Mariners manager Scott Servais ‘very proud of our players’ following team decision to protest
Mariners manager Scott Servais viewed Wednesday as a day of action. Professional teams across the country, including his own, decided not to play.
Players and teams across sports took a stand against racial injustice, and opted to sit out, protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Sunday in Kenosha, Wis. Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot multiple times while attempting to enter his vehicle, reportedly with three of his children inside.
The Mariners informed the Padres before Wednesday’s scheduled game they would not play following a unanimous team vote. Several of Seattle’s players took to social media after the announcement to address injustice, violence and systemic racism.
“There are serious issues in this country,” Mariners veteran infielder Dee Gordon wrote on Twitter. “For me, and for many of my teammates, the injustices, violence, death and systemic racism is deeply personal. This is impacting not only my community, but very directly my family and friends. Our team voted unanimously not to play tonight.
“Instead of watching us, we hope people will focus on the things more important than sports that are happening.”
Many Mariners players shared a similar message on social media: “Enough is enough.”
“With the things that have happened in society, our players wanted to see action,” Servais said during a video call with reporters Thursday. “And I commend them for that. Very proud of the group and the leadership they showed yesterday.
“This is an unprecedented time in what we’re trying to deal with here, and how our players have handled this — they continue to speak up and do the right thing. Coming into the ballpark, I knew there would be a lot of discussion about where this was going to head and the action we took. Very proud of our players.”
When Servais left the ballpark Wednesday night, at the end of a historic day in sports, he said he couldn’t have been prouder of his players, and the discussions the team had.
“Sports are a privilege,” he said. “We get the opportunity to play an awesome game, we get paid for it, these guys are the best in the world and they get to compete on this level every day. But, it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege of a functioning society, and our players made a decision yesterday to take a step backwards and to back off the gas here to create some awareness about something that we need to change. We need change.
“Again, I commend our players for continuing doing the right thing. The discussions like we had yesterday as a team were very meaningful. We continue to learn from each other, educate each other and that’s what this is all about.”
Servais said a few players approached him individually Wednesday afternoon, and he spoke with them about how they were feeling. Later on a group of players came to his office, he said, and they had another discussion, and a full team meeting.
“We, as a team, unanimously decided that we should not play that game last night,” he said. “I woke up this morning feeling even better about our team, and how we’re wired and doing the right thing.”
Servais described the “very raw emotion” he saw from his players during the discussions.
“In the team meeting a couple of our players got up and talked and it was very emotional,” he said. “Many of those who didn’t talk, the expressions on their face, the body language, where they’re at, it was very heartfelt.”
Servais said one player in the team meeting discussed a situation that occurred recently.
“We had a player share a story in the team meeting about a situation that just happened recently in Tacoma, where somebody drove by down the street and dropped the N-word on them,” Servais said. “I mean it’s real. It is real all over our country right now, and it’s sad where it’s at.
“But, the only way this is going to get better is if people recognize it and they take it personal. And they do everything they can to make change. It starts locally, state, federal, whatever. You’ve got to vote people, you’ve got to vote.”
Servais also noted the importance of continuing to listen and learn as he and the Mariners organization focus on supporting their players. Following the death of George Floyd in May, when protests took place across the country, Servais had conversations with his players about the situation, and realized it was important he furthered his understanding of racial injustice.
“At that point I quickly came to the realization that I need to learn a lot about what’s happened in our country, on educating myself,” he said. “It’s really hard to help others or lead others when you’re not educated yourself. How you lead, how consistent you are, you have to tell the truth, and what you feel, but for me, I really needed to educate myself. Along the way, I think I’m in a much better position to lead this group with what’s going on here, and drawing from those resources, whether it’s reading, it’s podcasts, it’s watching documentaries, it’s going to seminars and talking to people who are very, very educated in the different areas, and not just things that have happened around Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, but all over our country.
“I think I’m much better prepared than I certainly was 5-6 months ago, there’s no question about it. And along the way, I’m hoping I’m helping our team, our coaching staff and our players.”
The Mariners have eight Black players on their active roster — the most in baseball — and 11 on their 40-man roster, and the Mariners have been committed to educating the people within the organization and the community about racial injustice and making lasting change.
Servais said players in the clubhouse have learned a lot the last couple months through ongoing conversations with teammates.
“I wish our country was as disciplined, and the conversations were going like they are in our clubhouse, I really do,” Servais said. “Unfortunately, it’s probably not happening everywhere.”
Some of the leaders in Seattle’s clubhouse, including Gordon, Kyle Seager and Marco Gonzales were seen meeting with Padres players Austin Hedges, Tommy Pham and Manny Machado in a pregame feed from Petco Park.
Servais also sought out San Diego manager Jayce Tingler to inform him the Mariners would not be playing, and spoke again Thursday about the importance lifting players up and supporting them as they stand up against injustice.
“These are not just athletes,” he said. “These are people. These are people that are afraid, they’re worried about loved ones, family members in different parts of the country.”
Servais hopes the action taken by his team and other teams across the country will help inspire lasting change.
“Whether it’s your ability to register and go out and vote, to do different things to allow yourself to have a voice in educating family members, friends, people around you, I think it’s really important that people try to understand that we all grew up and were raised in different environments,” he said. “To try to empathize with people when you’ve never walked in their shoes is difficult, but that’s how change happens. You have to listen, you have to grow as a person, and hopefully those around you, that are close to you, you can help them grow.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Mariners manager Scott Servais ‘very proud of our players’ following team decision to protest."
