He didn't mean it. That's what one of his teammates said of Torii Hunter's remarks. One of his Latin teammates, Bobby Abreu.

"If he said that,'' was Abreu's observation of an unfortunate statement by Torii Hunter dealing with race, "I'm sure he didn't mean it.''

What Torii Hunter meant was don't confuse Caribbean island athletes with African American athletes. Even though they are both dark-skinned.

What Hunter was quoted as saying was Latin players are not black, they're imposters.

What Hunter meant, or so we presume, is there's a dearth of African-Americans in baseball.

That's true because the African American kids play basketball and football more than they do baseball. You don't have to spend five years in the minors in basketball or football. You have a better chance to go to college with basketball and football.

Hunter in truth wasn't talking about skin color but ethnic background. The Spaniards brought African slaves to Cuba and the Dominican, the way the English sold African slaves in what became the United States.

"People see dark faces out there,'' Hunter, the Angels great centerfielder pointed out to USA Today, "and the perception is they're African American. They're not us. They're imposters.''

No, they're not African American. They are descendents of Africans and Spaniards. Their ancestors were rounded up and shipped to the New World, inhumanely, disgracefully, as were the ancestors of those enslaved in Mississippi or South Carolina.

"They're imposters,'' Hunter stated incorrectly. Not at all. An imposter is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often to try to gain financial or social advantages.

The Caribbean islanders didn't attempt to be what they are not. They grew up in sub-standard conditions and went out and played baseball, which is their most important sport, which also is their opportunity to improve their lives.

They played it so well that more than a quarter of the majors is comprised of Latin players, primarily from the Dominican, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

How do we get into these things, these awkward situations where a conversation turns us against each other? More significantly, how do we get out?

Tthe beauty of baseball is that since 1947 it has placed the emphasis on talent and not background. Doesn't it count that the major leagues have Australians, Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Caribbean Islanders, South Americans. And Americans of various ethnic and racial groups?

Hunter also was quoted as saying teams pursue Latin American talent "because you can get them cheaper. It's like, ‘Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?' ''

Maybe he was referring to the chips on the tables at Vegas. When the Reds signed that pitcher, Aroldis Chapman, the defector from Cuba, it was for $30 million.

The trouble is there aren't enough kids from the South Side of Chicago who fancy making it to the team on the South Side, the White Sox. They'd prefer the Bulls. Or the Bears.

The Hunter comments could be advantageous, could be the impetus which increases African-American participation in baseball. Sure the void has been a frequent subject. African Americans make up only 10 percent of the bigs. But controversy draws attention.

Hunter was chastened by the response to his original statement, but he'll get over it and his words could be a blessing.

He already helps sponsor efforts for the development in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Now there might be a greater awareness of the problem, if in an oblique way.

"If it's not about baseball,'' Hunter said after meeting with Angels management, "I'm not going to talk about it.''

But it was about baseball, about who's playing baseball, or in Hunter's correct interpretation who's not playing baseball. He realizes "imposters'' was the wrong definition.

"What I meant,'' he felt obligated to say, "was they're not black players, they're Latin American players. There is a difference culturally. But on the field, we're all brothers, no matter where we come from.''

We have a good idea of where Torii Hunter is coming from. His history is of a person who believes in equality and fairness. There's no racism, of prejudice.

As he was to remind, "I'm from Arkansas. I'm the one who was called all those words.''

We continue to overreact when dealing with race. It's a difficult subject and will remain one. Yet Torii Hunter may have done us a favor, done baseball a favor.

He swung away and made contact with our emotions. That's more difficult even than hitting a back-door slider.