Florida Marlins Travel to Iraq

A lot people will call baseball players—and most athletes for that matter—overpaid and selfish. While athletes do make a nice living and some of them can be selfish, what usually goes unnoticed is the charitable work that athletes do.

A lot of athletes set up foundations to help raise money for their favorite cause and/or give back to the community they currently play in or grew up in by visiting hospitals or revitalizing little league fields. 

The Florida Marlins have decided to give back to the troops in Iraq and Kuwait. This is awesome with a capital A.

The Marlins will be the first Major League Baseball team to visit the troops in Iraq and Kuwait when they travel to that region on Jan. 24. The Marlins will spend about a week with the troops.

Representing the Marlins will be Manager Fredi Gonzalez, reigning National League Rookie of the Year Chris Coghlan, Catcher John Baker, President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest, Senior Director of Team Travel Bill Beck and Director of Marketing and Promotions Matt Britten.

The club will also be sending four members of the Mermaids dance group.

First, I can’t say enough about what the Marlins are doing. To go over to Iraq and Kuwait to meet the troops who protect our country is really a great thing.

Good for the Marlins being the first team to do this.

Second, what took so long?

Baseball should have been sending over players or representatives of teams for years now. If the WWE can send over wrestlers and personalities every year, so can MLB.

It doesn’t have to be a specific team. It can be volunteers from any team. They could hold clinics, autograph sessions, Q & A, etc…

Kudos again to the Marlins for doing this and hopefully they won’t be the last team or set of players to go over to Iraq and Kuwait.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg