re: DAT 8/29 Astros (McCullers/Greinke) vs. A's (Bassitt/Montas) 3:10 DH

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A's are the one team that has left BLM on the mound all year as opposed to just game one like everyone else. Not sure if they are trying to show that they are more "woke" or what their resaoning is

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I was at Shipley's this morning and 2 guys in line said it was the A's Management's fault. They weren't going to play no matter what.

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So when all of the players had arrived at Minute Maid Park on Friday afternoon, they met as a group to gauge what everyone wanted to do. Once their team meeting ended, the players brought the plan to manager Dusty Baker, who sent word up the chain of command to general manager James Click and team owner Jim Crane. Each supported the players’ idea not to play for one more day, the latest in a slew of player-driven postponements across sports to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday in Kenosha, Wis. “Just the simple fact that we’re having this conversation right now means a lot,” Astros left fielder Michael Brantley said on a Zoom call with reporters on Friday night. “We’re trying to make change.” The Astros didn’t play their scheduled series opener against the A’s in an effort to ensure “that this conversation keeps going,” Brantley said. The A’s, who didn’t play their game Thursday against the Rangers for the same reason, were looped in on the idea ahead of time and supported it.

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“If we can change one person’s mind, have a conversation that changes one person’s thought process that saves a life, this was worth it to us,” Brantley said. “As a group, as a community, we’re doing a great job of talking about it. But these situations that keep coming up have to stop. I think we all feel the same way, and the more times we can talk about it and educate ourselves, the better off we’re going to be.”

Brantley is part of the Players Alliance, a group of more than 100 Black current and former baseball players united to effect change. Members of the Players Alliance, which also includes the Astros’ George Springer, pledged to donate their salaries from Thursday and Friday to support efforts combating racial inequality.

After the game, Brantley and fellow Astros outfielder Josh Reddick spoke to members of the media on behalf of their teammates. “I have multiracial kids. I want this world to be a better place for them when they grow up,” Brantley said. “Day in and day out, whatever I can do to have change, to have a conversation with somebody, to bring up points so that the world becomes a better place, that’s what it’s all about for me. Raising four kids who are multiracial, when they go to school, when they walk down the street, I want them to have the same equal rights that everybody else has. My teammates, my brotherhood that’s in that locker room that supports all of us day in and day out is special to me, and I appreciate them as well.”

Said Reddick: “We felt like this message was bigger than missing another game, to show support for our brothers not only on our team but across the league as well, to let them know that we have their backs every day no matter what goes on.”

Baker said the Astros probably would’ve protested Thursday had their game not previously been rescheduled because of the hurricane, and A’s manager Bob Melvin said they had an idea this might happen during this weekend’s three-game series because the Astros hadn’t played since Tuesday.

Afterward, Brantley was asked if the players had any hesitation about choosing not to play on Jackie Robinson Day. “Well, we didn’t have that opportunity the last couple days because of the hurricane. But I will say this: I read a quote by Lorenzo Cain, and he said if Jackie was still here, would he be happy with the progress that we’ve made today? And the answer is no,” Brantley said. “This is a tough time. I think we still need to make a lot of change. Jackie did a lot of great things, but I think he’d want more. And I think that taking a stand and having these conversations is going to help us do more.”

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Players Alliance makes donations to the DNC

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