Former Major League Baseball All-Star Tim Raines speaks at a news conference to introduce him as the new manager of the Newark Bears minor league baseball team in Newark, N.J., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. A new ownership team has taken over the Newark Bears to save the independent Atlantic League franchise from bankruptcy and extinction. (AP Photo/Mike Derer)

Every year I hope to see Tim Raines make it into the Hall of Fame. Hopefully 2010 will be the year.

Tim Raines, for me, is clearly one of the greatest outfielders to ever play the game. In his 23-year career, Raines hit .294 with 170 home runs, 980 runs batted in, 1,571 runs scored, 2,605 hits, 808 stolen bases, 430 doubles, 113 triples, and had an on base percentage of .385. Raines batted over .300 in five full seasons, over .320 in three straight years (1985–1987), was a National League all-star in seven consecutive seasons (1981-1987) and earned the Most Valuable Player award for the 1987 All-Star Game. Raines finished in the top 10 in voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award three times (1983, 1986 and 1987). He won a Silver Slugger Award as an outfielder in 1986 when he led the National League in both batting average and on-base percentage. Raines was also a member of the New York Yankees teams that won the World Series in 1996 and 1998.

Impressive stats indeed but, and this is me, it just may be his early use (or abuse) of cocaine that is keeping him from his well deserved and coveted place in the Hall of Fame. Drats!!! They look at both the good and the bad and it may just be the early years of bad have far outweighed the many years of good. I will continue to keep hope alive for 2010.

Unfortunately, in 1999, while with the Oakland A’s, Raines was diagnosed with lupus. After experiencing a sudden weight gain (some say 15 others say 28 pounds) and fatigue, he underwent a kidney biopsy when it was determined he had lupus.

“When you’re sick and you’re a ballplayer, you always feel a pill is going to make you better,” Raines said.

“But I think any time you get into a situation where it’s maybe a life or death thing, you tend to think about it and wonder what you’re going through.

“As baseball players, we kind of live a sheltered life, good, bad or ugly. I mean, you’re on the top of the world,” he added. “You feel like nothing can ever get to you. I think what I’ve gone through over the last three weeks, it’s been pretty humbling, because I haven’t been able to do the things I love to do, and that’s play baseball.”

Raines did return to the game in 2000 with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League. This in an effort to show scouts and coaches that he was healthy enough to play on the Olympic Baseball Team. Finally, in 2001, Raines returned to the majors with the Montreal Expos.

Another interesting little factoid, in 2001 during a rehab assignment with the Expos’ Triple-A team, Raines had the opportunity to play against his son, Tim Raines, Jr., who was playing for the Rochester
Red Wings in the Baltimore Orioles organization, marking the first time in the history of professional baseball that a father-son pair had played against each other. Nice.

In 2002, Raines signed with the Florida Marlins, and played his last game on September 29, 2002.

Raines joined the Chicago White Sox coaching staff in 2005 before joining the Newark Bears on November 21, 2008.

In an interview, Raines was asked the following about his bout with lupus nephritis in 1999:

Keri: Then in 1999, you were diagnosed with lupus. Looking back on it now, when do you think your condition may have first started affecting you?

Raines: The doctors were telling me that the lupus might have been linked back to the hamstring injuries, and that was back in ’96. Without my legs, you know, I just wasn’t the same player. I could go up and hit homers, but that wasn’t my game. I hit a bunch of homers in September that year, so I was able to help the team, and we won the World Series. But on a personal level, 1996 was a season of disappointment. I’d say that coming down with lupus hurt my chances of being a shoo-in, really. I had 2,000 hits way before Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn. Injuries were the difference between getting to 3,000 hits and doing a few other things. All of that took a lot of at-bats away from me. If it wouldn’t have happened, we wouldn’t be talking about it right now. I feel like I’d be a first-ballot player.

Source: Baseball Hall of Fame 2008: Raines: ‘I played the game with excitement, focus’

He has been through a lot, particularly with the treatments he had to undergo for lupus nephritis but strong will and determination brought him back to the game to play some of the best baseball. Many thought his career was finished, he proved them wrong. I’m praying 2010 will be the year we see Tim Raines inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Tiger Woods with his mother, Kultida, with statue of he and his father.

With the jokes and the gleeful talks of how he is being dropped by sponsors, one would think folks have become somewhat giddy over the poor boy’s misfortunes. What I could not believe were the statements and/or comments — that actually made their way to CNN yesterday — on racial tensions from within the Black community on how Tiger’s dance card is too White. Really? You mean folks would have been happier to hear Tiger was trashing around with a few sistahs as well? Really? I wouldn’t but I don’t drink that kool-aid either.

I know Black men who only date other Black men and the same is true of Black women who only date Black women. I know gay Black men who only date gay White men and again, the same is true of Black women who only date White women. I know Black men who only date anything but a Black woman and again, the same is true of some Black women I know who only date White men. I know men who only date Asian women, and women who only date married men, and men who only date married women, and college-educated folks who only date other college-educated folks, and women who only date older men and men who only date younger women and . . . oh forget this nonsense. Bottom line, to all those who are picking out the speck in Tiger Wood’s eyes, check the big ole 2×4 in your own. Chances are, everyone who is criticizing Tiger is guilty of their own prejudices.

When I was a youngun in Chicago, I’ll never forget a White woman who was so enamored with a man she would have sold her teeth to be with him. When he started at the bank, this woman went on a mission to discover everything she could about the poor fellow. She knew where he skied, what he liked to eat, his shoe size, pants size, oh my God did she know everything about the man. Oh but the day she learned his girlfriend was — gasp — ASIAN, she had a fit. You see, back in good old racist Chitown, I learned from this White woman that men who dated Asian women were typically — hold your breath — wimps. Really? I was stunned this woman actually lost interest in the man because of her new found discovery. She was quite disappointed.

Today, 2009, in covertly racist SoCal, the same belief exists. I have heard from numerous women that “you know, Tiger Wood’s father married a Thai woman.” Really? So, does that make Tiger’s daddy a wimp too? Oh Lord and shall we continue drinking from this stereotypical cup of kool-aid? Oh and yes, let’s not forget the “you know how pushy they are”, referencing Asian women and some stereotypical ideal of the “Pushy woman“. Oh dear, White (or American) women are “easy“ or “loose”, Black women are “angry“ and Asian women are “pushy”. We have sunk to levels so low I don’t know if it’s possible to get up from here and all because of a man’s philandering ways. Ouida Lindsey, where are you?

Okay, so, continuing to drink from the stereotypical cup of racist kool-aid, Tiger’s mother is “pushy” and Tiger’s father — God rest his soul and his body is probably turning over in his grave — was “wimpy” which means Tiger was raised by a not-so-strong man and a pants-wearing mother? WTF. Therefore, he’s not a strong Black man as a result? Really? And considering all of the blather about his dance card being White, I guess, he is not Black enough? Really? Personally, I could not give a fat rat’s who he dates.

Folks fell out of their closets and on top of themselves to protect and extol the virtues of O.J. Simpson who was brutal to women, generally. I could not believe the many sistahs who came out to defend how men beat their wives all of the time and why was it an issue in the trial. Really? And talk about summarily dismissed they were in my book. Then there is Kobe Bryant. He is not married to a Black woman and the woman he was accused of raping or having consensual sex with was not Black either but, we came out of our collective closets again, falling all over each other, to defend and protect against the supposed lynch mob. Tiger Woods must smile too much, probably says excuse me and God forbid, does “White things” — golf — and ain’t Black enough. I am so over it.

Sorry folks, I have to say it because I am so over it. I was told one year I was not “Black enough” because I went skiing, enjoyed it and actually purchased ski wear so I could continue skiing without renting. Well, I was not Black enough and I did White things. Really? I had no idea White folks had a corner on the market for skiiing. Really?

According to Tiger, his wife went “ghetto” on him. I will grant you, Tiger probably could not find a ghetto if you gave him a map but he used the word. Tiger also, allegedly, text one of his so-called girlfriends and saying:

Jaimee: I have fun with u, you always make me smile and I am not afraid to be myself or say anything to u … the day I met u I thought u were going to kick me out a few times but for someone reason you didn’t and u have told me numerous times I talk to much but slowly as I get to know u iI think your absolutely amazing
Tiger: you are wrong I’m bone thugs in harmon
– Oct. 1, 6:06 p.m. text message

Really? Bone thugs? Whether you believe he is or is not Black or Black enough, whether you care about or don’t care about his dance card, the brotha is Black. Actually, he refers to himself as Blasian or Black Asian.

Jaimee: well I appreciate you not wanting to wake me up but if y couldn’t sleep I would have rather sat up and talked to u more … find out why I keep falling more and more for u
Tiger: Because I’m blasian

Yeah, you see, he identifies as Black. Now, let’s be blunt, he trashed around with trashy women and I don’t mean White American women. These women are “porn stars”, some possibly prostitutes, escorts or call girls, women who work in bars, etc. Some of these women would need a map to find the word “no” because “yes” is plastered over their entire bodies. He was not dating — let’s be clear about that — attorneys, accountants, etc. One porn star referred to Tiger as the “Whitest Black boy you’ve ever met.” Tiger was not paling around with upstanding women here. Now, do you really want to see a sistah in this group? I would dare say no.

Truth is, a lot of sistahs might smell around the tree that is Tiger Woods but few will go up that tree. Translation, for many, he ain’t Black enough. He is the child of an interracial couple and was probably brought up in an interracial community. His friends might be considered the UN, as in from around the world. For many biracial children, acceptance can be difficult. You ain’t Black enough, you ain’t White enough and the center can be a lonely place with very few participants.

Consider Barack Obama who, early on, was considered non-Black by some in the Black community. However, during the campaign and because of his Black minister, some in the White community considered him too Black. Imagine living that dichotomy daily.

Moving on, as I said earlier, Tiger Woods is a trapper not a hunter. Basically, he lays traps and will take whatever enters the trap. A hunter, on the other hand, goes after what he wants. Tiger’s wife was introduced to him. He did not go after her. She was not someone he saw across the room, wanted, pursued and married. She was trapped. The women he trashed around with were women who were either brought to him by handlers, some form of madam or pimp. No where have I read these women were drawn to Tiger because he went after them. Trapper.

Not many men I know have respect for women who fall into traps. They are too easy. With that, I can understand how he not only disrespected his wife, he also disrespected the women he trashed around with. One woman who has come out to sell her story — she also refers to Tiger as a “cheap f***er” Lord help us — tells another story of disrespect. While in the marital home he shared with his wife, in their marital bed, he was with this woman on the night he received the call of his father’s passing. This woman said of Tiger “He’s a cheap f***er and he just didn’t want to help me.” As my grandmother used to say, “you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas” or, “he made his bed and now he must lie in it.” Okay, pun intended.

Which leads me to something I heard yesterday from a young brother who said “you don’t give skanks your phone number. That brotha wanted to get caught.” Wow! Really? I never thought about that. You see, Tiger is known as a phenomenal golfer but, what if he wanted to be known as a man. Like Andre Agassi who speaks now of a pushy father who wanted his son to be a tennis great. We now know the story of Agassi, he delved into a world of self-hate and drug abuse. Could this not be another, similar situation?

I’m sure Tiger Wood’s philandering was duly noted but, because he was the golden boy of golf, no one spoke the word adultery. Perhaps, knowing this, Tiger went overboard with his philandering ways. It was not done because he knew he could get away with it, perhaps it was more because he wanted or needed to be identified as something other than “golf phenom”, “golden boy” or something that would say he’s a man, human, something other than an object of someone’s money machine — slave. Maybe the little brother is right, he wanted to be caught.

Before we cut Tiger into little pieces and start analyzing the poor man at the cellular structure, let’s first take note of the human, the man, who is right now dealing with something a bit rough. I will concede my problems with Tiger has little to do with who he dated and who he married. In my book, Tiger Woods has little respect for himself and women. Period. He disrespected his wife and his marriage, big time. He has a lot of explaining and work to do with his wife.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason and this too shall pass. Tiger needed the ball to stop rolling. Perhaps, somewhere deep in his psyche he needed to not be so perfect. It happens. Before we start accusing him of not being Black enough, or turning his back on Black folk, or where are the sistahs in that trashy mess — please folks, let’s not go there — let’s consider Tiger Woods the man. Sure, the golf clubs make for good fodder, brunt of jokes, etc., but he’s a man. The man lost his father — don’t care who he married either — and he lost his way.

Let’s show some compassion or at the very least, curtail your judgmental ways. Judge not and instead pray for Tiger. Pray that he will one day be able to go after what he wants — not on the golf course — but what he really wants in life and not where the easy button leads him. Let’s not drop into tainted vats of kool-aid, speculating his father was this way, his mother is another way, that White women or Black women are something else, or whether he is Black, White, Oreo Cookie, etc. He’s a man, men make mistakes. He has laid down with the dogs and he is scratching. Let him be. Thank you.

Other stupid women are those who date bad men, allowing themselves to be used to the point of being relegated to subhuman treatment. These women excuse their behavior and that of the man to save face, thus perpetuating the behavior, over and over again until the man – to recite the words of Bill Withers – keeps on using them until he’s used them up.

Then there are the women like I used to be, closeted, and needing a man to keep my closet door shut tight and snug. We do not have a vested interest in men sans our need to stay closeted. As a result, we use men, constantly challenge them, learn and prey on their fears for control and we can be quite abusive. Thus, we represent yet another form of the stupid woman who can be credited for creating bad men. This is why I believe gay folk should just come out of their closets. We need to keep drama to a low roar.

Being the closeted lesbian with no vested interest in men, I listened and learned about bad behavior and insecurity. Because I had no real interest, dating men became a game allowing me to learn every trick, game, and crazy excuse he could use and afterward, it did not matter how the trick or game was played or what color the game was painted, I could smell it a mile away.

I was particularly entertained by married men. I likened them to the “Glad Man” looking for “Ms. Saran Wrap” – plastic, see through types, lacking in substance and typically very insecure. First, they attempted to engage me in the lively art of conversation and through the words they chose to use I could tell they were not single or very married. Second, after asking the same question 14 different ways, “Mr. Married” never realized he, in fact, answered the “I’m married” question. After bringing up the wife, “Mr. Married” would then offer up “she’s married but I’m not” or “we married for the kid” or “we’ve drifted apart” or simply “yes, I’m married. Does it make a difference?” Yes, all very entertaining and quite ridiculous.

After playing the game of feigned dismissal, I would often hear how wonderful he is, how much money he has, what he likes doing like taking these fancy trips to who knows where, how he treats “his women” or some such nonsense. Oh dear, “insecurity, party of one” has arrived.

Back in the not-so-good old days, women were concerned about meeting, dating and becoming intimate with married men. They did not want that scarlet letter “A” dangled around their necks and took every measure possible to ensure the men in their lives were not hitched. I’ll never forget one woman’s tale of disappointment when she discovered the man in her life was still married to his wife. She was devastated and broke off the relationship. Now, many women don’t care and some of these women actually believe these men will leave their wives for them. Really? Stupid women. My one question is this, if he fooled around on his wife, what makes you think he won’t fool around on you? Stupid women.

Now, Tiger Woods. I’m sorry but he’s a trapper, not a hunter. Insecurity is plastered across his body and face like a bad tattoo. What did anyone expect? He has so many handlers and he is defined by golf, not by who he is as a man. He is Tiger Woods the “phenom” or Tiger Woods the magnificent golfer but who is Tiger Woods really? Does he even know?

When Mr. Woods married, I thought then it would not last. Why? He was not ready for such a grown up sport. Now he has a child, oh Lord help us. In our society, we do not allow people to become whoever or whatever they are. We push them to become visions of what we want them to be, not who they are. Tiger was pushed to be a great golfer, a great humanitarian, but he was never allowed to be human, to find his way, to know himself. I’m surprised dozens of women have not come out of his bedroom closet.

Unfortunately, he now has a bunch of stupid women coming out of their closets selling him and information about him like he’s a two bit whore. Worse, the man who doesn’t know himself cannot respond because he lacks the wherewithal to do so. He hasn’t quite matured in that area either and yet we expect he should. What a shame.

Unfortunately, a lot of men – pick your color – do not grow up with great role models. If they do, they are the lucky ones. We lay out for them caricatures of what a man should be; often it’s how to be the Glad Man. The examples offered often lack substance and typically, when parked at a movie house or in front of the television, the examples are one-dimensional, hyper testosterone types. Worse, we tell them – as single mothers – that men are supposed to be this way or that way and again, the examples lack substance because it’s not in front of them. They cannot see it, they cannot touch it, it is unreal and perhaps, unrealistic.

What men actually end up with in their lives are their fathers – if they are in the home – which may or may not be great role models. They may be cheaters themselves, insecure types or the hyper-testosterone types who are often the do as I say not as I do men. Then there are the men, those handlers, around Tiger who made it possible for Tiger to cheat, perhaps they were most encouraging of Tiger’s behavior these so-called great male role models. And of course, there will always be the stupid women who allow such bad behavior and will then – if possible – turn around to criticize the man or worse, sell him and his personal life for a buck when they were equally complicit.

I feel bad for Tiger, his wife and of course the child who may – if they divorce – be raised by a single and perhaps bitter mother. We do so need more children like that in the world.

Marriage, for me is great fodder. It used to be two responsible adults got married and raised a family. Now it’s about the “Glad Man” looking for “Ms. Saran Wrap” (or Barbie) to be his arm candy, who will then give birth to a beautiful baby that will serve as their “mini-me” and they too will control the child like they control their little selfish lives. When one doesn’t do what the other wants, the little “mini-me” will be used against the other. Then they’ll divorce with bitterness. What a grand affair.

Marriage is a commitment. It is not two people coming together with the belief they can still live their little selfish lives together. No. It’s about Ms. Woods getting into her husband and not shopping sprees with friends (I’m making that up folks) and Mr. Woods, literally, getting into his wife and not screwing anything not nailed down (if the stories are true). The two become one.

If you don’t know who you are, don’t get married. If you lack problem solving skills, the wherewithal to get it together, or you wish to maintain your silly little selfish life forever, don’t get married. And to those stupid women who believe they can change a man, will get pregnant in order to keep a man, or will do anything to keep and hold a man, get over your fantasies about life and your delusions of grandeur. He ain’t ready and neither are you.

Stupid women raise stupid women as well as in mothers who encourage their daughters to marry men because the men are wealthy. How stupid is that? I’m sure mom saw insecurity plastered across the man like a bad tattoo as well but, oh well, he’s rich. Oh My God!!! “Oh, that’s okay honey, take him to the cleaners.” What, you’re raising your girls to be prostitutes or something? Yes, let’s marry for money and let’s kill ‘em off for money. Geez, and yes, I’m cynical.

Finally, I am not amused by the jokes of Tiger’s wife beating him with a golf club. That is not funny and is it true? How do you know? You see, we’re back to making up things about a person based on what we want to believe and not what is true. Yes, she apparently broke out a few windows with a golf club but did she hit her husband with the club? Who knows and if she did, it ain’t funny. It’s called spousal abuse and assault.

I am thankful for being in the fall of my days. I can look back and laugh at some of my own failings and youthful passions. C’est si bon.

Jonathan Figueroa

Jonathan Figueroa, former rising star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, died November 8 due to complications from lupus.

Figueroa was rated the Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect in the 2003 Prospect Handbook, behind the club’s current first baseman James Loney and just ahead of Tigers right-hander Edwin Jackson. A pitcher, Figueroa was signed out of Venezuela and posted a combined 7-3, 1.42 record in 2002 at Rookie-level Great Falls and low Class A South Georgia.

Figueroa joined the Lincoln, Nebraska Saltdogs in August 2008 and pitched in three games over the final 11 days of the season. He started the 2009 season in the starting rotation and made 16 appearances, going 3-5 with a 3.78 ERA before he was placed on the disabled list on July 12.

Apparently, while in Florida, Figueroa started feeling the effects of a tick bite he likely received while pitching in the Midwest. While getting treatment for the bite, and possibly Lyme disease, his lupus was discovered. Not knowing the severity of his illness, the Saltdogs exercised the 2010 option on Figueroa’s contract in October.

“This is a tremendous loss on any number of levels,” said Saltdogs general manager Tim Utrup. “Jonathan was well liked by everybody in the organization. Our hearts go out to his family.”

Figueroa began his career in 2002 with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization after being signed as an undrafted free agent. He stayed in the Dodgers’ farm system through the 2007 season and then signed with Long Beach of the Golden League in 2008. Lincoln acquired him from Long Beach in August of that year. Jonathan appeared in 136 games over his eight-year career, making 93 starts. He posted a 25-35 career record in the minor leagues, with two saves and a 4.83 career ERA.

Figueroa is survived by his wife, Katitiana, a 5-year-old son, Victor, and a 1-year-old daughter, Victoria.