Mariners Pre-Game Ritual Is Microcosmal Race War

The Mariners play a children's game called "Flip" before they play each baseball game. In Flip you use your glove, hands and feet to pass a baseball around a circle. If you permit the ball to hit the ground, you're out.

Sounds like fun, right? Actually, it's a race war. From the P-I:

"It's all racial," reliever J.J. Putz said. "Usually if we have a Latin judge, all the white guys are out. If a white guy's judging, all the Latin guys are getting screwed."

"It's called team chemistry," said reliever Eddie Guardado.

Riiight. Poor rookie catcher Rene Rivera is completely in the dark (no pun intended).:

"We play a little like it's Latin guys against American guys and try to take them out, but there's nothing racist about it; we're just having fun."

Sure, Rene. You have a lot to learn about America, my friend.

Adrian Beltre is the consensus Flip all-star. But--here's something that should come as no surprise to anyone who watched the World Cup:

Several players said Beltre cheats.

Confronted with the accusation, Beltre simply smiled and said, "It's true."

For shame, sir. For shame.