A Reason to Root For the Florida Marlins

If you're shopping for a baseball team to root for, look no further.  Carlos Delgado, the new first baseman for the Florida Marlins, has said that he will continue this season the practice he followed last season playing for the Toronto Blue Jays.  He will refuse to stand during "God Bless America," because "[h]e didn't like the politicization of baseball making use of the song" and tying it to 9/11 and Iraq.  Says Delgado:

"I wouldn't call it politics, because I hate politics," Delgado said Thursday after finalizing his four-year, $52 million contract. "The reason why I didn't stand for God Bless America was because I didn't like the way they tied God Bless America and 9/11 to the war in Iraq in baseball.

"I say God bless America, God bless Miami, God bless Puerto Rico and all countries until there is peace in the world."

Kudos should go to the Marlins' organization as well, whose president has taken the position that "what he does is up to him."

A bit more below.

Not all clubs are as solicitous as the Marlins.  "During negotiations with the free agent, teams raised the issue of Delgado's stance regarding the Iraq war, said his agent, David Sloane."

Delgado indicated that if he signed with a team that had an "everybody must stand" policy, he would have done so.  Luckily, he didn't, and millions of Americans will be exposed to his principled decision to sit down.

He also said 90% of the reaction to his stance has been positive.