I know with the opening of Training camp, a lot of attention has shifted to the football field, but baseball is still going strong and none of the division leaders have pulled away from the pack. In the midst of trying to make a run for the American League Central pennant, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has found himself in the middle of another controversial statement.
Guillen believes that the Asian players in the Majors have been given preferential treatment over the Latino players. Guillen says:
“Don’t take this wrong, but they take advantage of us. We bring a Japanese player and they are very good and they bring all these privileges to them. We bring a Dominican kid … go to the minor leagues, good luck. Good luck. And it’s always going to be like that. It’s never going to change.”
Guillen also brings up an interesting point that I have often wondered for years in regards to translators:
“Very bad. I say, why do we have Japanese interpreters and we don’t have a Spanish one. I always say that. Why do they have that privilege and we don’t?”
In this latest installment of “What did Ozzie say?” I actually agree with a lot of what he is saying. According to the racial breakdown of Major League Baseball teams Latin players represent almost 30% of the MLB, but they have no translators that can help them effectively communicate with managers or teammates. Think about it…a player from Venezuela just signed to the team is not going to be able to talk with a manager / teammate? And what if the newly signed player plays the same position as another Spanish speaking person? Maybe he is worried about him taking his position, so he isn’t going to help him.
Perhaps during the offseason, Ozzie can work with the MLB to remedy this situation so that players of all backgrounds / nationalities will be able to effectively communicate with both their coaching staff and teammates.
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