The Sleep Time and Rise "n" Shine Thread For 7/26-27/09

What's the better question?

Why didn't Ricky Henderson get a unanimous first ballot vote into baseball's Hall of Fame, or why did it take jim Rice so many years to get into the place?

Either way, these two men were the prominent additions to the Cooperstown temple this weekend, for this year. And their addictions rose the question once again of why the number of blacks have diminished in baseball.

Or, have they?

In the last few years, we have seen the slight reemergence of the Africa-American baseball player in the major leagues, with emphasis on the word slight of course.

According to USA Today from last year:

-- 2008 was the first season in which there was an increase (2%) of African-American players over the previous season since 1995

That reemergence has been lead by headline stars such as Phillies combo Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins, Yankees ace CC Sabathia, and Brewers super slugger Prince Fielder, along with the rise of future young stars such as the Upton Brothers (B.J. of the Rays and Justin of the Diamondbacks), James Loney and Matt Kemp of the Dodgers, and terrific rookies such as the Pirates Andrew McClutchen and the Rockies Dexter Flower to name a few.