Every player and staff member from four MLB teams took a knee before last night’s opening slate of games to make a statement about. Every single one of them—except Giants reliever Sam Coonrod.
The moment was not a protest. It was a carefully constructed display coordinated and approved by Major League Baseball. A pre-recorded, uncontroversial message from Morgan Freeman played over the stadium PA system as the players kneeled and held a black ribbon. (Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen came up with the idea.)
It was as provocative as you would expect a corporately sanctioned statement to be.