COVID-19 impact on MLB season

[OldSchoolSnapper]

It doesn't really help safety and I wasn't saying that it did, it simply makes things easier, and eliminates crossing 3 time zones. Best to minimize that when cramming the season into a small window. Also, I think flying 1 vs 3 hours is quite a difference when the volume of flights is this high. It's just annoying.

[tmwiese55]

Good point snapper, I did not think of geography in regards to schedule. Makes sense. I guess it seems kind of more helpful to the Central teams since teams are so close together. As others have said the Wests are really spread and Easts go up and down the coasts.

[CheezWizHed]

Snapper, I didn't mean to say you did (I didn't quote you). I've heard that a couple places as part of the player safety considerations.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Also, someone mentioned something earlier about the CBA having travel time rules and I think that was the kicker as far as keeping everyone close.

[jerichoholicninja]

Reducing travel is probably mostly about reducing costs. I have no clue how much chartered planes cost but I'm sure it's a lot cheaper to fly Milwaukee to Kansas City than Milwaukee to LA or New York.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don't think the cost hurts but it is really a CBA issue. At the last CBA the players were assured more time off on travel days.

 

"Sources told ESPN that the getaway-day changes will apply if a team has a game -- or even an off day at home -- the next day.

 

The new rules also will prohibit teams from scheduling an early-afternoon game the following day if one of the clubs played a night game in a different city the evening before."

 

It's easy to see how this becomes an issue if you are in LA and have to be in Milwaukee or Miami the next day.

[adambr2]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

[CheezWizHed]

Reducing travel is probably mostly about reducing costs. I have no clue how much chartered planes cost but I'm sure it's a lot cheaper to fly Milwaukee to Kansas City than Milwaukee to LA or New York.

 

Fuel is the #1 expense in flying, so I'm certain a 1 hour flight costs significantly less than a 3 hour flight.

[Jopal78]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

 

Another interesting point, once the season is underway will teams just stop testing players. Would certainly be detrimental if 3-4 players on the Astros, for example, tested positive and had to quarantine/sit out as the playoffs were starting .

[tmwiese55]

I haven't seen the details mentioned yet on testing going forward. I'm sure it's out there but kind of surprising it hasn't been really pushed to the media. One would think they'd be tested daily or maybe every 2-3 days. top of my head I want to say NBA is doing every other day, or at least had that initially planned. Not sure if anything has changed.

[monty57]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

 

Another interesting point, once the season is underway will teams just stop testing players. Would certainly be detrimental if 3-4 players on the Astros, for example, tested positive and had to quarantine/sit out as the playoffs were starting .

 

I read they'll be tested every other day, and if they're positive they will have to sit out. Some team is going to have an outbreak and will have to play for a couple of weeks with minor leaguers filling in for starters.

 

As to "severe illness," from the numbers that are out there, it is very unlikely for a young, healthy person to get "severely ill" from COVID. It happens, but it's a fraction of a percent. Doesn't mean they shouldn't be cautious, but they're a bunch of young, healthy people with constant medical screening. They are at low risk of "severe illness" or death from COVID.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm hopeful that an in-season outbreak won't be an issue. Baseball players are quite isolated amongst each other during the season, this will probably be even more true this year. There have already been outbreaks at the ST facilities but there's no telling what those guys were doing in their spare time. Once everyone is rolling along there is not a whole lot of time to go exploring and I'd like to hope the teams will have a tight grip on the players.

[MrTPlush]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

 

There are coaching staffs and most are made up of almost entirely people 50 or even 60+. There are also other essential employees any given day that will have at least some lukewarm interaction with players that could then take it home...thus snowball effect.

 

The players themselves aren’t at high risk...but many are. There isn’t a lot of data in sport related cases, just not that many yet in the grand scheme.

[wntrtxn21]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

 

Another interesting point, once the season is underway will teams just stop testing players. Would certainly be detrimental if 3-4 players on the Astros, for example, tested positive and had to quarantine/sit out as the playoffs were starting .

 

I read they'll be tested every other day, and if they're positive they will have to sit out. Some team is going to have an outbreak and will have to play for a couple of weeks with minor leaguers filling in for starters.

 

As to "severe illness," from the numbers that are out there, it is very unlikely for a young, healthy person to get "severely ill" from COVID. It happens, but it's a fraction of a percent. Doesn't mean they shouldn't be cautious, but they're a bunch of young, healthy people with constant medical screening. They are at low risk of "severe illness" or death from COVID.

 

The biggest problem is passing the virus to others. They are low risk for themselves, but they can and do carry the virus to others. Should a player with a pregnant wife, high risk child, caring for a parent take the chance of infecting them? Tough choices that the will have to make.

[Fear The Chorizo]

These are pretty much the same choices every single other working age person needs to make going about their daily life. I get the pregnant wife concerns, but how many MLB players live and care for their elderly parents during the baseball season? Pretty sure that's a bigger concern for alot more nurses and people working at amazon fulfillment hubs.

[AZBrewCrew]

Reducing travel is probably mostly about reducing costs. I have no clue how much chartered planes cost but I'm sure it's a lot cheaper to fly Milwaukee to Kansas City than Milwaukee to LA or New York.

 

Fuel is the #1 expense in flying, so I'm certain a 1 hour flight costs significantly less than a 3 hour flight.

 

The charter contracts were already budgeted and paid for before the season was to start. So any team travel expenses are a wash at this point

[CheezWizHed]

I'm sure like everything else in life, these are being negotiated also for the changes going on.

[AZBrewCrew]

Positive Rona cases reported by the Twins and Diamondbacks today. I think we are sliding towards a case of “we agreed to your season in good faith,but out of an abundance of caution we don’t feel it would be prudent to play this season”

[TURBO]

Positive Rona cases reported by the Twins and Diamondbacks today. I think we are sliding towards a case of “we agreed to your season in good faith,but out of an abundance of caution we don’t feel it would be prudent to play this season”

 

I am starting to wonder the same thing...

[adambr2]

Neither side really cares about COVID-19 that much. They care about money. That much was obvious in negotiations. I don't see any indication that they are going to throw away all that money out of an "abundance of caution."

 

Cases on teams is neither surprising nor new, and it won't be the last, this thing is running rampant. Just something teams will learn to deal with, not run from. Positive test, immediate IL and quarantine for that player, contact trace, test entire team, move on like you would any time a player goes on IL, rinse, repeat.

[Jopal78]

Neither side really cares about COVID-19 that much. They care about money. That much was obvious in negotiations. I don't see any indication that they are going to throw away all that money out of an "abundance of caution."

 

Cases on teams is neither surprising nor new, and it won't be the last, this thing is running rampant. Just something teams will learn to deal with, not run from. Positive test, immediate IL and quarantine for that player, contact trace, test entire team, move on like you would any time a player goes on IL, rinse, repeat.

 

Damn Straight. Take Jon Lester for example an aging vet finishing up what could be his last multi-year contract. He was set to make 20 million dollars this year. His pro rata salary for 60 games will come out to around 7.5 million. COVID-19 will end up costing him 12.5 million dollars and possibly his last big pay day. A guy with a history of lymphoma and he has not said he has any problems with showing up and collecting that 7.5 million.

[et bbal]

Would've thought the priority would be getting one series vs every league team before interleague. So I was surprised by that, but they're making the best of it. I guess it's kind of good for us with the AL Central being bad as well, sure the Sox should be improved a bit but Cleveland should have come down a little.

 

But with 15 teams in each league there has to be inter-league play going on or else two teams are idle. Problematic with a short season.

[et bbal]

You know what will be kind of hilarious? When the first bench clearing brawl is about to take place and someone jumps in and reminds them that they can't do that because of social distancing requirements.

 

 

What in the world am I seeing here???

 

Thank you for asking, I was wondering the same. But I did have a good laugh watching it.

[et bbal]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

 

One thought I have about this is how will the players act in their spare time. There is a long history of professional athletes partying and carrying on while on the road. Hopefully, they will adjust their lifestyles appropriately.

 

As an aside, I believe visiting teams stay at the Pfister. Maybe Milwaukee should start housing asymtomatic covid patients at the Pfister in hopes of decimating opponents rosters.

 

Before I get crucified for that last comment. I know if a player on another team were to come down with covid there is a chance they could spread it to the brewers during a game and I really don't wish this disease on anybody, even a Cardinal. It was totally tongue in cheek.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Are any of these hundreds and hundreds of COVID cases that have been popping up in the professional and collegiate sports world the past couple weeks actually resulting in severe illnesses, hospitalizations, etc? Or is it more just a result of the massive amount of testing going on which is allowing us to find cases much more efficiently?

 

Honestly just curious, not trying to start anything. I would think if anyone in the sports world had anything close to life threatening complications, we'd hear about it, but maybe not.

 

One thought I have about this is how will the players act in their spare time. There is a long history of professional athletes partying and carrying on while on the road. Hopefully, they will adjust their lifestyles appropriately.

 

As an aside, I believe visiting teams stay at the Pfister. Maybe Milwaukee should start housing asymtomatic covid patients at the Pfister in hopes of decimating opponents rosters.

 

Before I get crucified for that last comment. I know if a player on another team were to come down with covid there is a chance they could spread it to the brewers during a game and I really don't wish this disease on anybody, even a Cardinal. It was totally tongue in cheek.

 

They won't have a choice in many places without strip clubs, night clubs, restaurants, etc., and crowd control in places that are open. One would hope the clubs will be supportive of quarantine measures so that we can actually have a season. Curfews and things like that. I believe there are basically 6 off days in the first place so there is not a whole lot of time in the first place.