Allen’s time in Arkansas was just the start of his rocky relationship with the Phillies. After a year in Little Rock — where he endured racist taunts from fans and was forced to live in segregated housing while still hitting a league-leading 33 home runs — he was called up to the big leagues. He again made an immediate impact. In 1964, he was named National League Rookie of the Year and finished seventh in the NL MVP voting. Yet his stellar performance didn’t insulate him from belittling treatment off the field.Minnesota Twins Face Coverings

Perhaps Allen shouldn’t have been surprised. He had learned long ago not to expect — and had taught himself not to need — validation from others. In a career punctuated by racism, controversy and abuse from fans and teammates alike, he was accustomed to not getting respect as a player or as a man.New York Mets Face Coverings

"He had several teams that were interested," Pau Gasol said of his brother. "What he valued most was the opportunity to win another championship. To play for the Lakers -- it's such a unique franchise. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, and it's very special for us to be the first brothers to play for the Lakers."Detroit Tigers Face Coverings

The initial reaction is to say that this sounds like another MLB trial balloon — remember the pick-your-playoff-opponent howler of a couple of months back? — and to stumble over these words: "can safely operate amid the coronavirus pandemic." Is that possible? Phoenix hasn't been hit as hard as New York or Seattle or New Orleans, but where in our world is safe? (Per the New York Times' grim map, there have been 31 deaths in Phoenix.)

That includes those who don't wear face coverings while watching from the dugout. Although such measures were suggested in MLB's operations manual before Wednesday, some players have continued to not wear face masks, offer high fives, spit and violate the protocols in other ways during games.

"The moment he came in his rookie year, he transformed our offense, and that's not just as a player -- that's him as a person. That's the intelligence he brings, the athleticism he brings. The competitiveness he brings made a tangible difference in practice every day and on game day. So it's kind of hard to believe we're at this point, to be honest with you," Kelce said. "This is ultimately a culmination of a lot of failures on offense.Chicago White Sox Face Coverings

Kurkjian: My favorite quote from any winter meetings came in 1982. The lowly Rangers, the team I covered for The Dallas Morning News, had gone to the meetings with big hopes of making several major trades or signings, all of them necessary. Instead, all they came home with was reliever Odell Jones in the Rule 5 draft. I asked how the team was going to explain the disappointing meetings to its fans. Assistant GM Paul Richards, a venerable baseball man, said, "Well, we're going to have to sell the s--- out of Odell Jones.''