El Barrio, NY - Mike Francesa quipped that “If you could find a Mets baseball player that could speak English,” which he attempts to ameliorate, or lessen the effect of his words, by saying “That (if you find one) I hope is one who speaks English,” ̶ just a shade of difference that leaves you with a ‘Daa???’ – a comment he glosses over by adding a “Just kidding Folks!” to a caller to his YES talk Show recently. Although he went on to apologize to the caller, the apology is flawed by the fact that is not about insulting the Mets whom he said had no ‘problema’ with what he said. It is about insulting the Latino Community. For this reason Mike Francesa’s apology needs a remake.
To put all this into context, let’s remember that much of what has been said about former GM Omar Minaya's Latinization of the Mets has not been in an affirming way, but as a "concern.” So when Francesa said that he is kidding, this is coming from someone outside the group he is kidding about, then that joke is at the expense of the group: it is like, when the joke is on you – here the Latino collective self-esteem, and because it was said over the air it adds fuel to those who lend themselves to demean and degrade the Latino community. This is irresponsible gab.
Minority groups in this country have enough of their own comedians who can quip with self deprecating humor but, Yo, not if you belong to the group that in essence has had white skin privilege in the country and still does, then ‘callete la boca.’ This has become an established protocol in this country by now as a result of the struggle against racism and stereotyping.
Just because there are many Latinos in the game of baseball does not mean that the community at large (and the players themselves) is free from racial or nationalistic prejudices at the hands of white chauvinist and the narrow minded of all stripes. There are many white fans that may cheer José, José, José, but would not like to see him move to their neighborhood. In fact there are neighborhoods that if the likes of José find themselves in, he may suddenly see a bunch of guys with baseball bats on their hands and they are not inviting you to play ball with them: run for dear life.
This also comes at a delicate time for the NY Mets, that can be lauded for their Latino nights and cultural celebrations (something that leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to the Yankees), but comes at the heels of dismissing Omar Minaya, the first Latino General Manager in baseball: after his reign fell into a quagmire of injuries, of tough turn of events not only for the team as a collective but for individual players with poor season performances, or as in the case of the much maligned Luis Castillo, all the years he has played with the team so far. Besides these turn of events, what GM has not had some bad rap for trades or signings of players that when coming to New York seem to fall short of what their previous resume say about them? The Mets owners extended Minaya’s contract, but unfortunately the poor results that took hold of the Mets after their post season year, also extended to several seasons to the present.
Exit Minaya, rebuilding now a work in progress. What remains in the mix are some of the Latino players, perhaps a remaining legacy of Minaya, in the team, many, by the way, who speak English, but it is as if, perhaps, the language per se is not the issue.
Then let’s take some things into further perspective as far as the English proficiency of some of the Latino baseball players is concerned. If a player comes from Puerto Rico, he would most likely speak English well; well enough to get by the Media demands of their usually profound questions (like how did you feel about…?). It is just part of the nature of the colonial status of the island.
But if the player comes from the Dominican Republic, where Major League Baseball sets up farms much as corporate farming is geared towards mass production, the poor kids who are allured to these “Academies,” usually do not enjoy a viable educational setting with English as a Second Language instruction. Other countries such a Venezuela, Cuba and Mexico have their own organized baseball leagues and MLB benefits from this setup (this got President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela thinking that MLB should perhaps pay the country a fee), but as in the case of having grown up with just one language, then learning another as an adult is very challenging – particularly coming from a phonetic language to one where anything seems to go.
Which brings us back to Mike Francesa and one wonders how many languages he speaks (If he speaks Spanish kudos for him). Because if Latin-American and Caribbean players come from a one-language environment – it should be noted that in this country – the wealthiest in the planet and certainly in the hemisphere, one that could lead the way teaching its English speaking citizens another language to a point of proficiency, here Spanish for one, then a Mike Francesa would not have to find anyone but himself to understand what the players say in the club house.
It is doubtful a talk host sports celebrity in a similar role in Europe would have ever made such a narrow minded comment.
Not this being the case, Mike Francesa should extend his apology to the Latino Community and if you please, “Mira, no jodas más.”
This article was first published at latinosports.com on November 8, 2010
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