Cubs IF Ben Zobrist Blasts MLB After Fine Threat Over Cleats

Chicago Cubs infielder Ben Zobrist is fighting back after Major League Baseball threatened to fine him for his choice of footwear.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Zobrist criticized MLB for its “ridiculous” decision to threaten him with a fine if he continued to wear black cleats with his home uniform during Cubs’ day games at Wrigley Field:

View this post on Instagram

Dear @mlb, I still like you but this is rediculous. For the last two years, I have worn black spikes exclusively at Wrigley Field for Day games to pay homage to the history of our great game, and now I am being told I will be fined and disciplined if I continue to wear them. When I was a kid, I was inspired by highlights of the greats such as Ernie Banks and Stan Musial in the 1950s-60s and was captured by the old uniforms and all black cleats with flaps. @newbalancebaseball made a kid’s dream come true by making some all black spikes with the special tongue as well as the “Benny the Jet” @pf_flyers cleats. I am curious as to why @mlb is spending time and money enforcing this now when they haven’t done it previously in the last year and beyond. I have heard nothing but compliments from fans that enjoy the “old school” look. Maybe there is some kid out there that will be inspired to look more into the history of the game by the “flexibility” that I prefer in the color of my shoes. Sincerely, Ben Zobrist

A post shared by Ben Zobrist (@benzobrist18) on May 12, 2018 at 10:02am PDT

“I have worn black spikes exclusively at Wrigley Field for day games to pay homage to the history of our great game,” he said. “When I was a kid, I was inspired by highlights of the greats such as Ernie Banks and Stan Musial…and was captured by the old uniforms and all black cleats with flaps.”

Zobrist also included a picture of the special “PF Flyer” cleats that he had made to honor the baseball film “The Sandlot,” and expressed annoyance that MLB was only choosing to crack down on his shoe choices now.

In a letter Zobrist included in the post, MLB says that Zobrist is in violation of baseball rules because his shoes aren’t comprised of at least 51 percent of the Cubs’ colors of red and blue.

Most fans replying to Zobrist’s post were supporting him in his objection to the MLB ruling, but it’s unclear if he will continue to wear the offending cleats during home games.