Mugshots

If only to irritate myself, I leafed through the White Sox magazine/program I had to buy Wednesday in order to keep score.  Ricky’s Boys Don’t Quit, but they sure do lose a lot.  I forget, what’s the difference in the end?

Mixed in with the puff pieces and ads are a series of headshots, 202 in all, of front office personnel; of that number, 73 are of female employees.  On such a slender thread does MLB claim to be making progress on the diversity front. 

Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Commissioner Rob Manfred would no doubt say the glass is more than a third full, and indeed it is, if you include titles like “coordinator of ticket office services”; “senior coordinator , social content and engagement”; and “director of community and charitable programs.”  But all the senior vice presidents are male, and all the ex-players mentioned, from Ken Williams and Dave Duncan to Frank Thomas and Jim Thome, are guys, too.  Precious few women play baseball into adulthood, but I hear many of them have long careers in something called fast-pitch softball.

Apparently, a 12-inch softball and anyone who’s played with one could ruin a baseball player if they get too close.