From The Chicago Sun-Times…
Ozzie: Latino players don’t get fair shake
‘IT’S VERY BAD’ | Sees preferential treatment of Asians by MLB, while renewing longtime criticism of abuse of Hispanics
By Toni Ginnetti, Staff Reporter
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on Sunday criticized what he considers Major League Baseball’s preferential treatment of Asian players over Latin players.
“It’s very bad. I say, why do we have Japanese interpreters and we don’t have a Spanish one. I always say that,” Guillen said before the Sox played Oakland at U.S. Cellular Field. “Why do they have that privilege and we don’t? 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 ... [and send him to] the minor leagues. ‘Good luck.’ And it’s always going to be like that. It’s never going to change. But that’s the way it is.”
Guillen first criticized what he considers different treatment for Asian players more than five years ago when the Sox signed Japanese pitcher Shingo Takatsu and later infielder Tadahito Iguchi.
Guillen, a native of Venezuela who was drafted at age 16 and in the majors at age 20, said he has been consistent in his criticisms on how young Latin players are treated, but added the abuse starts in their own countries from people trying to take advantage of a young talent.
The problem was especially bad in the abuse of steroids, he said Sunday, though he believes that has subsided since MLB’s testing policies were instituted several years ago.
“It’s somebody behind the scene making money off those kids and telling them to take something they’re not supposed to,” Guillen said. “If you tell me, you take this and you’re going to be Vladimir Guerrero or you’re going to be Miguel Cabrera, I’ll do it. Why? Because I have seven younger brothers that sleep in one bed in the same room. I have to take care of my mother, my dad.”
Guillen said he makes a point of talking to the Sox minor league Latinos in spring training, telling them to heed the rules.
“I’m the only one to teach the Latinos not to use. I’m the only one, and Major League Baseball doesn’t [care]. All they care about is how many times I argue with the umpires, or what I say to the media. But I’m the only one in baseball to come up to the Latino kids and say not to use this, and I don’t get any credit for that.”
As Guillen spoke during his daily pregame press briefing, he was also being videotaped for the MLB Network’s documentary “The Club,” about the Sox’ 2010 season.
Guillen brought up specific cases about disparities, including when he went to see his middle son, Oney, playing in rookie ball several years ago after being drafted by the Sox. The team had a translator for a Korean prospect, “and the translator made more money than the players,” he said.
“But we had 17 Latinos, and you know who their interpreter was? Oney,” he said of his son. “Why? Because we have Latino coaches? The pitching coach might be Latino, but he can’t talk to the hitters.
“I don’t have the answer,” Guillen said, adding that “we’re in the United States, so we don’t have to bring any coaches that speak Spanish to help anybody. You choose to come to this country, and you better speak English.”
Guillen noted he made a video message several years ago targeted to Latin players to help them, but it was never widely used by MLB.
“They look at you and they say, ‘Good for you Ozzie.’ ‘Ozzie said it, don’t worry about it.’ If somebody else said it, they would be playing that [stuff] every day on the Jumbotron. I’m the only one that came up with that idea. I did it for the Latino kids. I want to help those kids.”
Guillen said Latino players overcome obstacles because they are driven to succeed and oftern escape impoverished lives.
“We have to overcome all those [obstacles]. You know why? Because we’re hungry, we grow up the right way, we come here to compete,” he said. “I coached Vladimir Guerrero [when the star played for the Expos], and he said “I don’t speak English. You know why? Because my bat speaks Japanese, English, Spanish—every language.”
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