Orioles’ Scout Reprimanded : Baseball: Team official apologizes for comments about Mexican players.

SARASOTA, Fla. — President Larry Lucchino of the Baltimore Orioles reprimanded team official Fred Uhlman Sr. on Thursday for remarks about Mexican players.

A quote attributed to Uhlman in a USA Today story said that Mexicans lack speed and that it is “a genetic-type thing.”

Uhlman, a special assistant to General Manager Roland Hemond, has specialized in scouting Latin-American players. He apologized for the remarks, which he said were not interpreted as he intended.

“A lot of Mexicans have bad foot speed,” Uhlman was quoted as saying. “It’s a genetic-type thing. They have a different body type. Most all have good hands and good rhythm. That’s why they dance so well. Rhythm is important in baseball, it means agility.”

The genetic and rhythm references stirred memories of former Dodger General Manager Al Campanis’ suggestion that blacks may “lack the necessities” for decision-making positions. Campanis was fired days after making his remarks on ABC-TV’s “Nightline.”

Neither Lucchino nor Frank Robinson, the club’s assistant general manager who has been outspoken on behalf of minorities, classified Uhlman’s statements in the same category with those made by Campanis. But both said that Uhlman had used poor judgment in answering questions.

“It’s not that strong (as the Campanis case), but it’s in the same terms,” Robinson said. “Any time you throw a blanket over a race of people, it’s not right.

“I know what Fred said came out different than what he meant. He was comparing teams, but it didn’t come out that way, and it’s not right because you are condemning an entire race of people.

“You just have to be very sensitive about what you say today when asked questions like that. People are very aware--and they’re very sensitive.”

Lucchino, Robinson, Hemond and Doug Melvin, the club’s assistant general manager in charge of player personnel, all participated in a phone conversation with Uhlman Thursday afternoon. Afterward, Lucchino stated the Orioles’ position.

“First of all, let me start by saying any kind of racial or ethnic stereotyping is offensive and wrong,” Lucchino said. “We regret any comments made along those lines. They don’t reflect the attitude of the organization.

“Also, I don’t think they reflect the attitude of Fred Uhlman Sr. But we understand that racial and ethnic stereotyping is damaging and can lead to discrimination.”

Uhlman’s remarks were made during the recently completed Caribbean Series.

“If Fred had limited his comments to the one team that was playing, comparing it to others (in the series), he would have been OK,” Lucchino said. “But he went a step too far and crossed over the line.”

Uhlman was obviously stunned by the reaction to the story.

“I didn’t mean in any way for it to come out like that,” he said before leaving on a scouting trip to Florida.

“If I offended anybody, I certainly would want to apologize. When I said those things, I was talking about the leagues I cover. I haven’t seen their A or rookie leagues; I’m not an expert on Mexican baseball.”