Orlando Hudson Makes Reckless Charge That MLB Shuns Black Free Agents

One of the reasons why real racial issues often get ignored in life is because we are forced to slough through crap like this.

In comments reported by Yahoo, Orlando Hudson implies that MLB discriminates against its black players when they become free agents.

Now, I could run down a litany of examples showing how off-base Hudson is, but let me sum it up like this:

Reckless, stupid and completely untrue.

I know racism exists in sports. It exists in all walks of life. Heck, I even have written about it multiple times. You can look it up if you wish.

But first of all, I am confident in saying that most baseball executives wouldn’t care if a player was green if he could help a ballclub win.

Second, dollars and length of contract often play a role in why a player doesn’t get signed.

Hudson uses the example of Jermaine Dye, who is sitting on the sidelines as the season is underway.

"You see guys like Jermaine Dye without a job," Hudson told Yahoo. "Guy with [good numbers] and can't get a job. Pretty much sums it up right there, no?"

Uh, no.

Dye was offered contracts by the Chicago Cubs and the Washington Nationals this winter. Sure, it was for far less money that he was used to making, but in case you haven’t heard, the economy is in bad shape and Dye is no longer a great player.

He slumped badly in the second half of last season and is a defensive liability.

As players age, they want to continue making the money they got used to making when they were stars. Well, it doesn’t work that way, and it is the same for both black and white players.

Where was the outrage when Nomar Garciaparra had to take a huge pay cut? Braden Looper won 14 games last season and hasn’t found a job yet. Same with Jarrod Washburn.

Meanwhile, disappointing players like Andruw Jones continue to find work every year.

A perfect example is Dye’s former teammate, Jim Thome. The only reason he’s working is that he was willing to sign a $1.5 million contract with the Twins.

The Cubs reportedly offered Dye twice that amount and he turned it down.

"We both know what it is. You'll get it right. You'll figure it out. I'm not gonna say it because then I'll be in [trouble]," Hudson said.

Well, then, if you don’t want to say it, shut your mouth. You can’t have it both ways—you know your comments are going to stir up a hornet’s nest, but then you refuse to be accountable.

That’s weak.

Major league baseball is already having trouble getting young African Americans interested in the sport. Reckless comments like this surely aren’t helping the cause.