The Red Black Green Baseball Blog
Patrick Ellington Jr.
Novelist/Journalist/Screenwriter
United States
Sports journalist with a concentration on the African diaspora's past, present, and future relationship with baseball.
Screenwriter
Author
United States
Sports journalist with a concentration on the African diaspora's past, present, and future relationship with baseball.
Screenwriter
Author
The Red Black Green Baseball Blog
This is the first article in a series where I will rank the top ten Black baseball players at each position.
This is the second article in a series where I will rank the top ten Black baseball players at each position.
This is the third article in a series where I will rank the top ten Black baseball players at each position.
This is the fourth article in a series where the top ten Black baseball players at each position will be ranked.
This is the fifth article in a series where the top ten Black baseball players at each position will be ranked.
This is the sixth article in a series where the top ten Black baseball players at each position will be ranked
This is the seventh article in a series where the top ten Black baseball players at each position will be ranked
When Satchel Paige became the first Black pitcher to record an appearance in a game in the American League as a swingman for Cleveland's pitching staff in 1948, he joined a ball club that had already cultivated a reputation and history for finding great starters.
Driven to provide for his family based on his life experiences, Noel's belief that his family deserves better is the source of his strong competitive spirit and business-like attitude on the field. He's extremely straightforward about the hard times his family frequently faced during his childhood.
The professional athletes that have played in Minor League Baseball are already the best in the world at the game of baseball. The almost twenty thousand individuals who have worn an MLB uniform are outliers in a world of hundreds of thousands who dream of but do not reach baseball's most competitive stage.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic was an absolute win for baseball, and it was thoroughly needed. The irony of MLB fans pointing out that the WBC is less than 20 years old every time an important MLB player got hurt captures the point of why the WBC is long overdue and necessary for the sport to thrive on a global level.
Taking a quick look at the young Black catchers making noise in the various realms of professional baseball and what it means
James Grant was the first Black pitcher to win 20 games in MLB and an important ambassador for Black baseball history. Born in 1935, the former FAMU student was a 12-year-old newspaper boy when Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut in 1947.
Drafted by Cleveland in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft directly out of high school, Bo Naylor put together an impressive rookie season that deserves a thorough breakdown.
Shortstop CJ Abrams has a style of play that perfectly encapsulates modern baseball yet it simultaneously reminds you of athletic and versatile middle infielders from past eras.
Andrew McCutchen personifies the legacy that began when Curt Roberts, Carlos Bernier, and Roberto Clemente made their first plate appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the mid-1950s.
The eighth edition of The Show Notes addresses a persistent topic that has given white supremacism, ahistorical notions, and revisionist narratives a foothold within Black Baseball culture.
Afro-Dominican outfielder Esteury Ruiz should be on the Oakland A's 25-man roster.
A piece that puts one of The Integration Era's best third base-shortstop duos into a proper perspective
Highlighting Black starting pitchers in MiLB and MLB who may one day join the esteemed Black Aces fraternity.
As there have been questions about Harry Ford's defensive future, why not utilize his top tier athleticism and let him play all over the diamond?
Left-handed outfielders Zyhir Hope, Josue De Paula, and Kendall George comprise a talented teenage trio who could be wearing Dodgers uniforms by 2026 or 2027.
Highlighting the places and regions across the world where Black Baseball Culture is still thriving
The fifteenth edition of The Show Notes puts a microscope on more than 50 of the African diaspora's best position player prospects in MiLB categorized into four different tiers.
Originally published for the now defunct Official Guardians Baseball Insider during my coverage of the High-A Lake County Captains for the 2021 MiLB season, this is a 2700 word feature article
Samaná-American Fernando Rodney's longevity, vibrant personality, and unique background make him one of the most important Black relief pitchers of Major League Baseball's Integration Era
Ernesto Martínez Jr. has a five-tool profile that offers a ceiling similar to that of Freddie Freeman, Derek Lee, Jeff Bagwell, and Paul Goldschmidt in a highly athletic and mobile 6'6'' frame
Josue De Paula is the type of prospect who can suddenly break through and drastically shift the balance of power in the NL West in favor of the Dodgers as they duke it out with the Giants and Padres.
Signed by the Detroit Tigers in 2023, Jamaican-Nicaraguan relief pitcher Duque Hebbert should be seen as a legitimate prospect.
Armed with a lethal kitchen sink repertoire, Tampa Bay Rays prospect Gary Gill Hill is an underrated starting pitcher who is far more than just a guy with a cool name.
A brief write up on nine prospects in the lower minors from Continental African & The Francophone/Anglophone Caribbean.
There are very few active teenagers in professional baseball as talented as Seattle Mariners prospect Felnin Celesten.
Canadian-Jamaican catcher Bo Naylor has batted .230/.324/.426(110 wRC+) since the All-Star Break's conclusion. Is this a real breakout or is is just another hot stretch of hitting?
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is an international superstar playing in one of the world's most diverse cities, yet he has been flattened while being commodified as one of the most visible Black players in MLB
Time is running out for Tink Hence to prove himself as a starting pitcher. His value as a trade chip is at a nadir, but if he shows any sign of bouncing back he would be an intriguing piece to acquire
Jordan Lawlar is one of the most talented shortstops to come out of Texas during the 21st century and he is running out of breathing room on Arizona's 25-man roster.
Baseball is heavily associated with family, as the love for the game is often passed down from an elder family member to a younger one. My earliest memories of the game of baseball involve me spending time with my father at his house watching Derek Jeter and the Yankees on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.
This 2200-word feature article is my first paid feature on this blog. If you are reading this, thank you for helping me get to this point.
"Notable Black Baseball Families" is an article series on Black families from throughout the African diaspora who have had multiple members make notable contributions to professional baseball. I have decided to make the odd-numbered articles in this series free and the even-numbered articles in this series are behind a paywall.
The fourth article in this series focuses on Justin and Melvin "B.J." Upton, two brothers who were drafted first and second overall in their respective draft classes and played over ten years in MLB.
MLB dot com
CLEVELAND -- Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie and first baseman Josh Naylor are at the epicenter of the youth movement at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. Together, they are working to establish themselves as valuable pieces for the franchise. They have also bonded over their shared Jamaican heritage along
Shortstop Brayan Rocchio, who was promoted to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday, patterns his game after a few of the greatest shortstops to ever suit up for Cleveland. If all goes according to his plan, the organization's No. 4-ranked prospect hopes to have a similar career one day. "Growing up I
Ron Knight knew he wanted to wear an MLB team's logo on a polo shirt rather than a baseball jersey from a young age. The Director of Minor League operations for the Atlanta Braves was around 10 when the realization occurred, and he still remembers the moment like it was
The Bronx is home to Yankee Stadium, while San Pedro de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic, is the birthplace of countless baseball players who have worn an MLB uniform. They are two of the most important spots in the game. Guardians prospect George Valera, who was raised in both places,
Baseball Prospectus
The backstop has a skillset unlike most catchers, and is pushing fast through the Guardians system.
The former Vanderbilt star has scuffled, as has the Giants' number two prospect, but Braylon Bishop is taking off.
Another season of starting off your Mondays with a look at prospects from across the minors.
Also featuring looks at Joe Whitman, Jake Bloss, Druw Jones, and six more prospects.
Plus notes on Brayan Bello and Taj Bradley's midseason 50 prospects, Jairo Pomares' struggles, and more.
The Guardians have been dealing with injuries and ineffectiveness in their rotation, and turn to (another) one of their top arms in the minors.
With multiple middle infielders on the shelf, the Guardians dip a little deeper into their prospect stash.
A look at the many ways the 2021 season could play out for Cleveland.
Other
Robinson’s tale serves as such ripe material for creatives because of how singular and inspiring it is. Over time, those creative representations have shaped the story of Jackie Robinson, taking him beyond his true, complicated personhood and elevating him to an inspirational symbol. The only other American athlete to ascend to the level of folklore is Babe Ruth, a son of immigrants whose “rags to riches” journey resonated with the hopes of early twentieth century Americans. Robinson’s tale,...
Delving into the Dodgers front office's search for talent in Uganda and how it correlates with many other notable events and common themes in the club's history.
In the 75 years since Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball, six Black people have held the de facto title of MLB general manager. One of the few individuals with a tangible chance to increase the number to seven is Billy Owens, the Athletics' director of player personnel and assistant general manager.
Buy Not an Easy Tale to Tell: Jackie Robinson on the Page, Stage, and Screen: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com
In case you have not heard the news, Amed Rosario may be patrolling centerfield for the 2021 Cleveland Indians on Opening Day. Rosario is a 25-year-old shortstop who was acquired by the Cleveland Indians from the New York Mets in the Francisco Lindor trade.
The Red Black Green Baseball Podcast aims to truthfully capture the African diaspora's relationship with the sport of baseball from Little League all the way to MLB by telling the individual stories of the Black fans, players, coaches/managers, scouts, front office members, writers, etc.
As the start of spring training approaches, I will be providing my 2021 Indians Predictions, a preview of the current state of the team, as well as what may change between now and Opening Day.
The long-rumored Francisco Lindor trade has finally happened, as the New York Mets acquired the four-time All-Star shortstop and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland Indians on January 7th, 2021. I will be focusing on the trade package Cleveland got in return and why they decided to move on from Lindor and Carrasco.