Give us this day #ourdailythread

Today? The three sport athlete.

One of my gripes with Commissioner Manfred is that he doesn't compete very hard for the three sport athlete. Within the last day or so, I read an article that the Dodgers had no black players in 2019.

It was the first year for that since Jackie Robinson broke in. It isn't a Dodgers-only concern any more than not chasing elite free agents is specifically a Cubs problem.

To explore why requires a brief history lesson.

In the 1950's, baseball welcomed the black athlete. At least, as compared to football or basketball. Colleges had protocols in place to limit minorities on the field.

The Southeastern Conference had member schools that wanted to remain entirely white until the sixties.

Into the seventies, it was permitted to have a degree of color, but not enough to shock the powers-that-were.

If a kid was good at baseball, they were as likely to get a decent signing bonus as a full ride for basketball or football to the school of their choice.

Eventually, and this is good, colleges began recruiting minorities. With better athletes, their games became better, and their sports more competitive.

Meanwhile, baseball didn't upgrade their commitment.

At some point, football and basketball became _much_ better vehicles for the athlete than baseball.

The kid who's the best in his area can get a free ride to a two- or four-year institution. Sometimes, to his preferred choice.

Meanwhile, the baseball player who is good, but not elite, can get a-third of a scholarship. Which is useful if that's his only option.

However.

What if "Greg" is really good at two or three sports, one being baseball. Play all three, growing up. Definitely.

By his sophomore-into-junior high school summer, he'd probably be greatly benefited by attending a summer camp in his chosen sport.

If he hasn't chosen a sport, by then, he ought to get about it. Get his name more well-known. Mix with the players in the region, and get some higher-end training.

Basketball and football have camps. So does baseball.

At some point, Greg and his parents have "the talk". Which sport do you prefer? Which are you best at? Which offers the best future earnings potential?

The answer may be different for all three questions.

While baseball has made some in-roads regarding the RBI Program in inner cities, Greg has reasons to choose other sports, regardless his ethnicity or color.

If he's good at football? Free rides are plentiful, if he's good. The same with basketball. Baseball?

He and his family will still need assistance unless he's already throwing 92. Which is more elite than good.

The kid from a well-off family can pay 2/3 of tuition more often than a less well-off family. And, many college baseball teams are very white.

If MLB wants more minorities?

Make MiLB a more compelling option. The current "draft slotting system" would be far more competitive with basketball and football if teams were being _encouraged_ to spend ten million per season in signing bonuses.

However, that's considered evil because reasons.

To be able to spend eight-figures in signing bonuses, a team almost needs to lose 100 games.

Manfred is more interested in adding revenue and union-busting than competing with football and basketball.

Instead of trying to _limit_ how many quality players a pipeline can be trying to develop, if Manfred were more competitive from a development side, Greg and his parents may be more willing to play HS baseball.

Which makes baseball better for whichever teams want to be.