Blue Jays: Cavan Biggio shows what it means to be a teammate

Cavan Biggio had a successful opening night for the Blue Jays against the Rays, but his most significant impact came before the game even started.

For such a young team, I really don’t have a lot of worries about the Blue Jays when it comes to leadership. These young players have proven that they’re very serious about improving their craft, and the majority of them carry themselves in a confident and professional manner.

There are some things that are difficult to teach, and leadership is often something that comes natural for players. The Blue Jays have several players that could fit the mold, but Cavan Biggio has already stood out in a number of ways. And if his actions on Friday night are any indication, I imagine he’s even more respected in the clubhouse now.

There is a lot going on in the world right now, including the Black Lives Matter movement. For those that tuned in to baseball on Thursday and Friday night, you probably saw a number of players kneeling with the national anthem was played. Not everyone made that choice, as some teams did it as a collective, while others left it up to the individual. The Blue Jays were one of the latter teams, and that put at least one of their players in a bit of an awkward spot. Thankfully Biggio was ready to step up and show his support.

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According to MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson, Biggio and fellow Blue Jay Anthony Alford had a conversation before the game that changed Biggio’s plan. As an African American, you can hardly blame Alford for wanting to kneel while the anthem was being played, as many others chose to do as a show of support for the movement. However, Alford is very much a fringe big leaguer at this point, and there’s always the fear that “speaking out” could harm you professionally. It’s definitely not right that the fear exists, but as we’ve watched other professional athletes like Colin Kaepernick get shunned from the NFL, we have to acknowledge that it’s a real thing.

Since his locker is next to Alford’s, Biggio had the opportunity to recognize that reluctance, and asked Alford if he would feel more comfortable if he joined him in kneeling. As a result, the pair were among the handful of players that did just that while the anthem was being played.

I understand that there are polarizing feelings when it comes to kneeling during the anthem, and I’m sure many of the Blue Jays experienced an internal battle themselves. That said, what Biggio did was show his teammate that he supports him, and that will go a long way in their relationship, and even within the clubhouse culture. According to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, Biggio was quoted as saying, “I just wanted to show support to not only a teammate but someone I consider a brother”.

Genuinely caring about the person in the locker next to you, regardless of colour, religion, or even political beliefs is part of being a great leader. And as young people look up to professional athletes, it’s even more important to be a great role mole. Even though he’s played less than one full season, it’s clear that it’s a natural tendency for the young second baseman, the Blue Jays are better off for it.