It's become all too familiar these days: A player feels slighted, whether due to performance struggles or clubhouse dynamics, and immediately reaches for the big, shiny red button marked "RACISM."
Jazz Chisholm, the New York Yankees player who's made more headlines for his comments than his bat, is the latest to make that reckless dive.
Here's the thing: Baseball is, by any reasonable metric, one of the most diverse professional sports leagues in the world. Chisholm's claims that MLB is a "white sport" are founded on a simplistic, cherry-picked statistic that only serves to distort the truth.
Yes, only 6% of players on opening day rosters last year were Black, the lowest figure since 1991. Yes, the percentage hasn't hit double-digits since 2008, a far cry from the 17%-19% that held steady from 1973 to 1988.
But what's left out? The fact that these numbers don't include Afro-Hispanic players from the Caribbean and other Latin American countries.
By any sensible metric, the league is overflowing with players who fit the broader definition of "Black" or "nonwhite."
When you start counting Afro-Hispanic stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and countless others, the numbers paint a completely different picture.
About 40% of MLB players fall under the broader POC or "Person of Color" umbrella. If anything, baseball has arguably been more successful than most professional leagues at integrating players from across the globe.
What makes Chisholm's argument all the more puzzling is his attempt to frame a personal beef with Miguel Rojas as some kind of racial persecution.
Miguel Rojas himself is a POC, and yet somehow, we're expected to believe that his supposed mistreatment of Chisholm is rooted in racism rather than the normal hazing and locker room squabbles that every player — white, Black, Hispanic, or otherwise — has experienced since baseball's early days.
If you want an example of the kind of benign hazing rookies endure, just take a look at former institutions like "Rookie Dress-Up Day." That light-hearted tradition from the past has included everyone from big-name rookies to under-the-radar prospects without concern for skin color.
And lets take note that MLB isn't blind to racial issues. The league has spent millions of dollars on initiatives designed to expand diversity, grow interest in underserved communities, and provide opportunities for players of all backgrounds.
And if there's any lingering doubt about the supposed racism that Chisholm claims is holding him down, consider the fact that MLB has featured him front-and-center in multiple high-profile media spots on MLB Network. No small feat for a player whose 2.9 WAR per 162 games has been more average than amazing.
Look, Jazz, here's the reality: Hazing and rough treatment are hardly exclusive to Black players. What you've described happens to rookies and middling players all the time. The difference is, most of them buckle down, focus on improving their game, and rise above it.
You want to know how real pros handle adversity? Look no further than Caitlin Clark in the WNBA. She's a white player who faces all kinds of hard fouls, rough treatment, and criticism on the court. Yet she answers with her play, not by crying foul over perceived injustices.
The truth is, your problem isn't systemic racism in baseball. It's the fact that your talent level doesn't match your hype. Your comments don't move the conversation forward; they just make it harder for those who have real issues to bring to the table to be heard. It's a weak, cynical play from a player whose stats aren't backing up his swagger.
And by the way, if you think the league is only promoting white players, you might want to take a look at the cover of MLB The Show 23. Spoiler alert: It's you. If baseball's so racist, it's doing a pretty lousy job of showing it.
Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, cybersecurity researcher, founder of ItFunk.Org, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cybersecurity and politics, is regularly published by many of the largest news organizations in the world. Read more of his reports — Here.
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