COVID-19 impact on MLB season

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I dunno. We're 5 months or so into this. The realist part of my head is telling me that the time to stop it with our measures has long passed and this is what we have now. Maybe that means baseball is done by this weekend. But we are so fractured and incapable of unifying to do anything I just do not have confidence in our ability to alter the trajectory at all.

 

Without the bubble I just don't see how any league can keep it under control.

[JosephC]

Wisconsin is now being added to Chicago’s travel quarantine requirements starting Friday. WI has the honor of being the first state with a team in the AL or NL Central to make that list.

 

We now have to see if the city will grant an exemption (as allowed by its rules) to permit players going from Milwaukee to Chicago to play without a 14 day quarantine.

 

I read through the quarantine order earlier today.

 

Essential workers have an exemption but the scope is very narrow, much narrower than the Evers stay-at-home order in Wisconsin which made pretty much made everyone an essential worker if their workplace was allowed to open.

 

The exceptions to Chicago's quarantine order are..."a person who works in critical infrastructure as designated by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Essential worker” includes any state, local, and federal officials and employees traveling in their official capacities on government business, including military service."

 

I saw nothing in the order that remotely hinted that a baseball player or any entertainment professional would be considered an exemption.

Looks like any baseball team (including the Cubs or the White Sox) will not be able to play baseball in Chicago if they are travelling in from California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Florida, Georgia or Wisconsin according to this order.

 

How much tax revenue makes it from MLB to local governments, obvious that could carve out an exemption (although to me it sure seems like the flow of money mostly goes in the other direction!)? Or a few palms could be greased, this is Chicago we are talking about.

 

But if baseball is allowed to be played in the city, right after the Marlins outbreak, it sure would be a bad look for the Chicago officials that came up with this order.

[Outlander]

Teammates have to do better and respect other players. Brock Holt wears a mask around the bases but everybody still needs to touch him after he scores the winning run. Holt looked miserable and certainly didn't have the look of someone who scored the winning run.

[TURBO]

I laugh every time I see a player spit into his batting gloves at the plate (he bat boy then picks up the bat that the player just got spit on), I shake my head when I see guys spitting every 10 seconds. Why does Counsell sometimes have his mask on, and sometimes, when he is directly speaking to another coach or player, he doesn't have it pulled up?

 

The high fives, hand touching, and general cluelessness going on for all the world to see is a bad look.

 

I'm pretty amazed at how many things I see each game that are completely wrong if they want to truly get a handle on this.

 

Nope, won't be surprised in the least if we have 2 weeks or less of baseball, and that's the end of it.

 

Good luck football fans...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I laugh every time I see a player spit into his batting gloves at the plate (he bat boy then picks up the bat that the player just got spit on), I shake my head when I see guys spitting every 10 seconds. Why does Counsell sometimes have his mask on, and sometimes, when he is directly speaking to another coach or player, he doesn't have it pulled up?

 

The high fives, hand touching, and general cluelessness going on for all the world to see is a bad look.

 

I'm pretty amazed at how many things I see each game that are completely wrong if they want to truly get a handle on this.

 

Nope, won't be surprised in the least if we have 2 weeks or less of baseball, and that's the end of it.

 

Good luck football fans...

 

Not only does this describe baseball, but the majority of the general population as well. The sense of entitlement in this country knows no end.

[tmwiese55]

I would probably guess it's the close interaction we don't see off camera when they're together for hours than the little things we're talking about here. however, it does show that it's likely behind the scenes they're acting normal-ish (or even that its just inevitable due to traveling together etc, like it's not even out of their fault) around each other and much of this on the field is because there is a camera there. I get it though, they have to be thinking hey we're around each other already and this is kind of their bubble. Like how many of us are probably with our families. However, everyone of these guys is going out of the bubble every night and coming back so probably have to be a bit more vigilant on it if you want to get the season and paycheck in. Edited July 28, 2020 by tmwiese55

[pacopete4]

I would love to live other places around the world just to see the major differences of how people act and behave. It’d be really interesting to me. Unfortunately, I echo the above. While there have been some surface changes to make it look like they’re doing this right, so much is so wrong. Two weeks sounds about right. Should be enough of a build up of outbreaks by then to (my best Jon Taffer) shut it down.

[Jopal78]

Come On, Come On, listen to the moneytalk--AC/DC

 

With individuals who are positive yet asymptomatic, there is no way to prevent transmission of covid-19 other than for everyone to remain in isolation indefinitely. In fact, Baseball has a certain "closeness" codified in their rules: batters box is a certain measurement from the plate, the catcher sets up a certain distance behind the plate, the umpire has to be in a specific spot to see the pitches cross the plate. Other than a force out or fly out, a player is retired by another player touching them.

 

Moreover, MLB and MLBPA have time and again demonstrated that they are tone deaf concerning public opinion on their operations. Thus, given the millions of dollars at stake for both players and owners, I assume they will continue to play this season until such a time it becomes impossible due to lack of healthy player personnel. When Mike Trout or Gerrit Cole, for example, decides to leave their pro-rated 13 million dollars on the table and opts out of finishing the season, then I'll believe that the players and owners are concerned with something more than the pursuit of money.

 

I'm happy to have it simply for something to break up the monotony of 2020.

[Eye Black]

Via Haudricourt:

 

Ryan Braun on the Marlins situation: It's disturbing; it's upsetting. It's a reminder of how precarious the situation is we're in." Says guys are discussing whether its worth it to go on. Says guys are very fearful right now.

 

Braun says it's "day to day" in deciding whether to keep playing or opt out. "There's a real level of fear and anxiety for all of us."

[TURBO]

Then maybe "all of them" need to do a better job of protecting themselves by following the protocols that MLB put in place.

[folly412]

Why does Counsell sometimes have his mask on, and sometimes, when he is directly speaking to another coach or player, he doesn't have it pulled up?

 

Last night he was literally rubbing his face and nose, then they showed him 10 seconds later with the mask on. I thought a secondary benefit of masks was supposed to help remind people not to touch their faces, but it seems to add to the touching when they're constantly pulling a mask off and putting it back on again.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

And the Packers think they'll have 12k fans at games. Ok, lol.

[adambr2]

Via Haudricourt:

 

Ryan Braun on the Marlins situation: It's disturbing; it's upsetting. It's a reminder of how precarious the situation is we're in." Says guys are discussing whether its worth it to go on. Says guys are very fearful right now.

 

Braun says it's "day to day" in deciding whether to keep playing or opt out. "There's a real level of fear and anxiety for all of us."

 

Again it's understandable to have those fears and if they want to go home, go home. But seriously, what did they think was going to happen? They wanted to play but didn't want to do the bubble plan. These guys are talking out of both sides of their mouth, they want to be kept safe, but they want their freedoms. Did they really think they were all going to hang out and travel together and nothing like this was going to happen?

 

They are naive if they are surprised about this. If they wanted to opt out of it, they should have done so from the beginning.

 

And just be glad you have that option. Many of us have fears and anxiety about it. Most of us don't have the luxury of even getting to decide whether it's worth the risk or not. We have to work to survive, you do not. (Braun and many other MLBers)

Edited July 28, 2020 by adambr2

[CheezWizHed]

Thankfully, I don't have to wear a mask all day, but when I'm in the office, old habits are hard to break. My masks moves when I talk and wants to come off my nose, so I grab it to move it up. I've learned to grab the bottom now and push it up, but most the time I'm not thinking about it.

 

Realize we are looking at people under a microscope that I'm glad isn't focused on me. Yes, they need to do better, but give 'em a break too. These are a lot of adjustments of lifelong habits guys have made (i.e. spitting, high fives, etc..).

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Via Haudricourt:

 

Ryan Braun on the Marlins situation: It's disturbing; it's upsetting. It's a reminder of how precarious the situation is we're in." Says guys are discussing whether its worth it to go on. Says guys are very fearful right now.

 

Braun says it's "day to day" in deciding whether to keep playing or opt out. "There's a real level of fear and anxiety for all of us."

 

Again it's understandable to have those fears and if they want to go home, go home. But seriously, what did they think was going to happen? They wanted to play but didn't want to do the bubble plan. These guys are talking out of both sides of their mouth, they want to be kept safe, but they want their freedoms. Did they really think they were all going to hang out and travel together and nothing like this was going to happen?

 

They are naive if they are surprised about this. If they wanted to opt out of it, they should have done so from the beginning.

 

And just be glad you have that option. Many of us have fears and anxiety about it. Most of us don't have the luxury of even getting to decide whether it's worth the risk or not. We have to work to survive, you do not. (Braun and many other MLBers)

 

Most travel has been grounded for some time and many of these guys live in gated communities of mansions. There has been little need or ability to leave their comfy zone for months so I would guess that for many of the players the reality of the situation was not really apparent. Until they actually had to leave and now it's all around them. It's one thing to read the news, it's another to see your teammates test positive.

[FVBrewerFan]

Has there even been a confirmed case in MLB since they started playing? The Marlins players were in ATL prior to the season starting. Doesn't seem like there's any evidence of any new cases related to the start of the season, whether it be spitting, high fives, no masks, or anything else.

[pacopete4]

I mean, just because you’re famous and have money doesn’t mean you are not human. Fear and anxiety over situations like this doesn’t discriminate based on your bank account.

[adambr2]

I mean, just because you’re famous and have money doesn’t mean you are not human. Fear and anxiety over situations like this doesn’t discriminate based on your bank account.

 

No, I understand that. There's fear and anxiety across all classes right now, but what I'm saying is, unlike many of us, a lot of these guys had control over their situation.

 

They had access to all the information and they knew the risks, and they didn't want to be inconvenienced by a bubble.

 

So either stay home, and that's fine, or play, and that's fine. But don't be sitting here waffling 4 days into it and saying you're day to day deciding whether to stay or not just because there was an unsurprising outbreak in another clubhouse. That's crap, IMO. You chose this. Nothing has changed about this pandemic since opening day.

[PeaveyFury]

Marlins and Phillies’ seasons shut down for now, Yanks and Orioles to play each other this week instead.

[BruisedCrew]

Wisconsin is now being added to Chicago’s travel quarantine requirements starting Friday. WI has the honor of being the first state with a team in the AL or NL Central to make that list.

 

We now have to see if the city will grant an exemption (as allowed by its rules) to permit players going from Milwaukee to Chicago to play without a 14 day quarantine.

 

I read through the quarantine order earlier today.

 

Essential workers have an exemption but the scope is very narrow, much narrower than the Evers stay-at-home order in Wisconsin which made pretty much made everyone an essential worker if their workplace was allowed to open.

 

The exceptions to Chicago's quarantine order are..."a person who works in critical infrastructure as designated by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Essential worker” includes any state, local, and federal officials and employees traveling in their official capacities on government business, including military service."

 

I saw nothing in the order that remotely hinted that a baseball player or any entertainment professional would be considered an exemption.

Looks like any baseball team (including the Cubs or the White Sox) will not be able to play baseball in Chicago if they are travelling in from California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Florida, Georgia or Wisconsin according to this order.

 

How much tax revenue makes it from MLB to local governments, obvious that could carve out an exemption (although to me it sure seems like the flow of money mostly goes in the other direction!)? Or a few palms could be greased, this is Chicago we are talking about.

 

But if baseball is allowed to be played in the city, right after the Marlins outbreak, it sure would be a bad look for the Chicago officials that came up with this order.

 

I have not read the order, but I saw in a news report that there is an opportunity for an activity or business to get approval if they show that they have a plan that would control possible spread.

 

Missouri is also being added, so games involving the Cardinals would be affected too.

[bucks2281]

NY’s quarantine order carves out an exemption for sports.

 

Given MLB’s rigorous testing procedure, I’m very confident this quarantine order will not apply to baseball. The season is ruined if teams are bound by the order.

[MrTPlush]

States 14 day quarantining visitors...yah, they aren’t going to stop sports teams from coming in. Most states are in serious financial distress. They aren’t turning away millions of dollars.

[JosephC]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-chicago-lori-lightfoot-wisconsin-quarantine-20200729-xoetk4vc2vcmlfz5lewjmwy5ia-story.html

 

Professional baseball players exempted. Shame on Major League Baseball for risking Grandma's life!

 

Nice to know the government will be monitoring those Facebook accounts so they can issue tickets! I'm sure that's pretty likely to stop the flow of FIB's into and out of Wisconsin. At least now we know what the contact tracers are doing, I was under the impression that up until now they were basically doing nothing.

[MrTPlush]

Reports are some Marlins players were out partying (having a night out) while they were in Atlanta for exhibition games.

 

Not a good look if that comes out to be true.

[owbc]

Reports are some Marlins players were out partying (having a night out) while they were in Atlanta for exhibition games.

 

Not a good look if that comes out to be true.

 

Surprise surprise...

 

This applies not just to baseball but all businesses trying to reopen...you can make employees follow the rules when they are on the clock, but all bets are off when they are on their own time. And of course the business is the one that ends up suffering as a result.