Black baseball players at 20-year low

Major League Baseball received its best grade for racial diversity in hiring, even as the percentage of black players dropped again last year.

MLB received its first A- for race Tuesday from Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. Its grade was B+ in last year’s study.

Among major leaguers, though, just 8.2 percent were black players, down from 8.4 percent in 2006 and the lowest level in two decades.

“I’m very disappointed by that fact,” said Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson. “Competition from other sports is certainly a big factor, but there are many factors. We’ve got to work on it in terms of getting younger children playing.”Lapchick released the study on Jackie Robinson Day, the 61st anniversary of when Robinson broke the major league color barrier.

Reynolds, ESPN settle

ESPN says a settlement has been reached in the lawsuit filed by former baseball analyst Harold Reynolds over his firing.

Reynolds sued the sports network for at least $5 million in October 2006, three months after he was fired. He claimed he was wrongly fired after a female intern complained about what he called a “brief and innocuous” hug. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

Clearing the bases

Milwaukee right-hander Yovani Gallardo is ready to join the Brewers rotation after a third rehab outing. His first start hasn’t been determined yet. Also, Milwaukee agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Jeff Weaver. … Jim Thome of the Chicago White Sox was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed sum by Major League Baseball for “inappropriate actions” during a game against Detroit last week. He was ejected for arguing a call after he struck out. … Detroit Tigers pitcher Dontrelle Willis has pleaded guilty to reckless driving in a South Florida case that was downgraded from drunken driving. … Joba Chamberlain‘s father is doing a little better in the hospital, according to New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi. The hard-throwing reliever left the Yankees on Monday after his father collapsed at home in Nebraska, and the pitcher was placed on the bereavement list. … Tuesday marked the 50th anniversary of the first game played by the San Francisco Giants at Seals Stadium, where they played the Dodgers on April 15, 1958.