Giants pitcher Sam Coonrod explains why he didn't kneel during Black Lives Matter moment of unity

LOS ANGELES — Citing his faith as a Christian man and his desire to remain consistent in his beliefs, Giants reliever Sam Coonrod explained why he didn’t kneel during a pregame moment of unity at Dodger Stadium Thursday.

“I meant no ill will by it,” Coonrod said. “I don’t think I’m better than anybody. I’m just a Christian. I believe I can’t kneel before anything but God, Jesus Christ. I chose not to kneel. I feel if I did kneel I’d be a hypocrite. I don’t want to be a hypocrite.”

Prior to the playing of the national anthem on Opening Night, every player and coach from both the Dodgers and Giants held a long piece of black fabric, and all but Coonrad also took a knee. Coonrod held the fabric along with everyone else but remained standing.

The moment of silence was intended to support the Black Lives Matter movement, which Coonrod said he has had difficulty embracing.

“I’m a Christian,” Coonrod said. “I can’t get on board on a couple of things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean toward Marxism and said some negative things about the nuclear family.”

The Washington Nationals and New York Yankees also took part in the same pregame ceremony earlier in the day and all members of both teams took a knee.

The idea for the socially-distant ceremony came from former Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who told ESPN the scene could show how MLB players will have each other’s backs in a collective fight against injustices.

Following Thursday’s 8-1 loss to the Dodgers, Giants manager Gabe Kapler said he had a conversation with Coonrod regarding his decision to remain standing and stressed the importance of supporting all of his players, regardless of their views.

“The one thing we said is, we’re going to let people express themselves,” Kapler said. “We’re going to give them the choice whether they stand, kneel or do something else. That was a personal decision for Sam.”

Kapler has been an outspoken supporter for the Black Lives Matter movement and became the first manager in baseball to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem ahead of an exhibition game in Oakland on Monday. The Giants’ first-year manager posted a statement to his Twitter page Thursday explaining his decision to kneel for the anthem and his continued dissatisfaction with the way the United States has handled issues of racial justice and equality.

Coonrod said he was told about the moment of unity in the clubhouse only minutes before Thursday’s game and wished he had an opportunity to address teammates beforehand.

Several of Coonrod’s Giants teammates including outfielders Hunter Pence, Jaylin Davis, Mike Yastrezmski and Austin Slater have taken a knee during the playing of the anthem this week, and Coonrod said he did not hold their decisions to do so against them.

He also said Kapler has supported him despite their differing viewpoints.

“He’s not going to get mad if I disagree with him,” Coonrod said. “I think that that’s part of the problem nowadays: People get mad whenever someone disagrees. I’m not mad at someone who decided to kneel. I just don’t think it’s too much to ask that I just get the same respect.”