketball and football where as most black kids are playing those sports more now..

Truth be told, many of the black athletes don't speak that great of English either.

 

[Ryanwb]

Sheffield is a moron

 

[Taco]

Sheffield is a moron

 

[asudevil83]

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[Southpaw]

Sheffield just pulled a Reggie White. Stupid uninformed racial comments. But what the Hell, it is Sheffield talking. Maybe he is just oissed since Yankees dumped him for Abreu. I wonder how Magglio Ordonez, Ivan Rodriguez, Placido Palanco, Omar Infante, Carlos Guillen, and Neifi Perez feel about his comments.