Baseball and race again - again...

Chris Lynch has an interesting take on the Johan Santana to Boston speculation.

"...if it is Coco Crisp then that means there is a very good chance that the Boston Red Sox's Opening Day 25-man roster will have ZERO African Americans. I know, I know - who cares? I care only that the Red Sox field the most competitive team possible but I bring this up because some people will make an issue out of it. Make no mistake. And yes I'm talking about the Boston Globe here.

It's a stupid issue but something the Boston Globe made a big deal out of 4-years ago. If Coco Crisp is traded - I'm betting they make it an issue once again."

I think that Chris is probably right, so even though I've said this before, I'll say it again.

If someone from the Globe does make that point, it will be wrong. Incorrect. False. A lie. Calumny and slander.

There is, obviously, a racial history to Major League baseball in general, and the Red Sox in particular. But there is no relevant or useful definition of the term African-American that does not include David Ortiz. Or Manny Ramirez. Or Manny Delcarmen. Or Johan Santana. All four of whom have dark skin, presumably had African ancestors and are from the Americas. Somehow, because their first language is Spanish, they don't count for noxious racial profiling purposes? Baseball's racial history deals with race, with skin color, not with country of origin. Manny Ramirez grew up in New York City, Manny Delcarmen grew up in Boston. How strained and petty and dishonest with the English language would you have to be to comment that the Red Sox wouldn't have any "African-Americans" on their roster?