Mike Fiers downplays MLB's concerns about his safety

Major League Baseball is prepared to offer extra security to Oakland A’s pitcher Mike Fiers in light of his role as the whistleblower in the Houston Astros cheating scandal. Fiers, on the other hand, doesn’t really want that.

Commissioner Rob Manfred pledged to take "every possible step" to protect Fiers wherever he plays in 2020, including the possibility of added security. Fiers, however, thinks that’s not necessary, and he isn’t expecting retaliation for going public with the allegations against the Astros, as he told Alex Coffey of The Athletic:

“I’m not asking for extra security. I’m here to play baseball and I can defend myself, if anything. We do have National League games and I’m going to have to get into the box (to hit) just like everybody else. It’s part of the game. If they decide to throw at me, then they throw at me. There’s nothing much you can do about it.”

Fiers wasn’t even worried about extra threats when playing in Houston:

“No. Everyone’s crazy — everyone can get crazy at a certain point if they don’t like something that you do. Listen … everyone’s mad at (the Astros). There are teams that are mad. It doesn’t matter what it is, extra protection, I mean, what are you going to do? There’s not much you can do.”

Fiers has been calm in the face of the firestorm that has enveloped Major League Baseball. That comes in spite of some criticism that he violated the sanctity of the clubhouse by speaking out publicly. Most of his peers don’t seem to believe that, so Fiers will likely be OK. He certainly doesn’t seem worried about the consequences.