Sandoval wants Sox to move out of Camelback Ranch

[SouthsideNorthsideFan]

Illinois lawmaker wants Sox out of Arizona

 

 

SPRINGFIELD - The new Arizona immigration law has one Illinois legislator in an uproar, so he's calling on the owner of the Chicago White Sox to pull out of the team's Glendale, Ariz., training camp.

 

"I thought about how they would feel as they traveled to Arizona," state Sen. Martin Sandoval, a Cicero Democrat, said of Latino White Sox players.

 

The new Arizona law requires that requires suspected undocumented immigrants to be detained and asked for proof of citizenship. The law caused protests nationwide, including a few outside Wrigley Field last week when the Cubs played the Arizona Diamondbacks.

 

Sandoval said he sent a letter to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, calling on him to move the team out of its Arizona-based Camelback Ranch training camp as a sign of solidarity with the state of Illinois, which owns U.S. Cellular Field.

 

A White Sox spokesman said the team received the letter but it was inappropriate to comment on a national issue that would impact more than just the team. The spokesman said Reinsdorf is out of town and has not seen the letter or spoken with Sandoval yet.

 

At least one suburban lawmaker and White Sox fan agrees with Sandoval.

 

"We should basically boycott Arizona in that regard," said Waukegan Democratic state Sen. Terry Link.

 

Asked about the Cubs spring training in Arizona, Link begrudgingly acknowledged that team's existence.

 

"I'm not a Cubs fan so I could care less what they do. But I understand they're already contemplating a move to Florida," he said.

 

Meanwhile, Gov. Pat Quinn, a noted White Sox fan, said the issue is "worth looking into" and said the Arizona law is an example of "racial profiling."

 

His Republican challenger in the November election, state sen. Bill Brady, said he doesn't have an opinion the law. He wouldn't comment on whether it's appropriate for police to question people about their immigration status. Brady said Wednesday he has a study group helping him develop a position on immigration.

 

The union representing Major League players came out against the Arizona law last week, saying it should be "repealed or modified promptly."

 

The new law is not the first Arizona public policy and the professional sporting world collided. In the early 1990s, the NFL moved a Super Bowl to Pasadena after Arizona refused to recognize the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

 

The latest immigration flap prompted the Phoenix Suns organization to outfit players in "Los Suns" jerseys for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night "to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation," owner Robert Sarver said.

[bmags]

good for him, he got an article all to himself. Reporter fell for it.

[SouthsideDon48]

Actually, I think having as many MLB teams move their spring training camps out of Arizona is a great idea.

 

Honestly, it's gonna be a pain to have to constantly worry about some of our players, such as Alexei, Viciedo, Quentin, Freddy Garcia, Tony Tena, Sergio Santos, and many other latinos in the minors and other yet-to-come latino players in the future, being unreasonably detained by overzealous cops.

[KipWellsFan]

I'd rather keep the politics out of sports. And if some players are detained because of this law, it will just prove that it is completely silly anyways.

[Quin]

While the Arizona law is incredibly stupid and bigoted, from a business standpoint, that'd be a horrible move after just building Camelback.

[EvilMonkey]

Have Mr. Sandoval couch up the dough to build a Camelback somewhere else, and they may consider it. Otherwise he should keep his grandstanding to himself.

[Balta1701]

For a moment, I read the thread title and thought "Why is the Giants 3b caring so much about the White Sox".

[LittleHurt05]

For a moment, I read the thread title and thought "Why is the Giants 3b caring so much about the White Sox".

 

If it was Pablo, he'd probably get more people to listen and agree with him. Are you gonna argue with a man that large???

[Balta1701]

Anyway...the right move for baseball currently is to follow the lead of the NBA. Let your people make statements, let your ownership/unions make statements, maybe even be aggressive in pushback/lobbying, but don't actively do anything just yet...wait until you see how the law is enforced. If its enforced in the way its written, you won't have to wait all that long before you can say that Arizona fired the first shot, by pulling over Pujols or arresting and deporting Adalberto Ibarra or something like that.

 

Moving out of Arizona would be a huge commitment. Long term, if that law stays on the books and you start having repeated instances of your hispanic players being harassed or even taken into custody, then you start thinking about it.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Of course moving multiple teams for Spring Training out of Arizona is logistically impractical, but I'd live to have the Sox back here in Florida!

 

Seriously, I think these sorts of calls to action in response to bad immigration policy are exactly what short-sighted Arizona legislators and their narrow-minded constituents need to get hit hard with, even if there is a bit of political grandstanding to it. Nothing like a threat to the state economy to get them to revisit their decisions.

[Balta1701]

Seriously, I think these sorts of calls to action in response to bad immigration policy are exactly what short-sighted Arizona legislators and their narrow-minded constituents need to get hit hard with, even if there is a bit of political grandstanding to it. Nothing like a threat to the state economy to get them to revisit their decisions.

OTOH, if I'm Bud Selig...I've already had people work the issue and tell me what the last possible deadline date is that I could announce a move of the 2011 all star game and what would have to be done to make it happen...on the off chance that after enforcement starts the Arizona situation turns real ugly.

 

Anywho, if I were driving through Arizona again, I'd fill up the gas tank in Nevada and try to make it through the state without spending any money I didn't have to. Or I'd just take the longer route north.

[FlaSoxxJim]

OTOH, if I'm Bud Selig...I've already had people work the issue and tell me what the last possible deadline date is that I could announce a move of the 2011 all star game and what would have to be done to make it happen...on the off chance that after enforcement starts the Arizona situation turns real ugly.

 

I didn't even realize the 2011 ASG was slated for AZ. Yes, absolutely that should be leveraged to full effect here. Racist decision-making has already cost them a Super Bowl, so why not an All Star Game as well?

 

[bmags]

the thing is, i'm fairly certain the proof you do exist provision is going to be removed. Should we merely hold it against Arizonans that despite being explained what that law would do, they still support it?

[Balta1701]

the thing is, i'm fairly certain the proof you do exist provision is going to be removed. Should we merely hold it against Arizonans that despite being explained what that law would do, they still support it?

No.

[bmags]

well, I'd rather do that.

[Balta1701]

well, I'd rather do that.

If you want a boycott to be successful, it needs 2 things. First, it needs a specific, achievable goal (i.e. end apartheid laws, recognize MLK Day, stop carrying Glenn Beck's show, whatever). It can't be something vague like "respect other religions" or "don't hate whatever ethnic group you want to hate today".

 

Second, it needs specific actions that average people can take without dramatically hurting their own livelihood. Like, not spending money in Arizona.

[bmags]

i think a good ole fashioned hate festival was just what the doctor ordered. Haters gon' hate.

[kapkomet]

 

Let's just nuclear bomb Arizona's f***ed up people and get it over with.

 

 

 

[knightni]

If he was serious, he'd petition all of MLB teams that are in the Cactus League to relocate.

[Texsox]

I decided I'm not going to the All-Star game, who's with me?

[Controlled Chaos]

Just heard this idiot on Mully and Hanley(Rosenbloom was in for Mully) Glad to hear both of them basically tell him to shove it and worry about getting our state in order. They both pretty much just said this is political stunt. I assume the podcast will be up shortly http://podcastrss.play.it/mully-and-hanley-show_mp3_128.xml He was on around 7:30ish

 

As promised http://wscr.cbslocal.com/2010/05/07/martin...dorf/#more-9633

Edited May 7, 2010 by Controlled Chaos

[HuskyCaucasian]

Here's a thought experiment for Mr. Sandoval:

Let's say Chicago and the state of Illinois build the Chicago Cubs or White Sox a new $158 million (the cost of Camelback) facility on Northernly Island and one year into the deal the team says "well, we love the park, but we really are disliking the way politics have gone the last 12 months... we're gonna move to Nashville next year". How would that sit with him?

[Harry Chappas]

Just heard this idiot on Mully and Hanley(Rosenbloom was in for Mully) Glad to hear both of them basically tell him to shove it and worry about getting our state in order. They both pretty much just said this is political stunt. I assume the podcast will be up shortly http://podcastrss.play.it/mully-and-hanley-show_mp3_128.xml He was on around 7:30ish

 

As promised http://wscr.cbslocal.com/2010/05/07/martin...dorf/#more-9633

 

He really got lit up pretty good.

[knightni]

Here's a thought experiment for Mr. Sandoval:

Let's say Chicago and the state of Illinois build the Chicago Cubs or White Sox a new $158 million (the cost of Camelback) facility on Northernly Island and one year into the deal the team says "well, we love the park, but we really are disliking the way politics have gone the last 12 months... we're gonna move to Nashville next year". How would that sit with him?

Who exactly would they be playing in Cactus League games?

 

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

Who exactly would they be playing in Cactus League games?

I wasnt referring to a spring training facility. I was talking about a new regular season park.