Ozzie Guillen and his crazy antics.

To be honest I watched the interview where Guillen made his comments about translators and how Asians are treated better than Latin players, and I am really not quite sure what his point was. He started out talking about a Korean player in minors that had a translator and there were 17 Latin players on the team and only 1 translator. But then he followed that with Japanese players are treated better. So, honestly, I don't really know if he meant that he was upset at their treatment in the minors or in the Major Leagues. His beef with Japanese players can't be at the minor league level because they are always signed to Major League contracts and don't go through the minor league system. As usual with Ozzie, he likes to shoot of his mouth without knowing what the heck he is talking about.

Contract information is pretty easy to come across. Cot's Contract is a comprehensive site of Major League contracts. If you go there and look at the contracts that Major League Japanese players have signed then you will see that this is not any sort of alienation of Latin players. The Japanese players negotiation for the perks they get and have them put into their contracts. For example Dice-K, when he signed his contract, had it implemented that he gets an interpreter, trainer, massage therapist, housing allowance, transportation when he was state side, and several round trip tickets back to Japan. Oh yea, and the number 18 is always his, its right there in his contract. Fukodome's contract in Chicago is almost identical, of course with the number 18. Ichigo's doesn't have all of that stuff, but it still has a requirement for an interpreter, housing allowance, and tickets home. Kuroda in L.A. has a contractually obligated translator for him plus another separate one for his family. Plus English lessons for everyone. Take a look at the other Asian contracts its pretty similar.

The point is, Ozzie is accusing people of favoritism towards Asians, when in reality these Japanese players are just requiring these kinds of services being written into the contracts if the team wants to hire there services. Perhaps Ozzie, its just you who doesn't get shown respect, because you have't earned any.