Major League Baseball could use a little good PR after a second consecutive offseason where the biggest headline is top free agents going unsigned into February. Players are pissed and the least the league could do is grant Willson Contreras’ simple request.
Give Willson his Venezuelan sleeves back!
Willson Contreras said he's going to try to wear his Venezuelan flag sleeve again this year and plans to talk to MLB about it.
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) February 13, 2019
In 2018, Contreras was told by MLB that he could no longer wear the arm sleeve because it violated the league’s dress code.
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Willson Contreras was told by the MLB he could no longer wear his arm sleeve that represents his home country Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/ve6HIALDQD
— Cubs Live (@Cubs_Live) May 15, 2018
It was stupid then and it would be a worse look if MLB denied his request again.
Representing his country means a lot to Contreras. Via NBC Sports Chicago.
“As a Venezuelan player, we are here. When you get on the field, your mind is here and your heart is here,” he said. “But once you get off the field, your mind just goes back to Venezuela. We don’t have the best situation. We have some dictatorship going on in Venezuela and we hope it’s over soon.
“I’m just tired of seeing a lot of kids dying because they don’t have anything to see. I’m tired — Venezuela is tired — of seeing a lot of old men dying because they don’t have any medicine or people cannot afford it. It’s really bad when you go back to your country and you see all this stuff that 20 years ago wasn’t the same.
“It’s just hard for us. The faith and the hope is there.”
One way or another, Contreras will find a way to rep Venezuela during the season and the Cubs catcher is also using this opportunity to give back to those in need back home.
“I’m gonna try [to wear the sleeve]. I don’t know if MLB will allow me to wear it, but I made a shirt that said, ‘Freedom for Venezuela,'” Contreras said. “I’m going to wear that throughout spring training and a lot of players have been asking me about it.
“I partnered with Javy [Baez’s] shirt company and all the profits are going to be donated to a Venezeulan foundation to help my people get some food, some medicine, whatever. Whatever it takes to help my people, I’ll do it.”
Let’s go, MLB, don’t be an asshole.
