Films on Friday: Protest at Dodger Stadium

Last weekend, protesters outside of Dodger Stadium expressed their disagreement with the Dodgers’ invitation to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their annual Pride Night celebration. Protestors had also shown up at Angel Stadium a few weeks ago when the Mayor of Anaheim invited them as her guests at the Angel’s Pride Night.

A few days earlier, Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw stated that while he supported Pride Night, he did not support groups that made fun of others’ religion:

For upcoming Pride Nights at MLB and MiLB parks, check out my earlier post.

Happy Friday!

~ baseballrebecca

Heritage, Cultural, and Awareness Celebrations: 2023

Below are the remaining heritage, cultural, and awareness celebrations for the 2023 MLB season, and a few Minor League teams as well. Its a long list, so I’ve broken it up by group.

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/15/2023	Padres	Filipino Heritage Celebration
6/24/2023	White Sox	Filipino Heritage Day
6/25/2023	Marlins	Japanese Heritage Celebration
6/29/2023	Mets	Filipino Heritage Night
7/3/2023	Padres	Japanese Heritage Celebration
7/8/2023	Dodgers	Japanese Heritage Night
7/14/2023	Mariners	Filipino Heritage Night
8/8/2023	Red Sox	India Celebration
8/10/2023	Phillies	Asian Pacific Heritage Celebration
8/14/2023	Cardinals	Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Night
8/14/2023	Mets	Korean Heritage Night
8/25/2023	Mets	Japanese Heritage Night
8/27/2023	Mets	Taiwan Day
8/28/2023	Giants	Filipino Heritage Night
8/29/2023	Mariners	Japanese Heritage Night
9/1/2023	Mets	An Evening of Chinese Culture
9/18/2023	A’s	Filipino Heritage Night
9/19/2023	Padres	Korean Heritage Celebration
9/24/2023	Nationals	Filipino Heritage Day

African Americans, Negro Leagues, and HBCUs:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/11/2023	Pensacola Blue Wahoos	The Nine Night Celebrating the Pensacola Seagulls (Negro Leagues)
6/14/2023	Dodgers	Black Heritage Night
6/17/2023	Mariners	African American Heritage Day
6/17/2023	Mariners	Salute to the Negro Leagues Day: A Juneteenth Celebration
6/17/2023	Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp	HBCU Night
6/17/2023	Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp	Red Caps Negro League Night w/Sean Gibson
6/18/2023	Red Sox	Juneteenth Celebration
6/19/2023	Pirates	African American Heritage Night
6/20/2023	Phillies	African American Heritage Celebration
6/24/2023	Rochester Red Wings	Negro League Tribute Night
6/26/2023	Mets	Black Legacy Game
6/30/2023	Norfolk	Negro League Tribute Night
7/14/2023	A’s	African American Heritage Night
7/21/2023	Brewers	Negro Leagues Tribute Game
7/21-7/23/2023	Tigers	21st Annual Negro Leagues Weekend
7/23/2023	Portland Sea Dogs	The Nine – Celebrating Black History in Portland
8/9/2023	White Sox	African-American Heritage Night
8/12/2023	Pirates	Negro League Legacy Night
8/18 – 8/19/2023	Richmond Flying Squirrels	Richmond 34 Legacy Weekend (celebrating their legacy and contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in Virginia)
8/19/2023	Nationals	HBCU and Divine 9 Day
8/23/2023	Braves	HBCU Night
8/25/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Tribute to Negro Leagues /Judy Johnson Night
8/26/2023	Giants	African American Heritage Day
8/27/2023	Somerset Patriots	Tribute to the New York Black Yankees
8/29/2023	Cubs	HBCU Night
9/1/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	HBCU Night
9/8/2023	Twins	HBCU Night
9/28/2023	Orioles	HBCU Night

Italians, Irish, Polish, Germans, and Other European Nations:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/9/2023	Phillies	Greek Heritage Celebration
6/10/2023	Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp	Irish Heritage Night
6/17/2023	A’s	Portuguese Heritage Day
6/18/2023	Padres	Scottish Heritage Celebration
6/20/2023	White Sox	Polish Heritage Night
6/20/2023	Pirates	Irish Heritage Night
6/20/2023	Giants	Irish Heritage Night
6/20/2023	Nationals	Irish Heritage Day
6/20/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Irish Heritage Night
6/27/2023	Mariners	Italian Heritage Night
6/28/2023	Pirates	Polish Heritage Night
7/6/2023	White Sox	Italian Heritage Night
7/8/2023	Padres	Irish Heritage Celebration
7/9/2023	Cubs	Italian Heritage Night
7/16/2023	Mariners	Croatian Heritage Day
7/21/2023	A’s	Italian Heritage Night
7/25/2023	Giants	Italian Heritage Night
7/26/2023	Phillies	German Heritage Celebration
7/26/2023	Giants	Greek Heritage Night
7/27/2023	White Sox	Greek Heritage Night
8/2/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Italian Heritage Night
8/4/2023	Padres	Italian Heritage Celebration
8/6/2023	Padres	German Heritage Celebration
8/7/2023	Phillies	Italian Heritage Celebration
8/8/2023	Rochester Red Wings	Irish Night
8/10/2023	Somerset Patriots	Polish Heritage Night
8/13/2023	Mets	Irish Heritage Day
8/27/2023	Rays	Italian Heritage Celebration
8/29/2023	Red Sox	Italian Celebration
8/31/2023	Padres	Portuguese Heritage Celebration
9/5 – 9/10/2023	Yankees	Italian Heritage Cap Nights (special ticket required for cap)
9/6/2023	Pirates	Eastern European Heritage Day
9/8/2023	Tigers	Irish Heritage Night
9/9/2023	Somerset Patriots	Irish Heritage Night
9/12/2023	Pirates	Italian Heritage Night
9/24/2023	Red Sox	Irish Celebration
9/27/2023	Giants	Portuguese Heritage Night

Hispanics and Latinos:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/12/2023	Red Sox	Polish Celebration
6/13/2023	Padres	Peruvian Heritage Celebration
6/17/2023	Rangers	Mexican Heritage Night
6/23/2023	Padres	Mexican Heritage Celebration
6/24/2023	Marlins	Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration
6/24/2023	Rays	Cuban Heritage Celebration
6/25/2023	Red Sox	Puerto Rican Celebration
7/20/2023	Rays	Colombian Heritage Celebration
7/22/2023	Marlins	Nicaraguan Heritage Celebration
7/29/2023	Marlins	Venezuelan Heritage Celebration
8/5/2023	Tigers	18th Annual ¡Fiesta Tigres!
8/5/2023	Padres	Dominican Heritage Celebration
8/10/2023	Red Sox	Dominican Republic Celebration
8/18/2023	Padres	Panamanian Heritage Celebration
8/26/2023	Marlins	Colombian Heritage Celebration
8/29/2023	Phillies	Goya Latino Family Celebration
8/31/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Latin American Heritage Night
9/2/2023	Diamondbacks	Mexican Heritage Night
9/3/2023	Cardinals	Fiesta Cardenales
9/8/2023	Rays	Panamanian Heritage Celebration
9/9/2023	Rays	Venezuelan Heritage Celebration
9/12/2023	Giants	Mexican Heritage Night
9/14/2023	Red Sox	Hispanic Celebration
9/15/2023	Guardians	Hispanic Heritage Celebration
9/15/2023	Royals	Viva Los Reales Celebration
9/15/2023	Brewers	Cerveceros Night/Latino Heritage
9/15/2023	Mets	Hispanic Heritage Night
9/15/2023	Pirates	Hispanic Heritage Night
9/15/2023	Mariners	Hispanic Heritage Night
9/15/2023	Norfolk	Hispanic Heritage Month celebration
9/15/2023	Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp	Roberto Clemente Community Night / Hispanic Heritage Month
9/15-9/17/2023	Diamondbacks	Hispanic Heritage Weekend
9/16/2023	Marlins	Dominican Republic Heritage Celebration
9/16/2023	A’s	Latin & Hispanic Heritage Day
9/16/2023	Pensacola Blue Wahoos	Latin American Heritage / Copa de la Diversion
9/19 – 9/22, 9/24/2023	Yankees	Hispanic Heritage Month specials (special ticket required)
9/21/2023	Nationals	Hispanic Heritage Day
9/22/2023	Rays	Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration
9/22-9/24/2023	Astros	Hispanic Heritage Weekend
9/23/2023	Astros	Hispanic Heritage Street Fest
9/24/2023	Marlins	Mexican Heritage Celebration
9/28/2023	Braves	Los Bravos Day – Hispanic Heritage Month
9/30/2023	White Sox	Hispanic Heritage Night
9/30/2023	Giants	Fiesta Gigantes

Native Americans:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/3/2023	Diamondbacks	Native American Recognition Day
6/17/2023	Braves	Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Night
7/7/2023	Giants	Native American Heritage Night
7/17/2023	A’s	Native American Heritage Night
8/28/2023	Mariners	Native American Heritage Night
9/1/2023	Padres	Native American Heritage Celebration
9/22/2023	Marlins	American Indian Heritage Celebration
9/22-9/24/2023	Padres	Hispanic Heritage Celebration Weekend

Jewish Community:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/21/2023	Phillies	Jewish Heritage Celebration
6/25/2023	Padres	Jewish Community Day
6/27/2023	A’s	Jewish Heritage Night
7/18/2023	Phillies	Irish Heritage Celebration
8/1/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Jewish Heritage Night
8/9/2023	Pirates	Jewish Heritage Night
8/15/2023	Giants	Jewish Heritage Night
8/27/2023	Marlins	Jewish Community Celebration
8/27/2023	Mariners	Jewish Community Day
8/27/2023	Rays	Jewish Community Day
9/3/2023	Mets	Jewish Heritage Day
9/3/2023	Nationals	Jewish Heritage Day

Disabilities, Women, and Other Groups:

Date(s)	Team	Event
6/3/2023	Marlins	Bahamian Heritage Celebration
7/7/2023	Padres	Catholic Night
7/26/2023	Red Sox	Disability Pride
8/24/2023	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Deaf Awareness Night
8/26/2023	Mets	Women’s Equality Day
9/15/2023	Rochester Red Wings	Deaf Culture Night
9/8/2023	Richmond Flying Squirrels	Caribbean Nations Night

Past Events:

Date(s)	Team	Event
5/12/2023	Diamondbacks	Pacific Island Heritage Celebration
5/12/2023	Guardians	Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Night
5/13/2023	Diamondbacks	Asian Heritage Celebration
5/15/2023	Marlins	Cuban Heritage Celebration
5/16/2023	Dodgers	Mexican Heritage Night
5/17/2023	Marlins	Haitian Heritage Celebration
5/23/2023	Pirates	Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Night
5/23/2023	Mariners	Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Night
5/26/2023	Tigers	Polish American Night
5/26/2023	Daytona Tortugas	The Nine Night (Negro Leagues and Black baseball pioneers)
5/27/2023	A’s	Taiwanese Heritage Day
5/28/2023	Delmarva Shorebirds	Negro League Celebration
5/30/2023	White Sox	Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Night
5/30/2023	Red Sox	Jewish Heritage Celebration
5/30/2023	Mariners	Irish Heritage Night
6/1/2023	Red Sox	Greek Celebration
6/1/2023	Somerset Patriots	Italian American Heritage Night

Pride at the Park: 2023

Pride Month begins tomorrow and baseball is set to celebrate it throughout the month. This year, every MLB team, except the Texas Rangers, will have a Pride Night (the Marlins hold theirs tonight and the Padres celebrated back in April).  Check out the list below – and make sure to double check with the team for times and whether special tickets are required for any giveaways. As always, I haven’t included every Minor League Team, so check with your local team for more Pride Nights!

Dates	Team	Event Title
5/31/2023	Marlins	Pride at the Park
6/1/2023	Durham Bulls	Pride Night
6/2/2023	Round Rock Express	Pride Night
6/6/2023	Nationals	Night OUT
6/7/2023	Brewers	Pride Night
6/7/2023	Angels	Pride Night
6/7 – 6/8/2023	Yankees	Legacy of Pride
6/8/2023	Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp	Pride Night
6/8/2023	Brooklyn Cyclones	Pride Night
6/9/2023	Cardinals	Pride Night
6/9/2023	Guardians	Pride Night
6/9/2023	Pirates	Pride Night
6/9/2023	Rockies	Pride Night
6/9/2023	Jersey Shore BlueClaws	Pride Night
6/9 – 6/10/2023	Blue Jays	Pride Weekend
6/10/2023	Giants	Pride Night
6/10/2023	Rays	Pride Day
6/10/2023	Portland Sea Dogs	Pride Day
6/11/2023	Albuquerque Isotopes	Pride Night
6/13/2023	Cubs	Pride Celebration
6/13/2023	Mariners	Pride Week
6/13/2023	Red Sox	Pride Celebration
6/13/2023	Tigers	Pride Night
6/13/2023	Somerset Patriots	Pride Night
6/14/2023	Norfolk	Pride Night
6/15/2023	Braves	Pride Night
6/16/2023	Dodgers	LGBTQ+ Pride Night
6/16/2023	Mariners	Pride Week
6/16/2023	Mets	Pride Night
6/16/2023	Royals	Pride Night
6/16/2023	Twins	Pride Night
6/17/2023	Diamondbacks	Pride Night
6/20/2023	Astros	Pride Night
6/20 – 6/22/2023	Yankees	Legacy of Pride
6/22/2023	South Bend Cubs	Pride Night
6/21/2023	White Sox	Pride Night
6/22/2023	Scranton/Wilkes-Barre	Pride Night
6/23/2023	Phillies	Pride Night
6/23/2023	Richmond Flying Squirrels	Pride Night
6/23/2023	Dunedin Blue Jays	Pride Night
6/24 – 6/25/2023	Yankees	Legacy of Pride
6/28/2023	Orioles	LGBTQ+ Pride Night
6/28/2023	Harrisburg Senators	Pride Night
6/29/2023	Sugar Land Space Cowboys	Pride Night
6/30/2023	Bowie Baysox	Pride Night
7/6/2023	Rochester Red Wings	Pride Night
7/14/2023	Tacoma Rainiers	Pride Night
7/21/2023	Reds	Pride Night
7/22/2023	Bradenton Marauders	Pride Night
9/1/2023	A’s	Glenn Burke Pride Night

Minor Leaguer Comes Out as Gay

The big news the other day was that Anderson Comás, a minor league in the White Sox organization, announced that he is gay on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anderson Comas (@andersoncomas10)

The team supported his announcement as did Billy Bean, MLB’s senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, who stated: “I’m proud of Anderson’s courage in sharing something so personal with the baseball community, and I’m grateful that the Chicago White Sox have provided Anderson with an accepting and inclusive environment allowing him to pursue his dream of becoming a Major Leaguer while being his true and authentic self.”

pic.twitter.com/d0VqxZdO9S

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 19, 2023

The 23-year old Dominican baseball player signed with the White Sox in 2016 at the age of 16. He played in the Dominican Summer League in 2017 and in the rookie level Arizona League in 2018. In 2022, he played in the Arizona Complex League after seeing some playing time in 2021 with the low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

~ baseballrebecca

Jackie Robinson Calls Out the Yankees

On this date 70 years ago, Jackie Robinson appeared on a local television show in New York called “Youth Wants to Know.” During the show, Robinson was asked if the New York Yankees were racist, given that they still had no African American players on the team. Noting that there also were few Black players in the Yankees’ farm system, Robinson stated, “It seems to me the Yankees front office has used racial prejudice in its dealings with Negro ball players.” Robinson emphasized that this was an issue with management, adding that Yankees’ players were, “fine sportsmen and wonderful gentlemen…”

Around the same time the Yankees’ General Manager George Weiss was quoted as saying that the Yankees’ didn’t want the “sort of crowd” a black ballplayer would bring to the stadium, noting, “It would offend boxholders from Westchester to have to sit with” those fans.  

A few years later, on April 14, 1955, Elston Howard was called up to the Yankees, becoming the first African American player on the team.

11/30/1952 Jackie Robinson claimed the Yankees management was racist for failing to bring up a Black player. This was on a local NBC TV program called "Youth Wants to Know". George Weiss of the Yankees denied the allegations. It was 3 more yrs before they signed Elston Howard. pic.twitter.com/IuFjBp4rXu

— The Other Boys Of Summer (@NegroLeagueFilm) November 30, 2021

Cal McLish

We can’t let Native American Heritage Month pass us by without highlighting one of the many American Indians who played Major League Baseball: Cal McLish, who played between 1944 and 1964, was Choctaw on his father’s side and Cherokee on his mother’s side.

Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish was born on December 1, 1925, in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Of his extremely long name, McLish noted that he was the seventh of eight children and the first child that his father got to name. Seizing his opportunity, McLish’s father named him after Calvin Coolidge, Julius Caesar, and Tuskahoma, Oklahoma.

McLish signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944 while he was in high school and debuted with the Dodgers on May 13 that same year, never having played in the minors before his debut. He missed 1945 and much of 1946 due to military service, though he played on the 3^rd Infantry Division’s baseball team when they were in Czechoslovakia in the summer of 1945. He finished the 1946 season with Brooklyn, but spent time in both Pittsburgh and the minor leagues in 1947 and 1948.

In December 1948, McLish was traded to the Chicago Cubs and again split the next two seasons between the Majors and Minors. He spent all of 1952 through 1954 with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. After starting the 1955 season with the Angels, his contract was sold to the PCL’s San Diego Padres, an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

McLish spent 1956 through 1959 with Cleveland, during which time he had a 3.35 ERA and a 46-27 record. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for the 1960 season, where he did not fare as well, ending the season with a 4.16 ERA and a 4-14 record. McLish was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1961 and to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962. He finished his playing career with the Phillies in 1964 appearing in only two games before being released in July.

McLish remained with the Phillies as a pitching coach (1965-66) and scout. He later coached for the Montreal Expos (1969-75) and Milwaukee Brewers (1976-82), was a scout for the Brewers, and was an instructor for the Seattle Mariners. He retired from baseball in 2005.

Cal McLish was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He passed away in Edmond, Oklahoma, on August 26, 2010.  

~ baseballrebecca

Films on Friday: American Indians in Baseball

From a few years ago, but still very cool:

Happy Friday! Happy Native American Heritage Month!

~ baseballrebecca

September-October Diversity and Heritage Celebrations

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, but you can still celebrate a variety of things in the remaining days of the season. Don’t miss the remaining Greek, Korean, Portuguese, Irish, Filipino, and other heritage nights, as well as several Hispanic Heritage events in September and October:

Date	Team	Event
2-Sep	Tigers	Irish Heritage Night
2-Sep	Giants	Portuguese Heritage Night
5-Sep	Cardinals	African American Heritage Day
6-Sep	Padres	Korean Heritage Celebration
7-Sep	Phillies	Greek Heritage Celebration
7-Sep	Padres	Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration
9-Sep	A’s	LatinX and Hispanic Heritage Night
9-Sep	Pirates	Negro League Legacy Night
9-Sep	Padres	Native American Heritage Celebration
10-Sep	Marlins	Colombian Heritage Celebration
10-Sep	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Judy Johnson Night and Negro Leagues Tribute
13-Sep	Giants	Filipino Heritage Night
14-Sep	Mariners	Hispanic Heritage Day
15-Sep	Syracuse Mets	Irish Night
15-Sep	Astros	Roberto Clemente Day
16-Sep	Rochester Red Wings	Deaf Culture Night
16-Sep	Nationals	Hispanic Heritage Day
16-Sep	Braves	Los Bravos Night
16-Sep	Red Sox	Mexican Heritage
16-18-Sep	Diamondbacks	Hispanic Heritage Weekend
16-18-Sep	Astros	Hispanic Heritage Weekend
17-Sep	Somerset Patriots	Irish Heritage Night
17-Sep	Red Sox	Irish Heritage
17-Sep	Brewers	Cerveceros Day/Latino heritage
18-Sep	Mets	Hispanic Heritage Night
20-Sep	Dodgers	Dia de los Dodgers
20-Sep	Royals	Viva Los Reales
23-Sep	White Sox	Hispanic Heritage Night
23-Sep	Rangers	Mexican Heritage Night
25-Sep	Marlins	Mexican Heritage Celebration
27-Sep	Nationals	Italian Heritage Night
28-Sep	Red Sox	Hispanic Heritage
29-Sep	Padres	Dominican Heritage Celebration
30-Sep – 1-Oct	Padres	Hispanic Heritage Weekend

August Diversity and Heritage Celebrations

Check out the special events for August at ballparks around the country. Take your pick – and celebrate everything for Portuguese Heritage to Taiwan Day:

Date	Team	Event
2-Aug	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Irish Heritage Night
5-Aug	Somerset Patriots	Italian American Night
8-Aug	Padres	Japanese Heritage Celebration
9-Aug	Padres	Portuguese Heritage Celebration
9-Aug	Mariners	Italian Heritage Night
9-Aug	Wilmington Blue Rocks	Jewish Heritage Night
10-Aug	Somerset Patriots	Polish Heritage Night
10-Aug	Red Sox	Dominican Heritage
11-Aug	Hudson Valley Renegades	Irish Night
12-Aug	Mets	Irish Night
13-Aug	Marlins	Dominican Republic Heritage Celebration
13-Aug	Royals	Salute to the Negro Leagues
13-Aug	Mets	Filipino Heritage Night
14-Aug	Mets	Celebrate Israel
14-Aug	Marlins	Jewish Community Celebration
15-Aug	Twins	Diversity Day
16-Aug	Pirates	Jewish Heritage Night
16-Aug	Twins	Native American Heritage Night
17-Aug	Giants	Jewish Heritage Night
18-Aug	Padres	Panamanian Heritage Celebration
19-Aug	Tigers	Fiesta Tigres
20-Aug	Diamondbacks	Mexican Heritage Night
21-Aug	Padres	Greek Heritage Celebration
21-Aug	Richmond Flying Squirrels	Disability Inclusion Day
23-Aug	Mariners	Native American Heritage Night
25-Aug	Red Sox	Italian Heritage Night
27-Aug	Marlins	Venezuelan Heritage Celebratoin
27-Aug	Bowie Baysox	Tribute to the Negro Leagues
27-Aug	Nationals	Filipino Heritage Night
28-Aug	Mariners	Jewish Community Day
28-Aug	Nationals	Jewish Community Day
28-Aug	Cardinals	Fiesta Cardenales/Hispanic Community Celebration
28-Aug	Mets	Taiwan Day
28-Aug	Mariners	Japanese Heritage Day

More About the O’s and Nats’ Draft Picks

Yesterday, I posted pictures (in Tweets) of the Orioles and Nationals’ first 10 draft picks from last week. I was somewhat disturbed to see that all 10 of the O’s picks were White players. In contrast, the Nationals selected six White players, two Black players, and two Hispanic players. (At least, that appears to be the case when you look at their pictures and where they are from.)

Ummmm – haven’t people been saying we need more diversity in Major League Baseball?

Overall, the Orioles selected 22 players in the 2022 draft. All but one, Adam Crampton, are White. According to the 2022 MLB Draft website, Crampton was born in Taiwan and raised in Oakland. (MLB also points out, irrelevantly, that his cousin, Taro Daniel, is a tennis player who represented Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.)

Adam Crampton can cover a lot of #Birdland

You're going to love this guy @Orioles fans.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/FOP6IXGH2I

— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) July 18, 2022

Another 🌲 Drafted!

Adam Crampton is selected by the @Orioles with the first pick in the ninth round.#GoStanford x @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/tqbyKtsaAM

— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) July 18, 2022

I dunno. Maybe the Orioles were going for diversity of first names. I mean, we already have Adley and Gunnar and Grayson. Their picks this year include Jackson, Trace, Wyatt, Alden, and Reese.

How’d the Nationals do with their #11-20 picks? Five are White, four are Black, and one is Hispanic – a list that includes Marquis Grissom, Jr.

In the 13th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the Washington Nationals select Marquis Grissom Jr. pic.twitter.com/91B8AZhOel

— Milb Central (@milb_central) July 19, 2022

Of course, it remains to be seen how many of these payers will make it to the Majors, and, if they do, where they will actually end up. (We’ll see how long it takes the O’s to trade Crampton to a West Coast team.) However, all-in-all, 95 percent of the O’s draft picks are White (21 of 22), compared to 55 percent of the Nats’ draft picks (11 of 20). Further, the Nats selected six black players and three Hispanic players.

Go Nats!

~ baseballrebecca