McCutchen in "The Players Tribune" Jeter's blog re low income kids

[Ori-Al]

Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates posted on the blog about the difficulties faced by low income young baseball players in getting noticed, and continuing with baseball to be able to reach the major leagues. Here's the link:

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/left-out/

It's a very interesting read.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Yeah, very interesting and impressively written article. Better than I've seen by many so called journalists.

He addresses a lot of the obstacles, but if there are more guys like McCutchen out there, right in the US, you'd think more resources would be devoted to it.

[Nevermore]

Great article. How much do the Os do for encouraging low-income kids right here in Baltimore? I think that there is the RBI program, but I'm not familiar with that.

[33rdst]

What an impressive and important article by McCutchen! Hopefully this will motivate MLB to consider implementing an "Academy" system here in the USA for talented kids who need economic support. I think the Royals tried to do this many years ago but it wasn't as successful as they hoped.

[InsideCoroner]

It raises a lot of very valid points, especially how low-income athletes often gravitate to football over baseball when it comes to scholarships. "Okay, I could get a free college education and be on ESPN, or I could spend five years eating cereal for dinner and trying to hit a 90-mile-per-hour fastball in Altoona."

I have even more respect for McCutchen after reading this.

[PA724_Oriole]

I respect what McCutchen said but he's wrong. He was pretty specific about the low income kids being African American and Latino. Truth is, even Adults in the African American community have a very limited interest in baseball. Kids tend to follow those they look up to. If people think this is a issuen in need of fixing with everything else going on in this world, I'm lost for words.

Kids who live in families that don't have electricity, parents who can't afford food everyday, heart. Those kids might think vote move would it be to be a professional athlete. How easier it would make things. Then the gangsters get a hold of them, flash money, cars, clothes, and women in their face and tell them you can have this right now!

If you were in their position would you rather try and make the quick thousands at 16 or would you rather beat yourself up everyday in football in hopes you make it. Would you target play baseball when you live in the northern states when you can only play 4 months out of the year when you know kids in the south can play all year round?

Being a professional athlete is a LONG journey. It's funny he says kids who have low income are flocking to video games. That's hilarious because if he is taking about the poor of the poor, who of them has 500$ to spend on a system and all of the games?

This is a joke. You want more kids to play sports, start helping locking up these gangbangers and show them it's not as easy as it looks. Right now in this world it's easier to make a living illegally than wasting time trying to be a PRO athlete.

And the truth is, the more kids you get to play sports, the more kids will fail.

[Nigel Tufnel]

I respect what McCutchen said but he's wrong. He was pretty specific about the low income kids being African American and Latino.

Did you actually read the article? Because you're clearly wrong about this part.

[Mayor McCheese]

I respect what McCutchen said but he's wrong. He was pretty specific about the low income kids being African American and Latino. Truth is, even Adults in the African American community have a very limited interest in baseball. Kids tend to follow those they look up to. If people think this is a issuen in need of fixing with everything else going on in this world, I'm lost for words.

Kids who live in families that don't have electricity, parents who can't afford food everyday, heart. Those kids might think vote move would it be to be a professional athlete. How easier it would make things. Then the gangsters get a hold of them, flash money, cars, clothes, and women in their face and tell them you can have this right now!

If you were in their position would you rather try and make the quick thousands at 16 or would you rather beat yourself up everyday in football in hopes you make it. Would you target play baseball when you live in the northern states when you can only play 4 months out of the year when you know kids in the south can play all year round?

Being a professional athlete is a LONG journey. It's funny he says kids who have low income are flocking to video games. That's hilarious because if he is taking about the poor of the poor, who of them has 500$ to spend on a system and all of the games?

This is a joke. You want more kids to play sports, start helping locking up these gangbangers and show them it's not as easy as it looks. Right now in this world it's easier to make a living illegally than wasting time trying to be a PRO athlete.

And the truth is, the more kids you get to play sports, the more kids will fail.

Did you read the article?? Or just generalize your own opinion.... It was never specific towards African Americans and/or Latinos.

Maybe there’s some truth to that, but to me, there is a deeper problem going on that is affecting low-income kids of all races.

Fom his experience his view point might not have been the poorest of the poor.. he may have come from a family that worked paycheck to paycheck, multiple jobs, etc. but when it came time for birthday / christmas they did whatever they could for their child. Obviously the families who have nothing may not be able to do any of that.

[33rdst]

I respect what McCutchen said but he's wrong. He was pretty specific about the low income kids being African American and Latino. Truth is, even Adults in the African American community have a very limited interest in baseball. Kids tend to follow those they look up to. If people think this is a issuen in need of fixing with everything else going on in this world, I'm lost for words.

Kids who live in families that don't have electricity, parents who can't afford food everyday, heart. Those kids might think vote move would it be to be a professional athlete. How easier it would make things. Then the gangsters get a hold of them, flash money, cars, clothes, and women in their face and tell them you can have this right now!

If you were in their position would you rather try and make the quick thousands at 16 or would you rather beat yourself up everyday in football in hopes you make it. Would you target play baseball when you live in the northern states when you can only play 4 months out of the year when you know kids in the south can play all year round?

Being a professional athlete is a LONG journey. It's funny he says kids who have low income are flocking to video games. That's hilarious because if he is taking about the poor of the poor, who of them has 500$ to spend on a system and all of the games?

This is a joke. You want more kids to play sports, start helping locking up these gangbangers and show them it's not as easy as it looks. Right now in this world it's easier to make a living illegally than wasting time trying to be a PRO athlete.

And the truth is, the more kids you get to play sports, the more kids will fail.

You need to put down the remote control. After you do that how about rereading the article, if you ever read it in the first place. I'm not even going to begin to respond to your misguided, misinformed rant. In short I won't dignify your post with a response.

[Rick_Schu]

Yeah, great article, and it applies to kids off all races from non-wealthy families. My 13 year-old nephew plays baseball, and the opportunities he has makes the kid in me jealous as hell! Great equipment, travelling all over to play, indoor baseball workouts in the winter. For me, growing up in a single parent household, none of that stuff was remotely even fathomable, and I was not in poverty at all, just working class. I hope that's not a pre-requisite these days, McCutchon's article sure makes you think. I'm a believer in local parks & rec depts., it would be nice to see more financial support for them, maybe from MLB.

[Nevermore]

I respect what McCutchen said but he's wrong. He was pretty specific about the low income kids being African American and Latino. Truth is, even Adults in the African American community have a very limited interest in baseball. Kids tend to follow those they look up to. If people think this is a issuen in need of fixing with everything else going on in this world, I'm lost for words.

I gather that you have spent limited time at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The stands are full of African-Americans fans rooting for the Orioles.

[weams]

I gather that you have spent limited time at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The stands are full of African-Americans fans rooting for the Orioles.

Yeah. Really. It's not a wine and cheese crowd. It's a diverse fan base.

[weams]

I gather that you have spent limited time at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The stands are full of African-Americans fans rooting for the Orioles.

I went to several summer evening games out in left field that had groups of 20 family members from the 4 year old break dancers to the 90 year old great grand father's coming out to enjoy the game together.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I respect what McCutchen said but he's wrong. He was pretty specific about the low income kids being African American and Latino. Truth is, even Adults in the African American community have a very limited interest in baseball. Kids tend to follow those they look up to. If people think this is a issuen in need of fixing with everything else going on in this world, I'm lost for words.

Kids who live in families that don't have electricity, parents who can't afford food everyday, heart. Those kids might think vote move would it be to be a professional athlete. How easier it would make things. Then the gangsters get a hold of them, flash money, cars, clothes, and women in their face and tell them you can have this right now!

If you were in their position would you rather try and make the quick thousands at 16 or would you rather beat yourself up everyday in football in hopes you make it. Would you target play baseball when you live in the northern states when you can only play 4 months out of the year when you know kids in the south can play all year round?

Being a professional athlete is a LONG journey. It's funny he says kids who have low income are flocking to video games. That's hilarious because if he is taking about the poor of the poor, who of them has 500$ to spend on a system and all of the games?

This is a joke. You want more kids to play sports, start helping locking up these gangbangers and show them it's not as easy as it looks. Right now in this world it's easier to make a living illegally than wasting time trying to be a PRO athlete.

And the truth is, the more kids you get to play sports, the more kids will fail.

Not to pile on, but you really should re-read the article, Besides some other fallacies you've misrepresented, McCutcheon downplayed the idea (not his) about lower income kids gravitating to video games and away from baseball. Also, the issue is more nuanced than the "poorest of the poor" and a black athlete problem.

[weams]

Not to pile on, but you really should re-read the article, Besides some other fallacies you've misrepresented, McCutcheon downplayed the idea (not his) about lower income kids gravitating to video games and away from baseball. Also, the issue is more nuanced than the "poorest of the poor" and a black athlete problem.

I'll respond to you. Because I have no idea how to respond to him. I agree completely. If you don't get the article the first time re-read it. It is well thought out and has no racial implications whatsoever.