Homering in pink

Kudos to ML Baseball and the ballplayers taking part in this.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Hulking Jim Thome. Rugged Manny Ramirez. Brawny Adam Dunn. "The thought of these big macho men, swinging pink bats to help women with
breast cancer ... what a novel idea," Louisville Slugger president John Hillerich said Tuesday.

Major League Baseball granted special permission for players to use the colorful bats - baby pink, at that - for Mother's Day. They're part of a weeklong program to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Derek Jeter, David Eckstein and Marcus Giles are among dozens of players who intend to try them Sunday. This is the first time pink has been approved for bats - dyed at the Louisville Slugger factory, they're usually black, brown, reddish or white.

Kevin Mench was among several Texas players who wanted their mother's names burned on the bats. The Rangers slugger, who homered in seven straight games earlier this season, also planned to have a bat for his grandmother, who died from breast cancer.

"My mom is the glue of our family, and I just want to do something to thank her for all that she has done," Mench said before Tuesday night's game against Minnesota. "At the same time, we are raising money for a great cause."

Howard Smith, senior vice president for licensing for MLB, said the idea for the pink bats struck a chord with commissioner Bud Selig and other executives. The question was how many players would use the sticks.

"It takes a big man to swing a pink bat in a major league game," Smith said.

More than 400 bats were being made for 50-plus players. David Ortiz, Jim Edmonds, Mark Teixeira, Michael Young and Hank Blalock were also on the list.

I was going to blog on this earlier this week but decided to save it for today. TFM commends those taking part in this. Today is the day we honor our mothers for we wouldn't be here without them.

My friend and fellow blogger James Joyner also thinks its a nice gesture but otherwise differs. He asks if MLB supporst BC research any other day of the year. What about the symbolism too? Why Breast cancer?

A regular reader of TFM will know I'm a cancer survivor. I've lost too many friends to malignant melanoma. I supoort melanoma research and research into all other cancers. What MLB and these ballplayers is doing is for a good cause. That's what matters. Cancer is a horrible disease, I wish no one else would ever have to die from it.

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