MLBS: Warning to Ben Zobrist Over All-Black Cleats Is Garbage
Major League Baseball has made some questionable decisions under Rob Manfred’s leadership, but their most recent is right up there among the greatest head-scratchers of all. Then again, a quick look at the language in the warning letter the league issued to Ben Zobrist reveals that this isn’t just about all-black shoes.
Here’s Zo’s Instagram post on the topic, which includes pictures of his standard New Balance cleats alongside some retro PF Flyer cleats, plus MLB’s letter and the player’s response.
For those of you unwilling or unable to zoom in on the letter, here’s what it says (emphasis mine):
Dear Ben:
This letter serves as an official warning that you have violated Major League Baseball’s Uniform Regulations (Attachment 19 to the Basic Agreement). Specifically, you violated Section G(1), which requires that at least 51% of the exterior of each player’s shoes be the Club’s designated primary shoe color. During your Club’s May 2, 2018 game, you were observed wearing shoes that were not at least 51% blue, the color designated by your Club for use with your uniforms.
We understand that some players prefer more flexibility in the colors of their shoes, but the current rules were collectively bargained with the Players Association and we must enforce the rules as written in fairness to all players and Clubs in the same manner the Players Association enforces rules that limit Club conduct. However, the Commissioner’s Office remains willing to negotiate with the Players Association on revisions to the footwear provision of the Basic Agreement to provide more flexibility to players. You can contact the Players Association for information regarding the status of those discussions.
In the absence of an agreement with the Players Association, pursuant to Section O of the Uniform Regulations, you will be subject to further discipline, including assessment of a fine, if you continue to wear shoes that do not comply with the Uniform Regulations. If you have any questions, please contact the Players Association.
And here is the caption to Zobrist’s post:
Dear @mlb, I still like you but this is rediculous. For the last two years, I have worn black spikes exclusively at Wrigley Field for Day games to pay homage to the history of our great game, and now I am being told I will be fined and disciplined if I continue to wear them. When I was a kid, I was inspired by highlights of the greats such as Ernie Banks and Stan Musial in the 1950s-60s and was captured by the old uniforms and all black cleats with flaps. @newbalancebaseball made a kid’s dream come true by making some all black spikes with the special tongue as well as the “Benny the Jet” @pf_flyers cleats. I am curious as to why @mlb is spending time and money enforcing this now when they haven’t done it previously in the last year and beyond. I have heard nothing but compliments from fans that enjoy the “old school” look. Maybe there is some kid out there that will be inspired to look more into the history of the game by the “flexibility” that I prefer in the color of my shoes. Sincerely, Ben Zobrist
First things first, let’s just note how much nicer Zobrist is than I would have been in his situation, and than what I’m going to be here in what follows.
This is total BS and is both completely arbitrary and wholly calculated, which is less contradictory that it sounds. It’s arbitrary because, as Zobrist notes, he’s been wearing the all-black cleats during day games for more than two years. And while I suppose one could argue that the current CBA hasn’t been in place during the entirety of Zobrist’s Cubs tenure, it’s super fishy that they finally caught wind of this particular uniform violation.
Which brings us to the calculated nature of the garbage warning, specifically the way it’s worded. This is the most passive-aggressive tripe I’ve ever seen, or at least that I’ve seen in the last few months. The whole business about taking it up with the MLBPA, since they’re the ones that agreed to these rules in the first place is just…wow.
And how about the whole line that Zobrist was “observed wearing shoes that were not at least 51% blue”? Not only are they rubbing the specifics of the rule in his face, but they’re being total dicks about it. They’re not at all blue, so just say he was wearing all-black cleats and be done with it.
But doing that might not be enough to prove a point, which is that MLB is simply sticking it to the union for no reason other than to be jerks by pointing out that the union is “at fault.” If I’m Zobrist, I’m asking New Balance to create cleats that are 49% black and 51% very dark blue, so they conform to the rules but don’t appear to do so. I mean, just really throw it back at the league. Or just get the rest of the players to wear all-black cleats.
Whatever happens, I hope Zobrist doesn’t back down and that his union has his back on this one.