Orioles' Adam Jones says baseball a 'white man's sport' for not supporting Kaepernick

Baltimore Orioles slugger  Adam Jones didn't mince words when asked why no baseball player has joined San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in protesting racial injustice in the U.S.

"Baseball is a white man's sport," Jones told USA Today. 

"We already have two strikes against us," Jones said. "So you might as well not kick yourself out of the game. In football, you can't kick them out. You need those players. In baseball, they don't need us."

According to USA Today, only 69 African-Americans are on starting rosters in Major League Baseball, about eight per cent of players. NFL rosters, on the other hand, are made up of 68 per cent African Americans.

Kaepernick took a knee for the national anthem during San Francisco exhibition games and questioned whether the country represented "what it's supposed to represent." Other NFL players have since joined the protest, but no baseball players have been seen to participate.

"He believes in what he believes in," Jones said to USA Sport Today about Kaepernick. "As a man of faith, as an American who has rights, who am I to say that he is wrong?"

Jones also disagrees with how Kaepernick is viewed compared to other professional athletes, particularly former 49ersr teammate Bruce Miller. The tight end was released by the team earlier this month after he was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and elder abuse. Miller reportedly punched a 70-year-old man and his 29-year-old son at a San Francisco hotel. Both victims were sent to hospital.

"Here's my thing," Jones told USA Today. "There's somebody [that used to be] on that 49ers team that commits an act like that … and nobody's talking about that. Is [Miller] not receiving the ridicule and public torture that Kaepernick is facing? No.

"Is [Kaepernick] hurting random people out there? No. I support his decision."

'Trump can say whatever he wants'

Jones also said that society preferred that athletes not weigh in on social issues and rather just stick to speaking about their respective sport.

"We make a lot of money, so we just have to talk baseball, talk football," the 31-year-old said. "But because Donald Trump is a billionaire, he can say whatever he wants … because he is older and has more money?        

"At the end of the day, if you don't respect his freedoms, then why the hell are we Americans? It is supposed to be the land of the free right?

The 10-year veteran is the Orioles' nominee for baseball's Roberto Clemente community service award. 

Baltimore manager Buck Showalter told The Associated Press earlier on Monday that he respected Jones' right to speak his mind. 

"That's why we fought so hard for these rights ... to be able to do that in our country." Showalter said.

Despite supporting Kaepernick's stance, Jones has elected to stand for the anthem with his hand across his chest.

He did, although, hint that change may be coming.

"No one has done it, yet," Jones said. "But that's the key word here: Yet."