CC Sabathia says he’s only been called the N-word in Boston

By May 2, 2017, 4:20 PM EDT
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Last night, Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said he was taunted by Red Sox fans at Fenway Park with racist slurs and one fan even threw peanuts at him. The Red Sox and Major League Baseball both issued public apologies to Jones and the Orioles.

In the aftermath, Boston fans have become very defensive about the incident, saying that last night’s boorish fans represent a very tiny fraction of the city’s fan base. Others pointed to other cities’ fans who have acted similarly, as if to deflect responsibility.

Back in January, Red Sox starter David Price said he was on the receiving end of racist slurs from Boston fans as well. Outfielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. said he received racial taunts in 2014 when he was struggling. Barry Bonds said in 2004 that he would never play for the Red Sox because Boston is “too racist for me.” Vernon Wells said that, as a player, he was warned about only two stadiums where racist comments were common, and Fenway was one.

Add Yankees starter CC Sabathia to the list. The lefty said, “I’ve never been called the N-word” anywhere but Boston, Newsday’s Erik Boland reports. Sabathia continued, “We know. There’s 62 of us. We all know. When you go to Boston, expect it.” Sabathia said he hasn’t heard racist taunts from Boston fans since he’s been with the Yankees, though, because of increased security in the bullpen.

Yes, racism is everywhere in America, not just Boston. But the combination of Boston being one of the larger metropolitan areas in the country and a very strong city-wide passion for sports leads to more incidents like Monday night’s. Rather than deflect responsibility, Boston fans should hold each other accountable for behavior. Jones last night said that there were “59 or 60” fans ejected from the ballpark. How many others did nothing but watch as these boors acted out? How many others silently cheered them on? The correct response, when players like Jones and Sabathia say that Boston fans are racist, is to acknowledge the problem and vow to make it better. Discrediting the lived experiences of people of color is how white people avoid having to deal with their own complicity in a racist system.

Trevor Bauer pulls on No. 96 for Yokohama’s BayStars

Associated PressMar 24, 2023, 12:35 PM EDT
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YOKOHAMA, Japan – Trevor Bauer apparently was shunned by every major league team, so he’s signed a one-year deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Before about 75 reporters in a Yokohama hotel, he slipped on the BayStars uniform – No. 96 – on Friday and said all the right things. Not a single Japanese reporter asked him about his suspension in the United States over domestic violence allegations or the reasons surrounding it.

The only question about it came from The Associated Press. Bauer disputed the fact the question suggested he was suspended from the major leagues.

“I don’t believe that’s accurate,” he said of the suspension. “But I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to pitch again. I’ve always wanted to play in Japan.”

He said the suspension dealt technically with matters of pay, and he said he had contacted major league teams about playing this year. He said he would have been eligible, but did not say if he had offers.

The 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Jan. 12, three weeks after an arbitrator reduced his suspension imposed by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred from 324 to 194 games.

The penalty followed an investigation into domestic violence, which the pitcher has denied.

Manfred suspended Bauer last April for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy, after a San Diego woman said he beat and sexually abused her in 2021.

Bauer has maintained he did nothing wrong, saying everything that happened between him and the woman was consensual. He was never charged with a crime.

Bauer joined his hometown Dodgers before the 2021 season and was 8-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 17 starts before being placed on paid leave.

Bauer said his goal with the BayStars was to strike out 200 and keep his average fastball velocity at 96 mph – hence his uniform number. He said he is also working on a better change-up pitch.

He said he hoped to play by mid-April – about two weeks after the Japanese season begins – and said he has been training for the last 1 1/2 years.

“I’ve been doing a lot of strength training and throwing,” he said. “I didn’t really take any time off. So I’ve had a year and a half of development time. I’m stronger than ever. More powerful than ever.”

Yokohama has not won a title in 25 years, and Bauer said that was his goal in the one-year deal.

“First and foremost, I want to help the Stars win a championship,” he said. “That involves pitching well. That involves helping teammates and learning from them. If they have questions – you know – share my knowledge with them.”

He also repeated several times about his desire to play in Japan, dating from a collegiate tournament in 2009 at the Tokyo Dome. He said playing in Japan was on his mind even before winning the Cy Young – and also immediately after.

“The Tokyo Dome was sold out,” he said. “I’d never played in front of that many people – probably combined in my life. In the United States, college games aren’t very big, so seeing that amount of passion. How many people came to a college game in Japan. It really struck me.”

He said he’d been practicing with the Japanese ball, which he said was slightly softer with higher seams.

“But overall it just feels like a baseball and the pitches move the same. The velocity is similar. I don’t notice much of a difference.”

Other teams in Japan have made similar controversial signings before.

Former major league reliever Roberto Osuna – who received a 75-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy – signed last season with the Chiba Lotte Marines.

He has signed for this season with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.

In 1987, Dodgers relief pitcher Steve Howe, who had a career plagued with drug problems, tried to sign with the Seibu Lions. But he did not play in the country after the Japanese baseball commissioner disqualified Howe because of his history of drug abuse.

Bauer was an All-Star in 2018 and went 83-69 with a 3.79 ERA in 10 seasons for Arizona (2012), Cleveland, (2013-19), Cincinnati (2019-20) and the Dodgers. He won the NL Cy Young Award with Cincinnati during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.