MLB told Contreras to stop wearing his Venezuela sleeve |
In today's climate, the relationship between Major League Baseball and its current players are testy, to say the least.
With Ben Zobrist's getting a reprimand to stop wearing his custom P.F. Flyers cleats and other players like Steve Cishek and Kyle Schwarber joining him in black cleats on the recent Jackie Robinson Day, something has to give soon between the two sides. The latest report is that Cubs star catcher Willson Conteras was told by MLB to stop wearing his arm sleeve from his home country of Venezuela and he decided to stop wearing it before he got fined. Maddon was asked about the player's abilities to express themselves with their current gear and had the following response on Tuesday. "I want all my guys to have strong opinions. They're free thinkers," Maddon said. This is not healthy as tiny things like this can explode if both sides don't come to some sort of give-and-take. Last year’s Venezuela sleeve, including the bobblehead last Friday. The new sleeve Willy wore this year and sans sleeve during the Friday game. MLB is worrying about the wrong things at the wrong time. Let the players be who they are to draw an audience! @WContreras40 @Cubs pic.twitter.com/60cqk9gXkS It might have been Matt Carpenter who complained about Willson Contreras’ Venezuela sleeves since he ate those sleeves at home plate last summer #Cubs @BleacherNation @realcubsinsider pic.twitter.com/3qeKzLFy5x