Mayas and Baseball

                                                                                 Photo: Asocicion MAYAB

This is an article I am writing for New America Media and (possibly!) PRI's The World....

The World Baseball Classic, the quadrennial tournament where teams representing countries around the world clash, is in full swing. Among the fans most avidly following the action and most vociferously cheering Team Mexico (which was recently eliminated) are Yucatec Mayans. 

Yucatán is an anomaly: in the rest of Mexico, soccer is life. The country is "infested by soccer," as one Yucateco put it. But in Yucatán, baseball reins supreme. For the millions of indigenous Mayans who have called Yucatán home since before the arrival of the Spanish, and hundreds of thousands of them who have emigrated to the United States and elsewhere, the sport is quite significant.

"Baseball is an important element of Mayan culture," says Alberto Perez, the Director of Programs of Asociacion MAYAB, a Bay Area Yucatec Maya organization. In Yucatán, baseball is hugely popular and almost all Yucatecos are fans or players. In the United States, he says, "It is almost like an underground movement," a way for Mayas to represent their people and display their vast cultural differences from other Mexicans. 

The explanation for baseball's unique position in the Yucatán is actually relatively simple: Yucatán is really close to Cuba. Cuba may be the most baseball-mad country on the planet ever since the sport was introduced there in the mid-19th century, and it continues to be a source of baseball talent and an unbridled love of the game that porbably surpasses that of its hemispheric enemy, the US. The stretch of sea that separates the island nation with the Yucatán Peninsula is only 128 miles across, and Mérida is hundreds of miles closer to Havana than it is to Mexico City. "Mérida had more cultural and political exchange with Cuba than with Mexico City," explains Alberto Perez, "we think that's how we got this special love of baseball." 

But no matter how it came to pass, one thing is clear: Yucatecos love baseball. "They say that a Sunday in Oxkutzcab, Yucatán, without baseball is not a Sunday." says Alberto Gómez, a 42-year old former professional baseball player in Yucatán. In his home, he earned up to $100 per game played, not bad for three hours' work in the rural part of one of Mexico's poor states. But most Yucatecos play baseball not for money but for love of the game, and baseball is ingrained in a deeper sense, providing communities with social gatherings and shared experiences. "Many people in Yucatán go every Sunday to the baseball field to be with friends and share the experience, even many who do not play go because they are fans," says Mr. Gómez, "You just see friends being with each other, drinking; its just like an American picnic, for Yucatecos going to see baseball is like a picnic." The experience of getting your entire family, some grilled meat and beer, and heading off to the local ball field to see others is "typical for any Yucateco in Yucatán," says another.

Baseball games and fields are central gathering places for any small town in Yucatán. Sure, there are big teams- The Leones de Yucatán, who play in the highest rung of Mexican professional baseball, have a 13,600 seat stadium. But this is the exception. The experience of going to a Yucateco baseball game is "totally intimate," because many fans will be family members and neighbors that have lived together for generations, says Gaspar Chi, a Yucateco who immigrated to the Bay Area and founded his own baseball team. With an untold number of teams across many different levels and locations scattered across the state, a local baseball team serves as ambassadors of their pueblito and carry the pride of their town. A rural indigenous village with more speakers of Maya than Spanish will most likely not have a tourism board, or a website, or many ways to boost their community elsewhere, but they have a baseball team.

Just like anywhere else, different Yucatecos give different reasons as to why they love baseball. Many cite the elegance of the game, and how the lack of a clock means that anything can happen. "I like how it is, because even if you are down by five runs late you can still come back and go ahead," says Rafael Tep, who everyone calls Carmito, "It is very beautiful to me. For Yucatec emigrants in the United States, baseball is a way to relax and blow off steam after working so hard all week. For me, baseball is my pastime, my stress relief, something to do after a day of 14 or 15 hours of work that you have to do. To go out and play is to relax, to take a break from our jobs," says Alberto Gómez, who says the best part is to " be with friends who sometimes you don't see all week." Freddy Setina, another Yucatec baseball player, echoes this sentiment, he plays ball "just to go out and relax and have fun, to be together with my teammates, my people."

Still, the most common reason for a love of baseball is simply tradition. The Maya language and unique customs have survived for hundreds of years of persecution and discrimination, and respecting and continuing their culture is central to the lives of Many Yucatec Mayas. Above all, that is really why baseball has continued to thrive in Yucatán; it is passed down as tradition from generation to generation. 

Baseball is a global sport, and differences in style of play can be evident from place to place, from the respect and "small ball" of Japanese baseball to the energy, speed, and dynamism of Caribbean-style ball to the home-runs-above-all-else ethos of American baseball. So what is Yucatec-style baseball? Ask anyone and they will say that Yucatec baseball is very rough and physical. Barreling into the second baseman to break up a double play? Knocking a runner off his feet as he collides with the catcher at home plate? It is just another Sunday on one of Yucatán's ball fields. "Yucatec baseball is very aggressive. Both verbally and physically." Says Gaspar Chi, "They need to be disciplined, so they leave that aggressiveness for when they are batting for fielding. They need to be able to attack the ball." This is necessarily, as Carmito Tep says, because of physical limitations. "We are all short," he says of his teammates, smiling, "About seven years ago, we were champions, even though we are small. We played against Nicaraguans, and we beat them."

The energy and force with which they play the game may partially explain why so many Yucatec emigrants in the US continue to play baseball despite working long hours to support their families back home. There are many teams and even whole leagues here whose rosters are mostly made up of Yucatecos.

One league, run by Asociacion MAYAB, serves the San Francisco Bay Area’s 40,000 person Yucatec Maya community and describes itself on its website: "The MAYAB Baseball league is a community project, supported by Asociacion MAYAB but led by members of the community that feel a strong affinity and commitment for the favorite sport of the contemporary Mayas of Yucatán: baseball. Six teams currently make up the league: the Indios (Indians), the Mayas, Jalisco, the Diablos (Devils), Concord, and the Naranjeros (Orange-men). The league plays every Sunday in the parks of San Francisco." In 2007, a MAYAB team beat the Chontales, a Nicaraguan team, 12-11 in extra innings for the title of the Liga de Beisbol de la Amistad. 

Gaspar Chi is the Manager and President of Club Yucatán and the leader of the two Yucatec teams that play in another league: the Bay Area's Latin American Baseball league, which includes teams from as far as Hayward and the South Bay. Between the two teams, there are 22-25 players, and several officials. It is a testament to how seriously they take the sport that several of them are content to hold non-playing roles with the team for so many years. Carmito Tep, for example, has been the team scorer and a coach for 15 years. He keeps track of statistics, and helps Gaspar make decisions. Manuel, Gaspar's father, prepares the spread of food needed for the team, and many others have been with the group for nearly as long.

It is an ensemble cast, some as young as 20, other players as old as 35 (the coaches are generally a bit older). Some were born in the United States or elsewhere, and many were born in small towns in Yucatán, the 21,000-person Oxkutzcab village being a common place of birth. One of them, Freddy Setina, came from an even smaller and more remote town, where all the residents were in the same family. 

The team is called Club Yucatán because, as Gaspar says, "Many of the players are from different towns, so to not just put one (town) name we use all the state so everyone feels included." Whenever they put on their uniforms, they feel strongly that they are representing Yucatán.  

Getting hurt is a particular concern for many Yucatec players in the US, because the stakes are so high. Supporting their families back home and facing high costs of living here, they simply cannot afford to take time off work if they suffer an injury on the diamond. "We cannot play at full throttle because we cannot afford to get injured," says Alberto Gómez, "If you get injured, how are you going to get by? Who is going to support your family in Mexico? A lot of people do not know that we play with a certain limit so we do not get hurt. Why? because if I get hurt and break my leg, who will pay my rent, my children's medical bills?"

Even if they try to limit their play to avoid injury, no one can mistake the team for slouches. They are not a rag-tag group of office friends who joyfully toss a ball around and swing at underhand pitches when they have spare time. They take it seriously, and the level at which the game is played is very high. Pitches in the league can reach 70 miles per hour, and they use all professional grade equipment, including wooden bats.

The league is competitive, and they practice often to stay abreast of the competition, even working long hours. "Even if they are tired from two jobs, they always give it their all." Says Gaspar, with more than a touch of pride. They practice twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in addition to their Sunday games. "We get up early, at 8 AM, and we go to the field, it is what we do." Said Jose Solano. 

Gaspar often gives players, especially the young ones, rides to practice. He does a lot, and the team would not exist without him. Because of the high risk of injury, Gaspar has organized insurance coverage that pays $35,000 for work-hindering injuries, and also has to procure equipment and sponsors. "Gaspar has done too much for us, especially because he does not even play." Mr. Gómez said, "He does not play, he watches the team, buys uniforms, helps in various ways. He is the one that organizes all of this." Finding money for the team is one of the biggest challenges. They need $300 for their white, red, and green uniforms, and another $500 for other equipment. Over the last decade, friends, who have given up to $1,000 at a time, have sponsored him but finding adequate funds is a perpetual battle.

On top of all of that, he has normal manager's duties; writing the lineups, calling plays, and rallying the team. Even with all he does, he remains modest. "I am happy to do it," he says of his work. "For me it is not a hard job, on the contrary, I like being with them, and that is the most important part: being with friends. Regardless if they are Yucatecos or from other nationalities, I am privileged to be in this position."

As a leader in the local Yucatec baseball world, Gaspar is one of the more important figures in the Bay Area's Yucatec community. He recently attended a meeting called by the San Francisco Police Department and the Mexican Consulate to discuss the growing Yucatec community in the region. 

At a recent meeting of his club, Gaspar ran the show and discussed various points with the 17 team members that came. Spanish and Maya mixed easily through mostly bilingual and trilingual mouths, and different people spoke different languages to each other as they feasted on the spread of Tamales, rice, and other traditional Yucatec food that had been brought for them. Isinro Dominguez, the Club's youngest player, joked in Maya with Freddy Setina and others as Gaspar worked the room in both languages.

The first item on the agenda was to propose merging the two Yucateco teams into one better one. Secondly, he said, he wanted to instill a sense of discipline in preparation for the new season, which starts on April 14. The league is more competitive than usual and they need to be ready to face the other 13 teams. "Many lack discipline, many are new, and it is a competitive league so we need a lot of discipline. I want them to understand that it is very important that we play as a team, and as Yucatecos." He says, "I want them to understand that they should act as professionally as any other team. That is my goal." They also discuss the problems of rowdiness and drunkenness at games, deciding that there will be no drinking until the seventh inning, if the player wants to play.  

Most of the rest of the debate could be identical to a Major League Baseball clubhouse meeting. Gaspar praised his team and repeated several times that, "When any team in the league plays against us, they always been prepared, always. They always bring a new pitcher, or something new. They want to beat us more than anything. They are under more pressure than us. The pressure is not on us." He wanted everyone to play for the team, not themselves, telling them "Even if you are on the bench, support the team," and discussed instituting fines and suspension for fights among teammates. He heaped praise on his players, citing a 14-game win streak in which they beat players that had been professionals in Nicaragua.

Despite representing Yucatán, the team is not closed to others, as long as they are over 18 years old. When asked if the roster was limited to Mayas, Gaspar was unequivocal, " You do not have to be Yucateco." He explained, "They just also have to really respect the State of Yucatán and really respect the country and really respect who we are. We as a people are really proud of how well we treat our friends, and that extends to teammates and guests. We want them to feel like teammates and family, to feel the same as us." Perhaps five players are not of Yucatec origin, including Jose Solano and his brother, who are Nicaraguan. "It is a sport, it doesn't matter where you are from," he says, "I feel good playing with this group and will continue to do so." He feels completely as part of the group. "Even if you are from somewhere else, if you are on this team you are Yucateco." Says Gaspar.

The team is also open to others who might have been left out: if you want to play but cannot afford to pay your share, the others will cover it. If you do not have legal resident status, it doesn't matter. 

Another reason for baseball's popularity with this community is because it gives indigenous people a channel to show their uniqueness from other Mexicans- with whom they are often lumped- and demonstrate their worth. "Sometimes people value us less because we are Yucatecos." Says Alberto Gómez, "because many of us are short and different looking. What we are trying to do when we play baseball is to show them that is doesn't matter where your are from, as long as you have fight in you, if you know how to give 100% like Yucatecos do." But even if most of the time Yucateco's feel independent from Mexico, during the World Baseball Classic, they are Mexico's biggest fans.

Right now, with so many Yucatecos at home and abroad eagerly following the Classic, Gaspar muses about when his people will reach an even higher pinnacle in the baseball world. There have been five Minor League players from Ozkutzcab, but no Yucateco has ever reached the Major Leagues. "I hope that one day some Yucateco gets [to play with the Giants], says Gaspar. With all the young players honing their skills on verdant fields in rural Yucatán, calling pitches in Maya, and getting together to play every Sunday, the first Yucatec big leaguer might just be getting ready to go.

YEAR OF THE KUMATZ: A MAYAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE

I Know this is not related to sports, but I just had my first published article!
I wrote it for New America Media. Here is a link: http://newamericamedia.org/2013/02/year-of-the-kumatz-a-mayan-perspective-on-the-year-of-the-snake.php

Last year, young couples across East Asia scrambled to get married and have babies in the auspicious Year of the Dragon. The same isn’t quite true of the current Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake, which is being met with a more muted enthusiasm, due to the less favorable position held by the serpent (sometimes referred to as “little dragon”) in ancient Chinese culture. Western culture, meanwhile, is downright unfriendly towards the animal. It was a snake, after all, that in the Bible convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, inviting evil into the Garden of Eden. The western canon is rife with other examples of serpents representing deviousness and evil. From fairy tales to modern cartoons, the snake is a harbinger of bad luck -- a creature to be feared. 

Yet, as we embark on this Year of the Snake, solace can be found in the fact that there is at least one culture that views snakes in a more benevolent light. In the highlands of Guatemala, today's Mayan elders hold the serpent in high esteem.

Don Tomas Calvo is Nim Winaq, or the most senior elder, of the indigenous municipality of Santo Tomas Chichicastenango in the department of El Quiché, Guatemala. He is the moral and ancestral authority of the Mayan people, the guardian of the Popol Vuh, a Mayan holy book, and most likely the highest-ranked Mayan elder alive today. For his people, serpents are representatives of good. 

"For our culture as Mayans," Don Tomas explains, "[the snake] is a creature of Mother Nature and guardian of the soil and earth. For us it does not represent anything satanic or bad, as it does in the western Catholic world, which mentions that the snake was used for evil to deceive Eve and cause her to eat the forbidden fruit and so deceive Adam so they were banished from paradise, whence the disobedience of original sin." 

Above all, he says, the snake represents justice. In ancient times, Mayans would use snakes to help them reach a verdict, placing them among those suspected of committing an offense. According to Don Tomas, "The snake would always bite the guilty party." They could even take advantage of the biological diversity to impose a multilayered justice system. "My grandparents said that seeing a non-poisonous snake, this is a sign that we are doing something wrong," Don Tomas explains. "If we do not correct our path, the real poisonous snake will come." The non-poisonous snake is the toj, or warning. The poisonous snake is the kotzij, the execution of justice. 

The significance of the serpent in Mayan culture, however, is broader still than just a symbol of justice. Among other things, the serpent signifies respect, order, reflection, meditation, authority and death. Passed along through generations is the teaching that "you should not kill a snake because it is a creature of Mother Nature and the guardian of the soil and earth," Don Tomas says. For ancient Mayans, serpents also represented a link to the underworld, and therefore, to ancestors and spirits. One particularly well-known motif shows a human head protruding from a snake's mouth. It is an ancestor who is appearing from the underworld through the snake. 

Furthermore, a variety of Mesoamerican cultures recognize a "feathered serpent" god. As part snake and part bird, those deities represent the dichotomy of the heavens and the earth, the serpent aspect being symbolic of the earth, water and underworld. This figure has different names in different indigenous languages: Quetzalcoatl in Nahuatl, Kukulcan in Yucatec Maya, andQ'ukumätz in K'iche. In the Popol Vuh, Q'uKumätz is one of the creators of earth and man. The snake also signals something else: the motif of a serpent swallowing its own tail is important to Mayan elders, as it represents the circle of life. 

Even with these associations, the true stature of the serpent can be hard to divine. Mayan elders will tell you that, despite Q'ukumätz's preeminence among their ancestors, today, the snake does not exactly represent a god-like figure, even if it is revered. "The snake is not ranked nor represented as a God,” Don Tomas says. "The snake is like the Kap Rakan (tremor or earthquake) -- a signal that you should behave well and do no harm to anything or anyone." 

The significance of serpents can vary significantly depending on what era of Mayan history is being studied, and Mayan elders must often walk the fine line of honoring their distant heritage while acknowledging the vast differences between modern Mayan culture and its ancient roots -- the face-painted warriors and pyramids that are the images many still hold of Mayans. “The Mayan civilization is very old and has existed for a long time," explains Don Tomas. "It will continue to exist, possibly in a different form… We don't dress the same way as we did in the classical period, in the year 250 A.D., but the culture and the principles are thriving, in the region that I govern."

The Popol Vuh, the noted Mayan holy book, is written in K’iche’, one of more than 20 Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala. It is also the primary language of Don Tomas and many other Mayan elders who speak only a few words of Spanish. The loss of indigenous language in younger generations, says Don Tomas, is a hindrance to the propagation of ancestral teachings to a larger audience. 

"There is a phenomenon that some elements of the indigenous identity are lost," Don Tomas explains sadly. It is indeed a worrisome trend that indigenous languages and traditions are not being passed on to the next generation. In Guatemala, many see Spanish and cultural assimilation as a way for upward mobility and avoiding discrimination. In the United States, most children of indigenous immigrants see their ancestral traditions, languages, and wisdom as useless. "Teaching them to value their culture, their roots, their languages, their vestments is of critical importance," says Don Tomas, "We need to teach them to be proud of this. This gives them a unique badge of honor, and that is very important."

"Facing the closing of the Oxlajuj B'aktun and the beginning of the new era," says Don Tomas, referencing the change in era based on the ancient Mayan calendar which occurred on December 21, 2012, "it is important to know the real truth about the Mayan people and to see the greatness of its knowledge and wisdom. It is time that the world knows its writing, reading, meanings and ways of seeing the world; the knowledge residing within the codices, embodied in each descendant of the Mayan people.”

In speaking to Don Tomas about the symbolism of the snake, a lesson emerges: Every story has another side, just as an animal vilified in one culture can be revered in another – a reminder that every belief, assertion and prejudice can be challenged and seen from a different perspective. It is with that understanding that Don Tomas strives to show the world what his so-often maligned and disenfranchised culture can teach the world. "There are people that believe that the practice of the Mayan religion is synonymous to witchcraft, Satanism, sorcery," he laments. "[This is] a concept inherited from the western world that erased Mayan history and imposed by force its ideas through the Catholic religion first, and then Protestantism. As a result of the invasion and religious imposition, much of the Mayan wisdom has been lost. Today, this ancestral wisdom is found only in low levels, and only in very old elders." 

If we can consider the merits of a trampled-upon culture's views on snakes, then perhaps we can also learn to consider disparate viewpoints on other things as well. With the opening of the new B’aktun two months ago and the commencement of the Year of the Snake last week, we have a rare opportunity -- to learn from what other cultures can teach us and implement those lessons into our daily lives. Instead of being wary of the year of the snake, maybe we should welcome it. "[It] is important to bring the message of peace during this change or era," Don Tomas said, "because it is a chance for humanity to change our ways."

Three Stars Not Yet Aligning

It seems like a lot of people consider the Giants' recent success a fluke, or unsustainable, or not indicative of the team's mediocre ability. In their eyes, it took the miracle of 25 bad-to-slightly-above-average players riding a simultaneous hot streak through October. For them, there is no doubt that San Francisco will return to earth this season, and not continue to play at such a competitive level. 

But what if they have it all wrong? What if the Giants are underperforming?

Consider the three most important franchise players: Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, and Tim Lincecum. All three, at their best, are elite athletes who represent the pinnacle of their respective positions. But the Giants have never, I repeat, never, had all three playing like superstars at the same time. In 2008, his first full year, Lincecum won his first of two Cy Young awards and performed at a consistently elite level for the first time, so we shall start there. 

I know some of these stats are not as accurate as some others, but they are the classic metrics. ROOKIE OTY means Rookie of the Year, and AS means All-Star.

	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Tim Lincecum	18-5 2.62 ERA 227.0 IP CY YOUNG AS	15-7 2.48 ERA 225.1 IP CY YOUNG AS	16-10 3.43 ERA 212.1 IP AS	13-14 2.74 ERA 217.0 IP AS	10-15 5.18 ERA 186 IP
Pablo Sandoval	NO FULL  SEASON	.330 BA 25 HR 90 RBI	.268 BA 13 HR 63 RBI	.315 23 HR 70 RBI AS	.283 12 HR 63 RBI AS
Buster  Posey	NO FULL  SEASON	NO FULL  SEASON	.305 BA 18 HR 67 RBI ROOKIE OTY	NO FULL  SEASON	.336 BA 24 HR 103 RBI MVP AS

In 2008, Lincecum performed at star-level, but neither Posey nor the Panda played a full season; Posey did not play at all. In 2009, Both Lincecum, who won his second consecutive Cy Young, and Sandoval, who had the second-highest batting average in the league and impressive power numbers in his first full season, played like stars. Posey made his major league debut but had only a few subpar plate appearances late in the season. In 2010, Posey broke out in his first full season and won the Rookie of the Year award while hitting cleanup for the World Series champion team, but neither Lincecum or Sandoval played like stars. In 2011, conversely, both Lincecum and Sandoval played great, but Posey was injured early in the year and did not play a full season. And last year, 2012, Posey won the MVP and played accordingly, but Sandoval was mediocre at best and Lincecum was absolutely awful. 

So let us review, and reference the chart below. The Giants, one of baseball's biggest successes, with three of the league's biggest stars, have never had a season in which all three of their standout players played great. Sure, one could argue that mediocre seasons could be in fact more indicative of these athletes' abilities, but that does not change the fact that, in the past five seasons, each has played like a superstar at least twice. The team has never even had Sandoval and Posey or Lincecum and Posey peak at the same time; the two seasons where two of the stars peaked did not involve Posey, quite possibly the best of the three.

	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Tim Lincecum	✓	✓		✓
Pablo Sandoval		✓		✓
Buster  Posey			✓		✓

Will it be hard for the Giants to win a third World Series title in four years? Absolutely. Will it be a challenge to even stay competitive, achieve another a winning record in the NL West? Sure. But that doesn't change that fact that if Tim Lincecum plays like he did in 2008, 2009, or 2011; Pablo Sandoval plays like he did in 2009 or 2011; and Buster Posey plays like he did in 2010 or 2012; we might just have another parade down market street.

SEALS and little things...

Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine a parallel universe. Everything is the same except that for whatever reason, the San Diego Padres have to change their name. Maybe it was the capricious whim of the ever-brilliant Bud Selig. Maybe the Swinging Friar, the team mascot, tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Or maybe Franciscan monks file a class action lawsuit against the team. At any rate, I have the perfect new name.

The San Diego Seals.

Now keep in mind I'm not advocating for a name change, I am just saying that if we went back in time to before 1969 and had to pick a name for the team, the Seals is so perfect that I am almost surprised that that is not what the team is called.

Obviously, the team could adopt the name, insignia, and uniforms of the San Francisco Seals, one of the most iconic baseball franchises on the west coast. The team could not hoodwink fans into believing that they are the very same team, but it would only take some great, Giants-caliber, marketing to co-opt some of the SF Seals history and culture. Remember that the Seals were founded in 1907, won 14 league titles, and fielded the likes of Joe DiMaggio, his brothers, and Frank Crosetti, who won 17 (yes, you read that correctly) World Series championships with the New York Yankees. And years before Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, and Ichiro Suzuki traveled west (or east) the Seals and their Pacific Coast League brethren paved the way for the vibrant baseball culture across the west coast. This concept or re appropriation of another team's legacy is actually very common. The team that is now the Chicago Cubs was called the Chicago White Stockings in the late 1800's, and that is where the newer White Sox got their name. The team that is the New York Yankees began as the Baltimore Orioles, and their have been about three incarnations of "Rangers" teams. Even the Mets are named after an obscure 19th century team called the Metropolitans, and furthermore, they themselves try to re appropriate a lot of the Giants' and Dodgers' New York history. But that is not even the best part. Seals are intelligent marine mammals that frolic around San Diego bay in huge numbers. SD is a huge garrison town, Practically half the navy is based there, and even its city motto is modeled on the various armed services mottos. The seals name would pay tribute to the most elite fighting force in the world, something you know the Padres would be interested in, because they have a camouflage alternate uniform. And the dichotomy between the cute animals and special forces unit would provide a kind of depth that most team names lack.

But enough about that. I do not expect the Padres to change their name any time soon. But I thought this rant was worth including because, in a way, it demonstrates everything that is wrong with franchises like the Padres and Astros and everything that is right with franchises like the Giants, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Yankees. It takes discipline and vision and a whole lot of other attributes to run a professional baseball club. It is obvious that big-ticket signings and catchy promotions are key to running a great franchise, but one also has to look at even the smallest things; the dirt of the warning track, the view from a particular upper-deck seat, the color of chopped onions at condiment stance. Alone these are insignificant, but together they combine to vastly effect the experience of a ballgame and the image of the team. And so things like team names can function like canaries-in-the-coal mine. When a team fails to design an effective slogan or ballpark design, what else might be missing? Most likely, everything "less important"- the thousands of tiny things that combine to make a world class organization- are not up to standard. Any team (or almost any team) can lure a star player with a $100-million dollar check. If you really want to evaluated the quality of the organization, look at the brand, the name, the concessions, the color of the uniform, the alternate jerseys (or, preferably, the lack of alternate jerseys). 

Look at the small things.

Can You name every MLB team?

 "Baseball is the hurrah game of the republic! That's beautiful: the hurrah game! well — it's our game: that's the chief fact in connection with it: America's game: has the snap, go fling, of the American atmosphere — belongs as much to our institutions, fits into them as significantly, as our constitutions, laws: is just as important in the sum total of our historic life."

-Walt Whitman

Here is something I found on CNN:

(CNN) -- Quick quiz:

Name every big-league baseball team.

No fair looking it up online, or checking a newspaper sports page.

Just name them all.

Take your time. We'll wait.

(Pause)

Are you back?

If you could do it, congratulations -- you may belong in the Hall of Fame. I've followed baseball since I was a kid, and I couldn't come up with all the teams when I tried just now.

I don't feel so bad about it, because I asked two baseball fanatics -- guys who really know the game -- if they could rattle off all the teams, and they had their doubts. "I probably couldn't do it," said Rob Fleder, formerly executive editor of both Sports Illustrated and The National Sports Daily, and editor of "Damn Yankees," an anthology of original essays about the New York Yankees by celebrated writers, to be published next month. "I'm supposed to know this, but I'd probably miss one or two."

Fleder said that if you were to go up to people on the street and ask them to name all the Major League teams, "I'd guess that only 5% or 10% could do it -- most likely closer to 5%."

Author David Krell, who is at work on "Blue Magic: The Brooklyn Dodgers, Ebbets Field, and the Battle for Baseball's Soul," agreed with Fleder: "Less than 10% of people would be able to do it. Maybe a lot less. I know that I'd end up leaving some teams out."

The premise of this article was amazing to me. Of course I can name all thirty teams. I can list them by division, by league, by state, by 2012, 2011 ranking, by 2010 ranking, by the alphabet, by the manager, by best player, by uniform colors, by the style of mustache preferred by their part time left fielder in 1899 (if they were around back then) you name it. The concept that a true baseball fan could not name all the teams is amazing to me. But the article alludes to an important point.

Major League Baseball has too many teams. We could argue all day about this, make graphs relating the US population with number of teams and the revenue gained or lost or anything else. But this is circuitous and ultimately inconclusive.

For me, there is one point that proves that there are two many teams.  Major league baseball has 30 teams, which means that you either have a 14-team league and a 16-team league, which is the case now, or you have two 15-team leagues with interleague all year round, which will be the case come 2013. Neither of these options is attractive, because the 14-16 split is unfair and the idea of abandoning the hallowed interleague stretches in the dog days of summer.

So the options are to either create two brand-new MLB teams, or to take two away. I don't think there are enough fans or good players (or suitable cities, for that matter) for more teams, so our only remaining options are to strike two teams from the big leagues, preferably a team with no history, no fans, and modern-looking uniforms.

Hmmm....

Florida should not really have two teams...

The Marlins have a great new stadium, the Rays have an awful stadium...

The Marlins have no manager, the Rays have a great manager...

The Marlins have a great, young outfield, the Rays have a great, young infield....

The Marlins have a low payroll and very few fans, the Rays have a low payroll and very few fans....

Let me paint a picture. Merge the teams. Call them the Miami Rays. Logan Morrison and Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield, Evan Longoria and company in the infield. A top tier rotation (before the Marlins traded Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, I would have said best rotation in baseball, bar none). All led by Joe Maddon from the lime-green dugout with the built in fish tank in Miami. And the best part is the fans and payrolls would (presumably) increase and maybe possibly reach the levels of a big league team.

Sounds good right?

What other team would I axe? I don't know. What do you think?