Too much.

[oddball]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned this but Bud Selig has requested that all uniformed personnel wear 42 on Wednesday. I'm sorry, let me be the first to say that this is not what Jackie Robinson meant, or was about. This is just a 100% publicity ploy and an insult to what Jackie was about. I'm sorry, but as someone who's white, I would not wear 42 since it is retired for Jackie and the breaking of the color barrier. To me no way should a former owner, who has ruined baseball and by the way he's whiter than Casper, be telling anyone to wear a number retired for breaking the color barrier. It sounds to me like a slave driver. So what happens when the first guy says, "no". Is he racist? I don't think any white guy should wear 42 to honor Jackie. I'm sorry, but a person raised in a middle class white household probably knows little about breaking any barriers, let alone being persecuted for the color of his skin. If they wanted to do this right, they would have all teams wear a patch and that's it. The number needs to stay off the field except for the few players that still are allowed to wear it. If you think that Jackie did enough to have his number retired across all of baseball, then stop the joke that you've made it by allowing players to wear a supposedly "sacred" number. I'm sorry but white guys shouldn't wear the number, nor should the bench jockey. I will not watch any games on Wednesday at all. I will not give in to another Bud Selig stupid decision! I say this as a long time Dodger fan, and as someone who respected Jackie for what he did as I got plenty of history from one who knew Jackie and saw what Jackie went through, Vin Scully. Bud Selig did not. Dodger fans have respected and revered Jackie for years because what Vinny has taught us about him, Bud Selig has made his legacy just a publicity ploy to make himself look good.

[Old School Fool]

All personnel has to wear 42?! WTF.

Last year was great with a few players wearing it in honor, but this is just crazy.

[oo_nrb]

Bud Selig has made his legacy just a publicity ploy to make himself look good.

Sounds about right to me. Count me in the camp that thinks it's ludicrous to have every single player wear #42. I could tolerate the publicity stunt when one person per team was allowed to wear #42, but having each and every player, manager, and anyone else involved in baseball wear one is just one big publicity ploy. What's Bud going to do next year, have each player legally change their name to Jackie Robinson and have stadium staff cover up any non-#42 jerseys that fans wear to the game?

[Saintsfan]

I think a few people are over reacting here. I think what Selig has done is unnecesary, but I also think that to keep Jackie Robinson at the heart of Baseball, and to recognise the importance of what he represents in the game is a noble endeavor, and to make this amount of fuss about what Selig is doing seems as ridiculous as Selig doing it in the first place.

[JayJaxon]

I agree that every player should not wear the number. I have always agreed with letting players wear it if they want on that day. However, I don't get the outcry of not letting white players wear the number. Why not? What if there are some white players out there that really admired Jackie Robinson? I know I would be pissed if someone told me I couldn't wear a number because of the color of my skin. Isn't that totally opposite of what this whole Jackie Robinson thing was about? It was about equality. I'm sorry, but there is no current black major league player that had to deal with being told they couldn't eat somewhere because they are black or had to sleep in the black section of town away from their teammates. Those days have been over for a long time. The fathers and grandfathers of these players may have encountered such things, but no player today has.

Some people tend to get carried away when it involves something like this and I think Bud Selig has. Not to mention, lost in all this is Branch Rickey, who actually made the thing happen. If it were not for him, there would not have been a Jackie Robinson in the Majors. He had to go through a lot of crap too from owners, fans, and his own players. It took just as brave a white executive to make it happen and his contribution is no less important than that of Robinson.

What I'm trying to say is that yes, it was a little over the top to have all major league players wearing #42. But excluding white players would really be going against what people like Robinson and Rickey stood for. So many people act like white people don't struggle in this country too and it makes me laugh sometimes how out of touch people really are with the real World. The 1960's are over ladies and gentleman. Let's move on and enjoy some baseball.

[pcgd]

...and by the way he's whiter than Casper.....

I don't think any white guy should wear 42 to honor Jackie. I'm sorry, but a person raised in a middle class white household probably knows little about breaking any barriers, let alone being persecuted for the color of his skin.

I don't know what any of this has to honoring one of the all time great players. I realize he broke the color barrier, but just because you're white does not mean you can't honor and respect the sacrifices and achievements that Jackie Robinson made for ALL PLAYERS OF ALL RACES. His sacrifice did not only break down the barrier for players of non-white origin, but he also made the game better allowing all the greatest players equal opportunity to play, and with his performance on the field.

Getting in an uproar over white players doing something is exactly the opposite of what Jackie's accomplishments mean.

I will agree however, that its ridiculous that every player is wearing 42. I don't know what's happened in sports and in general, but there is a over-recognition of our departed athletes recently. And its been going on for at least 5 years. I realize these are tragic events and the athletes should be honored, but I don't understand why whenever there is a tragedy we as a society almost seem to try and outdo the last tragedy's tribute....its just odd to me.

[BBTV]

If everyone can wear the same number in the game, isn't that the same to MLB acknowledging that numbers are unnecessary to begin with? I'm not sure if there are any regulations around numbers (like how the NFL and NBA have them) but if so, wouldn't it be hypocritical to do this?

[Saintsfan]

To me no way should a former owner, who has ruined baseball and by the way he's whiter than Casper, be telling anyone to wear a number retired for breaking the color barrier. It sounds to me like a slave driver. So what happens when the first guy says, "no". Is he racist? I don't think any white guy should wear 42 to honor Jackie.

Personally just on this point, I think everyone is affected by racism. To take baseball as an example. Sure almost every player who has come close to him since has had there own controversies, but aren't Babe Ruth's record somewhat diminished because he was playing in a league that was functioning at half talent levels, because of the color bar. Aren't we all capable of feeling better because racism is less of a thing? Aren't we all capable of being proud that the US has move far enough along the line to elect a black guy to the highest office in the land?

Jackie Robinson's achievements aren't just for the African American community is my point. And perhaps its precisely those players who think of it as only an AA thing who should be forced to wear 42.

[M59]

On a more practical note: since most of these jerseys wind up being auctioned off on MLB.com, hasn't Selig just devalued them by increasing the supply? One Orioles #42 one-off jersey worn by future star Adam Jones had some value. Thirty #42 Orioles jerseys, each worn by players and coaches of varying popularity, have variable (and for the most part, likely lesser) values.

My idea has always been that the player on each team (except the Yankee$, who still have an active #42) who wins the Jackie Robinson award should have the option of wearing #42 the following season.

[Lee.]

I think a few people are over reacting here.

Welcome to the internet.

[Gothamite]

Truer words never spoken, Lee.

I'm not a huge fan of having all players wear #42, but I do think that if they're going to do it, this was is far better than the dribs and drabs approach of last season. Looks like they learned something from that.

Selig's race, on the other hand, has zero to do with anything.

[OnWis97]

My idea has always been that the player on each team (except the Yankee$, who still have an active #42) who wins the Jackie Robinson award should have the option of wearing #42 the following season.

That's not a bad idea, assuming you refer to the one day as opposed to the entire season. The yankee player could just wear a patch until Mariano is retired.

[Saintsfan]

On a more practical note: since most of these jerseys wind up being auctioned off on MLB.com, hasn't Selig just devalued them by increasing the supply? One Orioles #42 one-off jersey worn by future star Adam Jones had some value. Thirty #42 Orioles jerseys, each worn by players and coaches of varying popularity, have variable (and for the most part, likely lesser) values.

But do they have 30 times less value?

[STL FANATIC]

1. Jackie Robinson accomplished a great feat and should be honored universally for it, by all races.

2. The #42 should not be retired across baseball.

3. Retired or not, the #42 should not be worn by all of baseball.

4. It's not that big of a deal.

Finally, I'll end with this thought that has always bothered me. The Yankees will retire Mariano Rivera's #42 for him when he's done, and he presently wears it anyways. The Cardinals officially (re)retired the #42 for Bruce Sutter following his election to the Baseball HOF. I don't recall if other teams have retired #42 for other players.

Not that I would anticipate these players complaining or anything of the sort, but doesn't it disrespect these players and their accomplishments when the MLB says not only that Jackie Robinson's #42 was more important than their #42, but so much more so that they want every player to wear a number that their own team said nobody would ever wear again in owner of them.

Echoing my fourth point above, I'm not terribly upset about any of that, but it always struck me as not quite right.

[GottaDeal]

To me no way should a former owner, who has ruined baseball.

Selig has done more good for baseball than you'll ever know. This just shows your ignorance. Now go run off and play - the adults are talking...

[timparry]

Didn't Selig stand on the field at Shea in 1997 and proclaim "no player shall ever again wear No. 42 in Major League Baseball."

Now everyone is going to wear it.

To me it kinda cheapens his legacy.

How about a patch or something to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day? And incorporate his No. 42.

[oldschoolvikings]

To me no way should a former owner, who has ruined baseball.

Selig has done more good for baseball than you'll ever know. This just shows your ignorance. Now go run off and play - the adults are talking...

Oh, that's helpful

[Gothamite]

It was needlessly dismissive (and insulting), but the substance of Gotta's post is correct.

Not a huge fan of the man, but I can't deny that his management of baseball (and of the Brewers back in the day) is excellent.

"Ruined baseball"? At that point, it's hard to take a post seriously.

[STL FANATIC]

To me no way should a former owner, who has ruined baseball.

Selig has done more good for baseball than you'll ever know. This just shows your ignorance. Now go run off and play - the adults are talking...

Oh, that's helpful

Ya know what, though, while GottaDeal's tone may not have been the right one, his point is an important one.

Bud Selig has done great things for baseball, and he's done it with a real, genuine passion for the game.

I don't like every one of his decisions, and some have been plain bad. But he's done far, far more good than bad. And as I said before, all you have to do is listen to one interview with him to appreciate the deep love he has for this game. Even his mistakes were done with the right intentions.

The hatred he receives is typical but uncalled for.

[patsox]

This may be a tad excessive, but I feel like it is still appropriate. All it really is is a tribute and if anyone deserves something like this its number 42.