Guillen: MLB treats Hispanics poorly

CHICAGO, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball treats its Asian players better than its Hispanic players, Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen says.

Speaking to reporters at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago before Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics, Guillen -- a native of Venezuela -- repeated criticisms first made five years ago that baseball has a double standard for Hispanic players who can't speak English, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

"It's very bad," he told the newspaper. "I say, why do we have Japanese interpreters and we don't have a Spanish one. I always say that. Why do they have that privilege and we don't?"

Guillen added, "Don't take this wrong, but they take advantage of us. We bring a Japanese player, and they are very good, and they bring all these privileges to them. We bring a Dominican kid ... (and send him to) the minor leagues. 'Good luck.'

"And it's always going to be like that. It's never going to change. But that's the way it is."

The outspoken White Sox skipper asserted vulnerable Hispanic prospects had been encouraged by people "behind the scene(s)" to abuse steroids after being told it would help them reach the majors.