Chicago Cubs' Zobrist has issue with MLB's issue
Chicago Cubs infielder-outfielder Ben Zobrist every now and then sports one of the most old-school looks in baseball when he wears stirrup socks and black spikes.
But Major League Baseball doesn't think it's so cool, and it has threatened to fine Zobrist because the shoes are not in keeping with the primary color of the team's shoe, which is expected to be 51 percent blue.
Zobrist took to his Instagram account to protest, beginning with: "Dear @mlb, I still like you but this is ridiculous."
The 36-year-old veteran, the MVP of the 2016 World Series, went on to write: "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."
ESPN reported that MLB responded to it with a statement saying: "We have shoe regulations that were negotiated with the union in the last round of bargaining. If players have complaints about the regulations, they should contact their union which negotiated them. We have informed the union that we are prepared to negotiate rules providing players with more flexibility, and that issue is currently being discussed as part of a larger discussion about apparel and equipment."
After the Cubs beat the White Sox 8-4 on Saturday, Zobrist greeted reporters but said he didn't want to discuss the issue until he talks with the players association and with Major League Baseball.
He is hot:
Catcher Willson Contreras hit his third home run in two games, a 2-run shot in the seventh inning. He has homered in consecutive games for the sixth time in his career. He is 10-for-15 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 11 RBI and 5 runs scored in his last three games.
Not looking like a rookie:
Rookie David Bote started at second base and had his first career multihit game, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and an RBI.
"He just seemed to handle himself extremely well, and he was not in a hurry," manager Joe Maddon said. "I like when guys are confident and not in a hurry, and that's what I saw with him, too."