Chicago Cubs' Maddon says athletes have right to express opinions
MILWAUKEE - Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Sunday he has no policy on players lining up for the national anthem before games and that he respects players expressing themselves in whichever way they choose.
Maddon also said he did not know the context of a question Saturday by a Chicago Sun-Times reporter when he was asked to weigh in on athletes being upset by comments made by President Trump about anthem protests.
On that, Maddon was quoted as saying: "It's dangerous when folks in our country stop respecting the White House and the seat of the president. It's not a good situation. With all due respect to everybody, I just believe that we need to get our acts together collectively, all of us."
The question came a few minutes after Saturday's extra-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, and Maddon said he was not aware Trump had called for anthem protesters to be fired, using a derogatory term for them.
"I had no idea what the president had said prior to being asked that question," Maddon said Sunday. "I wasn't commenting on what the president had said. I had no idea it was in that context whatsoever. I had no idea what he said. I mean, how would I? I had no idea what was said prior to asking me that question.
"So my response was typical: Always respect the office and the White House and the seat of the presidency, like I said before when we attended (a White House ceremony with Trump this season). That was what my response was all about. It had nothing to do with the situation.
"It's understandable why these people, the players, jumped back at him the way they did. It's very understandable. Absolutely, I had no idea."
Maddon said he has no set policy on lining up for the anthem because players have different pregame routines.
"That's up to them," he said. "I've never really had a policy regarding being out there for the anthem or not. A lot of times guys like to do different things right before the game begins."
Hendricks the leader?
If the Cubs make the playoffs, it sounds like Joe Maddon might be leaning toward starting Kyle Hendricks in Game 1 of the National League division series. If the series were to go five games, the Game 1 starter could be used again in the finale.
"It is a tough one," Maddon said about choosing a Game 1 starter. "Right now Kyle Hendricks is pitching as well as anybody on this team and among the best in the league.
"Even (Saturday), when I took him out of the game, (the pitch count) was like 112, he wanted to go back out, sincerely wanted to go back out, he felt that good. I had to hold him back a little bit.
"I really believe, like I always believe, that let's just play this out. When it comes down to that moment to really evaluate what we want to do … hopefully we can get to the playoffs. You get there and then you make your best guesses based on who you're going to play. That's going to have to be part of it, also."