COVID-19 impact on MLB season

[jerichoholicninja]

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.

 

I think this will be a really interesting behind the scenes team dynamic. I'm sure there are plenty of 22/23 or so year old guys that are going to act like 22/23 year olds and think they're invincible and want to go out and party. Who's going to stop them? The veterans? The coaching staff? Will teams have security at the hotels making sure guys aren't going anywhere or making sure they aren't bringing individuals to their rooms?

[Boomer5]

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”

 

Yup. CYA legally alone will kill the season.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross deciding today not to play in 2020. Should be noted zims mom has ms and is high risk, so he likely would not be able to see her during the season.

[Jaylyn]

Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross deciding today not to play in 2020. Should be noted zims mom has ms and is high risk, so he likely would not be able to see her during the season.

Add Mike Leake and Ian Desmond to that list. Will be interesting to see the final numbers.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross deciding today not to play in 2020. Should be noted zims mom has ms and is high risk, so he likely would not be able to see her during the season.

 

The Cubs would be taking a huge hit if Anthony Rizzo and Jon Lester choose not to report. Being cancer survivors puts both at a much higher risk.

[wildcat2237]

I gotta think Zimmerman, Leake, Ross, and Desmond are just the tip of the iceberg on the "opt-out."

 

In fact, I would set the over-under at about 30 players.

 

If I had millions in the bank I would like think long and hard about whether or not to travel and interact with thousands of people, versus just sitting out one year. This is especially so if you have a wife, kids, or elderly parents.

[FVBrewerFan]

I gotta think Zimmerman, Leake, Ross, and Desmond are just the tip of the iceberg on the "opt-out."

 

In fact, I would set the over-under at about 30 players.

 

If I had millions in the bank I would like think long and hard about whether or not to travel and interact with thousands of people, versus just sitting out one year. This is especially so if you have a wife, kids, or elderly parents.

 

I'll take the over. Once more players start publicly announcing they're not playing other will feel more comfortable making that decision. And the more players that opt not to play just add to the asterisk for whatever team wins this baseball tournament.

[sveumrules]

I gotta think Zimmerman, Leake, Ross, and Desmond are just the tip of the iceberg on the "opt-out."

 

Zimms is on his last legs, Desmond has posted -3.2 WAR the last three years, Joe Ross has an ERA+ of 87 & 0.7 WAR the last three years. None of them will be missed by anyone.

 

Leake is probably the only one who projected for any value in 2020 & even that is as a nondescript innings eater, which is much less valuable in a 60 game (if we even make it that far) season.

[adambr2]

The vast majority of players are still going to play, #1 because they still want to be paid, #2 because of the accepted responsibility to their teammates. 30 seems like the high end to me, but even if that happens that's only one player per organization on average, almost all of which aren't going to be big time players who were even guaranteed roster spots anyway.

 

The players dug in their heels for full prorated salaries and they got them. They are not giving them back out of "an abundance of caution."

 

It took a lot just to get to this point, the only way they are canceling the season now will be a situation where the pandemic gets out of control again to the point where stay-at-home orders are nationally enacted again and Manfred is just left with no choice.

[homer]

As I understand it, if you opt-out you lose a year of salary and a year of service time. I don't think anyone in their prime is gonna want to lose that year of service time.

[Pugger]

Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross deciding today not to play in 2020. Should be noted zims mom has ms and is high risk, so he likely would not be able to see her during the season.

 

The Cubs would be taking a huge hit if Anthony Rizzo and Jon Lester choose not to report. Being cancer survivors puts both at a much higher risk.

 

How long have they been cancer free/in remission?

[jerichoholicninja]

I gotta think Zimmerman, Leake, Ross, and Desmond are just the tip of the iceberg on the "opt-out."

 

In fact, I would set the over-under at about 30 players.

 

If I had millions in the bank I would like think long and hard about whether or not to travel and interact with thousands of people, versus just sitting out one year. This is especially so if you have a wife, kids, or elderly parents.

 

It's very likely COVID will an issue for 2021 as well.

[TURBO]

Players are dropping like flies... It appears either they came to camp with the virus, or are spreading it to each other like wildfire.

 

We think they are going to play in 3 weeks?

 

I won't be surprised in the least if after all this huhub, MLB just shuts it down until next year.

[DuWayne Steurer]

David Price opts out of playing this year.

[adambr2]

That is what,5 guys who opted out so far? And what, 38 out of 3185 total MLB personnel who came up positive?

 

Those are hardly shocking numbers on either count. It's everywhere. If you don't have it, you've probably got a neighbor with it.

 

Things can change but so far I think everything in the restart is pretty much as expected and I don't see any signs they aren't going forward with it right now.

 

Remember, there are still several billion dollars at stake here and that means more to most of these guys than a few dozen asymptomatic COVID-19 positives.

[pacopete4]

That is what,5 guys who opted out so far? And what, 38 out of 3185 total MLB personnel who came up positive?

 

Those are hardly shocking numbers on either count. It's everywhere. If you don't have it, you've probably got a neighbor with it.

 

Things can change but so far I think everything in the restart is pretty much as expected and I don't see any signs they aren't going forward with it right now.

 

Remember, there are still several billion dollars at stake here and that means more to most of these guys than a few dozen asymptomatic COVID-19 positives.

 

Yep. Next man up. Play ball!

[HiAndTight]

That is what,5 guys who opted out so far? And what, 38 out of 3185 total MLB personnel who came up positive?

 

Those are hardly shocking numbers on either count. It's everywhere. If you don't have it, you've probably got a neighbor with it.

 

Things can change but so far I think everything in the restart is pretty much as expected and I don't see any signs they aren't going forward with it right now.

 

Remember, there are still several billion dollars at stake here and that means more to most of these guys than a few dozen asymptomatic COVID-19 positives.

 

Yeah, it's actually a pretty small number. I think it was in Orlando that ~33 pct of all people who came to the Hospital for non-covid related reasons(car accidents, etc...) tested positive without knowing it.

 

So the impact on MLB is extremely small.

[JimH5]

All cases are not equal. Star players sitting out or getting sick mean more than guys we've never heard of.

 

Freddie Freeman

DJ Lemahieu

Tommy Pham

David Price

Aaron Nola

Will Smith

Miguel Sano

Salvador Perez

 

That's a significant impact, and they're just getting started.

[areacodes]

All cases are not equal. Star players sitting out or getting sick mean more than guys we've never heard of.

 

Freddie Freeman

DJ Lemahieu

Tommy Pham

David Price

Aaron Nola

Will Smith

Miguel Sano

Salvador Perez

 

That's a significant impact, and they're just getting started.

 

Were people really not expecting to have star players test positive and miss time? They’ll self-quarantine for two weeks or whatever and hopefully get back out there. It’s not as if star players didn’t get hurt during normal seasons and get replaced with “guys we’ve never heard of” before.

 

Yeah, it is a short season and that could have a larger impact but at the same time - it is baseball and “guys we’ve never heard of” have had hot starts or a surprise half season.

 

This season is going to be different, but we’ll (hopefully) have baseball.

Edited July 5, 2020 by areacodes

[SomewhereInTime]

All cases are not equal. Star players sitting out or getting sick mean more than guys we've never heard of.

 

Freddie Freeman

DJ Lemahieu

Tommy Pham

David Price

Aaron Nola

Will Smith

Miguel Sano

Salvador Perez

 

That's a significant impact, and they're just getting started.

 

Stars sit out significant portions of the season every year due to injury. This particular reason is nothing more than a brain injury.

[SomewhereInTime]

That is what,5 guys who opted out so far? And what, 38 out of 3185 total MLB personnel who came up positive?

 

Those are hardly shocking numbers on either count. It's everywhere. If you don't have it, you've probably got a neighbor with it.

 

Things can change but so far I think everything in the restart is pretty much as expected and I don't see any signs they aren't going forward with it right now.

 

Remember, there are still several billion dollars at stake here and that means more to most of these guys than a few dozen asymptomatic COVID-19 positives.

 

Yeah, it's actually a pretty small number. I think it was in Orlando that ~33 pct of all people who came to the Hospital for non-covid related reasons(car accidents, etc...) tested positive without knowing it.

 

So the impact on MLB is extremely small.

 

If what you say about Orlando is true, that makes me question how legitimate the testing process is more than anything. Or on the other hand it could explain why there aren't many new cases in New York these days because almost everyone would've had it by now.

[JohnBriggs12]

All cases are not equal. Star players sitting out or getting sick mean more than guys we've never heard of.

 

Freddie Freeman

DJ Lemahieu

Tommy Pham

David Price

Aaron Nola

Will Smith

Miguel Sano

Salvador Perez

 

That's a significant impact, and they're just getting started.

 

Stars sit out significant portions of the season every year due to injury. This particular reason is nothing more than a brain injury.

 

The guys who've tested positive will all be fine by opening day. With the protocols in place, it's likely they are less likely to be infected than if they were out doing their thing.

[adambr2]

All cases are not equal. Star players sitting out or getting sick mean more than guys we've never heard of.

 

Freddie Freeman

DJ Lemahieu

Tommy Pham

David Price

Aaron Nola

Will Smith

Miguel Sano

Salvador Perez

 

That's a significant impact, and they're just getting started.

 

As Somewhere stated, this is no different than guys going on the IL like we see all the time. We missed our star player for our September playoff run last year and our best starting pitcher for the bulk of the second half last year. Injuries and illnesses happen to star players and non-star players alike, COVID or no COVID.

 

Every name you mentioned with the exception of Price who has opted out will almost certainly be recovered and active for the season by the time it rolls around and others who test positive will go on the IL like any other sick or injured player.

[JimH5]

All cases are not equal. Star players sitting out or getting sick mean more than guys we've never heard of.

 

Freddie Freeman

DJ Lemahieu

Tommy Pham

David Price

Aaron Nola

Will Smith

Miguel Sano

Salvador Perez

 

That's a significant impact, and they're just getting started.

 

Stars sit out significant portions of the season every year due to injury. This particular reason is nothing more than a brain injury.

 

The guys who've tested positive will all be fine by opening day. With the protocols in place, it's likely they are less likely to be infected than if they were out doing their thing.

 

You don't know if they're going to be fine or not. Nobody does.

 

My post was in response to HiAndTight's suggestion that the impact on MLB will be minimal.

 

Every possibility for injury and illness that existed in 2019 exists this year, too. And less than a week into the spring training reboot, there have already been 8+ star players lost to the virus.

 

It could turn out fine, but to insist that it will is just wishful thinking.

[adambr2]

 

You don't know if they're going to be fine or not. Nobody does.

 

My post was in response to HiAndTight's suggestion that the impact on MLB will be minimal.

 

Every possibility for injury and illness that existed in 2019 exists this year, too. And less than a week into the spring training reboot, there have already been 8+ star players lost to the virus.

 

It could turn out fine, but to insist that it will is just wishful thinking.

 

Who are these 8+ "star" players? Freddie Freeman and who? And they are not "lost" to the virus, that is a misleading choice of word to assign to players who will more likely than not be playing on opening day. Numerous ones are already nearing end of their quarantine. Most are completely asymptomatic. I've yet to hear of one with more than mild symptoms.

 

The estimated IFR (chance of dying if you get infected with COVID-19), is .0092% for the 20-49 age group. https://www.acsh.org/news/2020/06/23/coronavirus-covid-deaths-us-age-race-14863

 

Obviously, baseball players skew more toward the lower end of that age group. Now consider this is just the "average" without factoring in fitness and underlying conditions.

 

So you've got guys in an already significantly low risk age group who are in significantly better shape than most guys in that age group, and who have access to world class health care.

 

We don't "know" that these guys will be fine, but there's a lot of things we can say that about. The raw statistics say it's incredibly likely that they'll be fine.