Latino Legends Team

[metirish]

So before Game 4 wednesday MLB will announce it's results of fan voting for the first Latino Legends Team, my question is why MLB feels the need to have such a team and is it insulting to Latino's to be singled out from other ethnic groups?Shouldn't the accomplishments of Latino players stand together with the rest of MLB palyers,next year will we have a Jewish Legend team, an Asian team or maybe an Iriah Team...

here is a link of players by position.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/fan_forum/latino_legends/ballot.jsp

[MFS62]

How many folks besides me are rooting for Raffy Palmiero to be voted in as the first baseman on that squad?
The expression on Bud's face when he has to announce it would be priceless.

Later

[Theoldmole]

I don't think it's insulting at all. People like to make lists, and this is just another one. And it's possible for ethnic pride to be a healthy thing.

[metirish]

I'm cynical as to why MLB wants to make this list, shouldn't the ALL Century Team have been the final list , especially one sanctioned by MLB...

[Willets Point]

I'm waiting for the MLB to sanction an all-time "Girly Name" baseball squad. We've got a list for them to start with.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I don't see anything "wrong" with naming an All-Latino team, other than my certainty that the fans will screw up the voting somehow and that they wouldn't be doing it were it not for all the money they make plastering sponsor names all over it and collecting the email addies of the voters.

I do wonder how Venzuelans might feel being lumped in with Puerto Ricans, Nicaraguans, Mexicans etc. into some polygot "nationality" that doesn't really exist.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah that's the other thing ... who qualifies as Latino?

California's Keith Hernandez?
Florida's Tino Martinez, Luis Gonzalez or Lou Piniella?
Colorado's Tippy Martinez?
Panama's Bruce Chen?

[metirish]

I can't remember who but when this first came out a few writers/experts believed that MLB was emmbrassed that Roberto Clemente didn't make the All-Century Team so this list was born, now I'm not that cynical because Clemente gets honored every year in ballparks and an award is given in his name, probably as Dickshot pointed out this has a lot to do with money....All Century Team below.....no Seaver?

http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0781197.html

[Guest mlbaseballtalk]

metirish wrote: I can't remember who but when this first came out a few writers/experts believed that MLB was emmbrassed that Roberto Clemente didn't make the All-Century Team so this list was born, now I'm not that cynical because Clemente gets honored every year in ballparks and an award is given in his name, probably as Dickshot pointed out this has a lot to do with money....All Century Team below.....no Seaver? http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0781197.html

Come on, where is the "Rickification" If Elster88 can do it, everyone should do it! HAHAHAHA!

[Frayed Knot]

Clemente was a real good player, an exciting player, and a favorite of many fans - not just Latinos.
But he wasn't a truly GREAT player and he simply falls short of All-Century honors in comparison to the likes of Mays, Aaron, Ruth, Cobb & Williams, etc.. He was good but he wasn't THAT good and too many get the idea into their heads that a non-inclusion like that is somehow an insult or an "embarrassment".
It's not.

[metirish]

Youo're no doubt correct FK, looking at the All -Century Team I don't think any are Latino, maybe that's the problem, I dunno....

[nymr83]

there is a good reason there weren't any latinos on that team- because most of the best latino players were still playing at the time! if the century ended in 2010 i think there'd have more likely been latinos on the team.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Clemente not worthy of All-Century Team inclusion? Absolutely.

And that's no insult to him.

But this isn't really about honoring players, it's about expanding MLB's market further among a nationwide and wroldwide Spanish-speaking audience, and it's about somoething more cynical.

When confronted with Clemente's absence on the All-Century Team, Bud Selig not only said, well, that's the way the fans voted, he said he personally disagreed with the voting and was disappointed that Clemente wasn't included.

In 1998, somebody drummed up a BS campaign to argue that there was bias in the McGwire/Sosa home run race --- that McGwire was getting a disproportionate amount of attention because Sammy was a Latino --- an Afro-Latino. Never mind that McGwire led the race almost the whole way, beat Sosa to the record, and finished with the record, and was a more established player. Rather than argue any of those things, or, best, issue no comment, MLB hastily organized a Sammy Sosa Day for the whole league to somehow participate in.

I saw Selig hauled before Congress, and he lit up when issues of bias came up. Selig has presented MLB as it's currently constituted as racially progressive on all fronts, and that provides him cover when real issues come up.which Congress should be acting on.

That also is what this is about, I think.

[Guest Edgy DC]

		http://www.njsportspromotions.com/Clemente73nmt.jpg
http://cache.etopps.com/Images/cards/025-00219fl.jpg				http://www.cardtarget.com/card_images/1328front.gif
	http://cache.etopps.com/Images/cards/025-00241fl.jpg		http://www.rookiesquantities.com/Images/Swell91_Carew.jpg
		http://cache.etopps.com/Images/cards/025-00127fl.jpg
http://cache.etopps.com/Images/cards/025-00262fl.jpg	http://www.vintagecardtraders.org/virtual/64topps/64topps-280.jpg	http://cache.etopps.com/Images/cards/025-00174fl.jpg	http://www.sonido967.com/images/fernando_card.jpg	http://www.homeruncards.com/imagesrc/pujolstt.jpg
		http://www.homeruncards.com/imagesrc/rodrigueziud.jpg

The score by country;

Dominican Republic (4)
Vladimir Guerrero
Manny Ramirez
Juan Marichal
Pedro Martinez

Puerto Rico (3)
Roberto Clemente
Edgar Martinez
Ivan Rodriguez

Panama (2)
Rod Carew
Mariano Rivera

Mexico (1)
Fernando Valenzuela

Nueva York (1)
Alex Rodriguez

[metirish]

Good job Edgy, I was watching this and my feeling was bleh..there was no buzz really I think...still it was nice to see Pedro in his classy suit and Mets Blue Cap...

[Zvon]

I love that post^ Edgy,especially the baseball cards laid out like a diamond.

I also love how Pedro wore his Met cap during the ceremony.

[MFS62]

I was shocked by how old Rod Carew looks.
We're about the same age.
The death of his child must have really affected his health.
Sad.

Later

[Guest Mark Healey]

Edgy DC wrote: Clemente not worthy of All-Century Team inclusion? Absolutely. And that's no insult to him. But this isn't really about honoring players, it's about expanding MLB's market further among a nationwide and wroldwide Spanish-speaking audience, and it's about somoething more cynical. When confronted with Clemente's absence on the All-Century Team, Bud Selig not only said, well, that's the way the fans voted, he said he personally disagreed with the voting and was disappointed that Clemente wasn't included. In 1998, somebody drummed up a BS campaign to argue that there was bias in the McGwire/Sosa home run race --- that McGwire was getting a disproportionate amount of attention because Sammy was a Latino --- an Afro-Latino. Never mind that McGwire led the race almost the whole way, beat Sosa to the record, and finished with the record, and was a more established player. Rather than argue any of those things, or, best, issue no comment, MLB hastily organized a Sammy Sosa Day for the whole league to somehow participate in. I saw Selig hauled before Congress, and he lit up when issues of bias came up. Selig has presented MLB as it's currently constituted as racially progressive on all fronts, and that provides him cover when real issues come up.which Congress should be acting on. That also is what this is about, I think.

Well put. Maybe you should write a column about it...

[Centerfield]

I'm waiting for the Onion to write an article announcing the "Regular White Guy Legends" team.

[Willets Point]

Funnier if it was "The Constipated White Guy Legends Team."

[Elster88]

Some have wondered if ARod should have been included since he was born in the US.

I have wondered if anyone really cares.

[metirish]

Chevrolet cares and Bud cares...but yeah it seemd a pointless exercise to me.

[Guest sharpie]

Hard to justify Edgar Martinez as a third baseman as he spent so much of his playing time not fielding at all. If A-Rod must be there (and he shouldn't) he could've been put in as a third baseman and one of the many worthy latino shortstops could've been included (Vizquel, Concepcion, Aparicio), then Edgar could've been the Latino DH legend. They didn't ask me, though.

[MFS62]

They probably thought that by putting Pujols on the ballot as a first baseman, it would make the selection of Clemente easier. But the devil in me wanted to see who would win in a face-to-face contest between Steroid Raffy and convicted druggie Cepeda for first base honors.
Oh well.

And, has anyone else here heard Clemente's son doing his sportstalk hosting on WFAN? (Or is it ESPN?) The show is called "Latin Beat" and the times I've heard it, he was pretty good.


Later