re: Some local wannabe writer talking about LSU's lack of black baseball players

The fact that college baseball only gives out partial scholarships is of course a huge part of the problem (and also a reason why academic schools like Stanford, Rice, Vandy, & UNC are known to get so many good pitchers).

A few points that haven't been mentioned:

#1. Black baseball players in the U.S. tend to have a competitive advantage at the OF positions, but these are exactly the positions that are most likely to go straight to the minor leagues out of HS.

#2. On the flip side, black baseball players in the U.S. are very rare at the pitching and catching positions--at least when it comes to being at an elite level. Part of this has to do with the fact that tall white kids are less likely to focus exclusively on basketball. Part of it has to do with the fact that black people have no discernible genetic athletic advantage over white people when it comes to pitching and catching. And part of this has to do with the year-round training that many teenage kids in affluent suburbia get for these highly skilled positions.

#3. College baseball currently (it wasn't always this way) tends to have more MLB-level talent at pitcher than it does for big hitters. Thus, most elite black baseball players who play OF in HS will be among the most likely to go pro without going to college.


I mean, just think about it. How many black LSU baseball players can you think of who didn't play in the OF?

OF -- Terry Belle, Joey Belle, Ron Lim, Lyle Mouton, Cedrick Harris, Jared Mitchell, Trey Watkins, Leon Landry, Arby Fields, etc.

P/INF -- Shane Youman ... who else???


I think LSU just caught a random spike of white outfields over the past few recruiting classes, and that pretty much explains entirely the absence of black players, at least relative to the numbers of black players LSU used to have.

Interesting article, not really calling anyone racist or anything, just kinda making a point that there aren't as many black baseball players anymore. The only thing that kind of bothered me was this...

quote:

---

So the next time “College Baseball’s Greatest Fans” take the stands in Alex Box Stadium, they should ask whether they are truly witnessing America’s pastime.

---

quote:

---

I thought the article was a very fair description of the current state of college baseball when it comes to black players.

It certainly was not critical of LSU.

---

Thought the same. Didn't think it was bad at all.

But I did actually read it.

quote:

---

There aren't many black players in college baseball to begin with

---

We better start FORCING people to play baseball instead of football and basketball.

OP should change the title. He makes it sound like this is purely an LSU program problem. When he's just talking about the entire state of college baseball.

quote:

---

The best players, BLACK OR WHITE, skip college and sign a big-league contract right out of high school.

They also only get partial scholarships.

---

Black kids don't play baseball unless they live in Central/South America or the Caribbean area. The number of black kids playing HS baseball is abysmal, and I imagine the ones who are really good go on to professional baseball.

Who cares? Seriously, why do they have to bring race into everything?

This is why I love America. People can do what the hell they want, and others still bitch about the lack of opportunities.

How did I leave him out!?!