Major League Baseball issues warning to 3 SF Giants players for wearing Bible verses on their caps during Pride night
“It’s about God’s [promise] that he makes to us,” Giants starter Landen Roupp said.
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“It’s about God’s [promise] that he makes to us,” Giants starter Landen Roupp said.
Major League Baseball has drawn a line in the sand: rainbow logos are fine, Bible verses are not. Three San Francisco Giants pitchers have reportedly been warned by the MLB after appearing during Friday night's Pride Night game with Scripture references written on their caps, prompting a fresh round of questions about whether baseball's diversity mantra extends to Christians who dissent from the league's liberal social messaging.
Giants starter Landen Roupp appeared with "Genesis 9:12-16" written on his cap, the biblical passage describing God's covenant symbolized by the rainbow. The inscription partially overlapped the Pride-themed rainbow "SF" logo featured on the special-edition cap. Relievers JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker also displayed Bible verses, while pitcher Sam Hentges opted to wear the club's standard black cap rather than the Pride Night version.
MLB was not amused. "The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations," MLB Chief Communications Officer Pat Courtney told The Athletic. Roupp, however, made clear he wasn't backing away from the message.
"It's just about God's covenant and a promise that he makes to us," Roupp told reporters. "That's just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that, and I'm thankful we live in a country where we have the freedom to believe what we want ... and express what we want."
MLB's increasingly politicized promotional events have routinely expected players to participate in league-sponsored social campaigns and wear themed uniforms celebrating causes they may not personally support. However, when the players have expressed their own religious convictions, this becomes a problem for the MLB.
Author and commentator Clay Travis blasted the double standard. "So you can be forced to wear a uniform with a values statement you disagree with in MLB, but you aren't allowed to state your disagreement with the values?" Travis wrote. "The clear solution here is just wear normal uniforms and stop pride nights. It's counterproductive at this point."
https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/2066714725736452263?s=20
Turning Point USA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet wrote, "MLB should tread carefully. There’s a lot more us fans that agree with the pitchers than with the league when it comes to pride night propaganda. Let the MLB be warned, not the pitchers. Be careful, MLB."
https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2066740999737770208?s=20
The Giants organization itself appeared less concerned. Manager Tony Vitello suggested the matter was largely left to individual players, while praising the club's efforts to engage different communities throughout the season.
The MLB insists that pitchers remain free to quote Scripture, but will continue to refuse such expression on their Pride Night.
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