A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend about covering the minor leagues and some of his favorite memories. He described the first time he got to sit down with Cubs shortstop Javier Báez and how taken back he was by Javy’s humility and thoughtfulness. Everything he’d read about Javy prior to that interview had prepared him for a player with a lot more bravado. I don’t think I said anything at the time, but I filed it away in the category of hundreds (thousands?) of anecdotes I’ve encountered in baseball and elsewhere where peoples’ preconceived notions of a player were off because of racial stereotypes.
Sara’s Diary, Day 112 without baseball: Prospects and racism
