MLB players taking visible stance on social justice

PHOENIX (AP) — Major League Baseball hasn't always been at the forefront of the social justice movement in recent years, with leagues like the NBA and NFL usually taking center stage.

But in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis — and because of the quirks of a coronavirus-altered sports schedule — baseball is in the position of having the American sports world largely to itself for the next week.

Even before Thursday's opening day, players and coaches in the sport are taking a more active approach to supporting racial justice.

Among the examples: San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler and several players kneeling during the national anthem before an exhibition game and several Dodgers — including NL MVP Cody Bellinger and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw — speaking out about racial injustice in a video message.

“I wanted to demonstrate my dissatisfaction with our clear systemic racism in our country and I wanted them (players) to know that they got to make their own decisions and we would respect and support those decisions,” Kapler said after Monday's game. "I wanted them to feel safe in speaking up.”

The most recent protests during the anthem seemed to draw the ire of President Donald Trump, who wrote on social media Tuesday morning: “Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!”

Baseball's show of support for social justice continued Tuesday.

The Milwaukee Brewers posted a picture on social media of nearly 20 players and coaches wearing shirts that read “Justice, Equality, Now." The Brewers wore the shirts during their intrasquad game.

It's a marked change for baseball, which has...

source https://www.chron.com/news/article/MLB-players-taking-visible-stance-on-social-15424951.php