Are the Diamondbacks about to see pickets at every ballpark?

The Arizona Diamondbacks got some national attention on Thursday, and not because there was anything particularly special about the way they smacked the Chicago Cubs about (13-5, but then again, everybody beats up on the Cubs eventually)/

It was the pickets of a few dozen people outside of Wrigley Field who are going to demonize the Diamondbacks because they play in the land of Joe Arpaio and Jan Brewer, the latter being the governor who signed into law a measure that now requires all local cops to behave as though they work for the Maricopa County sheriff’s police.

THE PICKETS ARE expected to be in place (and possibly bigger) at the three remaining games the Diamondbacks will play in Chicago through Sunday. There also are hints that groups will try to put together similar pickets in every National League city the Diamondbacks play in this season.

That’s going to be a lot of nasty attention. But then again, that ought to be an expected reaction. The problem with those people who think Arizona is being picked on is that they think they can get away with nasty, mean-spirited acts without having anyone call them on it.

That is just wrong.

Not that I expect the ballplayers themselves to be swayed. Only one of the Diamondbacks players was actually born in Arizona. The guy whose reaction I’d like to know would be that of pitcher Rodrigo Lopez, a Mexico native who joined the team this season and is now a part of the starting rotation.

WHAT HAPPENS IF some overzealous cop gets it into his head that Lopez (on the way to the game) doesn’t have legitimate papers to be here (he does, one of the perks for a non-citizen of playing in Major League Baseball is a much easier time getting a visa than anyone else) and decides to harass him?

Perhaps having their “home” team lose a few games will be what causes some people to realize how ridiculous their new law is. Those wanting to know more about the protests should check out this site’s sister weblog, the Chicago Argus.

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