COVID-19 impact on MLB season

[adambr2]

I remain shocked that people remain shocked every time there is a localized outbreak of COVID-19. I think we know well enough by now that it has and will continue to spread like wildfire and one would assume there have been contingencies put in place for this exact scenario -- ie, 60 man rosters.

 

If the season is cancelled now, the restart plan was a terrible one and doomed to fail from the start.

 

I'm betting that Manfred and the owners know that there is a chance that this season doesn't make it all the way through. That doesn't mean the plan was doomed from the start, but there is a less than 100% chance that this season makes it to completion.

 

Definitely less than 100% that it's completed. But having it cancelled 3 games in would be a total failure.

[jerichoholicninja]

Watching highlights and watching a few of the games I'm still seeing players high five and the A's game where Olson hit the walk-off Grand slam everybody gathered at home plate to do the obligatory Gatorade bath and pile up at the plate. If 14 Marlins have covid, The rest of the team is at the very least potentially exposed. I know they're doing their due diligence with daily testing, but it seems like they're going to have to get a lot more stringent with actually enforcing the no handshake and high-five rules rather than just paying them lip service.

 

This goes to what I posted in the COVID thread. People only care about being careful to the point that it interferes with their own life. Plenty of players stated in the past few months that they were concerned for their safety. Now that games are going on the vast majority don't seem to care at all. How many PSA's did the Brewers do about wearing masks the last couple weeks? It looks like the whole coaching staff is wearing masks but no player in the dugout is, at least not in any correct or effective manner.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

While they should wear the masks in the dugout and stop doing obviously counterproductive things like post-game high-fives, I think that would mostly be for perception. Once the camera is off and six guys are playing Xbox and splitting a pizza this thing would spread around anyway.

 

Right now we should hope that no Phillies got it. It would be a positive sign if they completed a series without transmitting it and obviously less of an impediment to moving on. I'm with adam though. If you cancel it now, after this, the restart was a joke.

[PeaveyFury]

I'll agree that it would be a complete disaster if the Phillies have positive tests as a result, and it would likely cause a re-evaluation of what is done from here.

 

If the season is 'paused' at this point, it would indeed be a complete failure, as it shows that the 'precautions' they took were completely inadequate and flawed from the get go.

 

It also shows that it's extraordinarily unlikely that NFL or college football is really going to happen this year. Baseball is arguably the major sport where social distancing is most possible, and they've found a way to screw it up after one series.

[dlk9s]

the restart plan was a terrible one and doomed to fail from the start.

 

Yes.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don't think the actual contact of the sport is very relevant, I've thought for months that was the most overstated factor in getting sports to re-start. It's all the other stuff that takes place outside of the game. It's just one small consideration in a 10k-piece puzzle.

 

Football teams are enormous though, without even considering the nature of the sport itself. Even isolating one team is a huge chore. I just can't see football happening in any form.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'll agree that it would be a complete disaster if the Phillies have positive tests as a result, and it would likely cause a re-evaluation of what is done from here.

 

If the season is 'paused' at this point, it would indeed be a complete failure, as it shows that the 'precautions' they took were completely inadequate and flawed from the get go.

 

It also shows that it's extraordinarily unlikely that NFL or college football is really going to happen this year. Baseball is arguably the major sport where social distancing is most possible, and they've found a way to screw it up after one series.

 

I agree, except I would argue social distancing in baseball is all optics. During the game itself? Yes. But these guys are together far more hours every day than any other sport off the field.

[homer]

All the bubble leagues (NHL, MLS, NBA) had zero positive tests.

[Jimbo]

The English Premiere League completed its season yesterday, 50 weeks after it began. Since Project Restart began 17 June, a total of *three* positive tests. Any further discussion most likely belongs in the Political Forum.

 

https://www.premierleague.com/news/1670563

[Eye Black]

I am curious to see when the Marlins (and even the Phillies) will be allowed to resume playing games? Even without a positive test Eric Lauer had to sit out for almost a week (I believe?) after he was exposed via close contact with someone that had the virus. Do the Marlins and Phillies players also need to wait several days after exposure? I am not familiar with how long it typically takes between being exposed and actually contracting the virus to the point where you would produce a positive test?

[tomwopat]

As another data point:

 

I have not heard of any positive tests in the Korean Baseball Organization league either. They've even begun letting fans back into the stadiums.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

As another data point:

 

I have not heard of any positive tests in the Korean Baseball Organization league either. They've even begun letting fans back into the stadiums.

 

Well, their entire country hasn't hit 300 deaths yet.

[PeaveyFury]

I'll agree that it would be a complete disaster if the Phillies have positive tests as a result, and it would likely cause a re-evaluation of what is done from here.

 

If the season is 'paused' at this point, it would indeed be a complete failure, as it shows that the 'precautions' they took were completely inadequate and flawed from the get go.

 

It also shows that it's extraordinarily unlikely that NFL or college football is really going to happen this year. Baseball is arguably the major sport where social distancing is most possible, and they've found a way to screw it up after one series.

 

I agree, except I would argue social distancing in baseball is all optics. During the game itself? Yes. But these guys are together far more hours every day than any other sport off the field.

 

This is very fair and certainly accurate. I think the ‘distancing on the field’ thing is most relevant in preventing exposure to the other team/umpires, which is arguably more vital than just preventing intra-team spread.

[owbc]

From what I can tell the biggest issue is that the Marlins shouldn't have been allowed to play on Sunday according to MLB's own rulebook. Which makes one wonder, who exactly is in charge of enforcing these rules? What a joke.

[MrTPlush]

What exactly is MLBs plan? No doubt they expected this for many if not most teams. They allowed themselves essentially zero time for make ups. It isn’t a huge deal if it is two same division teams early in the season. But inter league or late in the season? What an epic disaster. All great if said team sucks and means nothing to the playoff field, but if not one team playing 50 games and another 60 is problematic.

 

If the plan is crazy double headers or even triple headers, sigh, clown show continues.

[Eye Black]

Statement from MLB:

 

[jerichoholicninja]

All the bubble leagues (NHL, MLS, NBA) had zero positive tests.

 

The NBA has had a few players inside their bubble test positive.

[owbc]

All the bubble leagues (NHL, MLS, NBA) had zero positive tests.

 

The NBA has had a few players inside their bubble test positive.

 

Yes but they were able to quickly get that number down to zero and with no outside interaction it's probably going to stay that way.

 

The sport that I'll be watching closely is college football, which has way more at stake than MLB in terms of needing to play a season in order to keep their finances afloat.

[Eye Black]

David Price appears the first player (albeit one who had already opted out) to throw shots at MLB:

 

@DAVIDprice24: Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first. Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed.

[owbc]

David Price appears the first player (albeit one who had already opted out) to throw shots at MLB:

 

@DAVIDprice24: Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first. Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed.

 

Twitter is a full on roast of MLB right now.

[Eye Black]

Recommend this article for subscribers to The Athletic: Inside the Phillies’ evolving response to the Marlins outbreak

 

I am curious to see when the Marlins (and even the Phillies) will be allowed to resume playing games? Even without a positive test Eric Lauer had to sit out for almost a week (I believe?) after he was exposed via close contact with someone that had the virus. Do the Marlins and Phillies players also need to wait several days after exposure? I am not familiar with how long it typically takes between being exposed and actually contracting the virus to the point where you would produce a positive test?

This sort of addressed the same concern quoted above, via Ken Rosenthal: Another concern for Phils: Due to incubation period, tests they are taking today and tomorrow might not show whether they were positive from contact yesterday. Team supposed to travel to NY tomorrow night, but how confident can players be knowing results will not be up to minute?

[MrTPlush]

David Price appears the first player (albeit one who had already opted out) to throw shots at MLB:

 

@DAVIDprice24: Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first. Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed.

 

The Marlins knew of their health issues, went out there, and played. The players wanted to play and did so.

 

People can blame Manfred, but it is foolish to think these players care more about protecting their health than making money. Price can blame Manfred, but watch every team around the league not social distance in the dugout, on the field, giving high fives, and many more things. I can only imagine what they do when they aren’t on TV.

 

Manfred is not the cause of any outbreak across the league. That’s on the players and teams not taking enough precautions.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

David Price appears the first player (albeit one who had already opted out) to throw shots at MLB:

 

@DAVIDprice24: Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first. Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed.

 

The Marlins knew of their health issues, went out there, and played. The players wanted to play and did so.

 

People can blame Manfred, but it is foolish to think these players care more about protecting their health than making money. Price can blame Manfred, but watch every team around the league not social distance in the dugout, on the field, giving high fives, and many more things. I can only imagine what they do when they aren’t on TV.

 

Manfred is not the cause of any outbreak across the league. That’s on the players and teams not taking enough precautions.

 

Exactly, and they spent months quibbling over money and refused a bubble. Price can step off his soapbox.

[Oxy]

I assume this is why each team basically has two full 30 man rosters at 2 different sites. If there is an outbreak, they basically have another team ready to step in and play. Hard to know how long to shut down guys who were exposed/interacted with a positive and yet continually test negative though.... It depends a lot upon how strictly they followed the social distancing/mask recommendations.

[adambr2]

What Plush and Snapper said.

 

I have no love for Manfred, but every player playing is a willing participant in the system that MLB put in place for 2020. Every one had the option to leave the money on the table and stay home. They also had the Arizona bubble option and didn't want to go that route. There's nothing MLB can do to ensure these guys don't contract COVID.

 

You can't complain about both your freedoms and your safety being compromised. Pick the one that you want and conduct yourself that way, boys. You're still responsible for yourselves. MLB cannot assign an individual spy for each player to ensure they fully comply with social distancing.