Apologies to the Prof and the Midnight Snack, as far as theme, or ideas to touch on, but there’s several socially related ones out there today. So, let’s take a look.
First, Yasiel Puig will face no MLB discipline after an alleged domestic violence incident last fall. Aroldis Chapman has been disciplined and Jose Reyes’ case is still in the pipeline.
Second, speaking of pipelines and Cuban baseball players, the Treasury Department has amended the sanctions against Cuba, which would, on paper, allow MLB teams to directly sign Cuban players:
U.S. companies will be authorized to engage in transactions related to the sponsorship or hiring of Cuban nationals to work or perform in the United States similar to nationals from other countries, provided that no additional payments are made to the Cuban government in connection with such sponsorship or hiring. For example, Cuban athletes, artists, performers, and others who obtain the requisite visas will be able to travel to the United States and earn salaries and stipends in excess of basic living expenses. Transactions in connection with the filing of an application for non-immigrant travel authorizations will also be authorized.
That part in bold is key, though. Cuban’s going to want compensation for these players. And, going by the strict letter of the law, it looks impossible. However, MLB’s application to the Treasury Department envisioned some sort of nonprofit shell organization to handle these messy details.
Finally, former (and maybe future) Cards’ minor leaguer Tyler Dunnington shows that many baseball players well below the Torii Hunter level still have a lot to learn about gay rights, respect and acceptance.
Fan Interference 
Per that Dunnington piece:
Somehow chatter one day brewed about gay people, and the coach made a bragging reference to the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard.
“We kill gay people in Wyoming,” the college coach said.
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Yes … it’s coaches, not just players, in many places, that still have a looonnggg way to go.
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It’s actually more common for the coaches to get that kind of talk started. First off, they’re generally a generation or two less evolved. Most importantly, once the coach says “kill all (whatever)” then it becomes acceptable for the other troglodytes to join in with impunity. Players are taught not to talk back to coaches, so the ones who are disgusted just bite their tongues, or take part to be one of the guys.
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All true, yahmule. Even when a better level of acceptance comes around, the talk will still be rough to those guys because:
It’s part of the tribal ritual of being in a group of guys. Weaknesses or differences are ferreted out and mocked. You’ll have change our genes to change that.
It’s about sex. Duh.
But hopefully a form of rough civility will prevail in the long run. My impression is that the generation coming up doesn’t even get what we are talking about with race and gender issues. Perhaps the change is coming.
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