COVID-19 impact on MLB season

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Being no fans couldn't it make sense to move up start times from 7 to 6 or 630? Games are at 7 to give people time to get there and to be away from end of day rush hour a bit more. One reason I can think against it would be something in the TV contracts, and they might like 7 as a better timeslot. But in the current state of affairs I don't think Fox Sports is going to care on that.

 

One thing I love about west coast trips is 9p games. When I get home from work I like enjoying what daylight we have left and go run or bike.

 

Those are my absolute favorite games.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I look at it this way. The players are going to be happy they're playing if they want to be playing. Cardinals manager Mike schild even said he wasn't going to complain about having to play three double headers in like a week and a half or something like that he understood the situation is what it is it's a unique season and just getting through it was going to be a success.

 

I understand and agree that it's fashionable to hate the cards, but this season is going to throw a lot of unique and oddball challenges at a lot of teams and a lot of players. If most of the teams get at or close to 60 games I'll honestly be surprised. If they finish this season and play the playoffs and crown a champion that in and of itself will be a success. Playing a little bit of an unbalanced schedule is what it is at this point. If these guys want to play, if they want to make some money this year, they're going to have to suck it up and play through some things that might be considered unfair.

[Eye Black]

The Cardinals-Cubs series was supposed to commence tonight, but...

 

Per Mark Saxon: Per sources, tonight's Cardinals game has been postponed due to further positive Covid test result(s). More details as they become available.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

The Cardinals-Cubs series was supposed to commence tonight, but...

 

Per Mark Saxon: Per sources, tonight's Cardinals game has been postponed due to further positive Covid test result(s). More details as they become available.

 

And per Saxon's Twitter, it sounds like it's a player who has been with the team all season, which...does not bode well for the series being played, depending, of course, on how well Cardinals abided by quarantine and isolation protocols. There's a decent chance this starts the cycle all over. At the very least, I think you'd want to be double-sure and wait a few days.

 

I have no idea how this impacts the league in general, but you're talking about the Cardinals potentially losing 10 games. That is a crazy number. And it could be 12 or more rather easily. I just don't know how you respond to that if you're MLB...

 

Anybody know how many of the MLB players testing positive have remained asymptomatic? Sure seems like a lot, and I don't whether to be comforted by that (everyone is managing quite well, as will lots of people) or even more concerned (all these asymptomatic people in the general population, without testing, are, well, you know...spreading the virus unknowingly and unwittingly, which of course we already know, but...). Probably both.

 

EDIT: Per Saxon, looks like 3 new positive tests for the Cardinals. 2 players. Cubs series postponed. My guess is STL doesn't take the field for another week at least.

[markedman5]

So when does it get to the point where the Cardinals just have too many games to make up for it to be feasible?

 

If they can’t play it becomes just a mess as to how to handle the games they had scheduled. I suppose you could just wipe the slate clean and not count any of their games and then go by winning percentage for playoff spots?

 

[Eye Black]

Per Jeff Passan, the Pirates Sunday night flight to St. Louis has reportedly been cancelled, and at the very least the Cardinals-Pirates won’t play on Monday as scheduled. No word yet on if the entire series will be postponed.

[MrTPlush]

Per Jeff Passan, the Pirates Sunday night flight to St. Louis has reportedly been cancelled, and at the very least the Cardinals-Pirates won’t play on Monday as scheduled. No word yet on if the entire series will be postponed.

 

I saw a report they told the Cardinals players to not even report to the stadium for 3-5 days and work out on their own...as in the entire Pirates series is pretty much toast.

[homer]

Can we just play without the Cardinals? I'd be fine with that.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Can we just play without the Cardinals? I'd be fine with that.

 

It might come to that.

[stalton]

Can we just play without the Cardinals? I'd be fine with that.

 

It might come to that.

 

Can it be a permanent thing?

[TURBO]

Not sure where to put this, but I found it to be a little disgusting... These young guys just don't get it... Too bad they can't just suspend him from all team functions for the rest of the year, without pay to send a message. Very douchey thing to do.

 

Zach Plesac was sent home by the Indians and will be quarantined for 72 hours after going out with friends in Chicago on Saturday night.

 

Plesac tossed six scoreless innings against the White Sox on Saturday afternoon and apparently wanted to celebrate the impressive outing, but he did so in violation of team rules and MLB's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Plesac's actions have "upset teammates and club officials," per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, and it's unclear whether he'll be given the go-ahead to make his scheduled start next weekend in Detroit.

 

SOURCE: The Athletic

Aug 9, 2020, 5:51 PM ET

[rickh150]

"These Young guys" don't get it is a tad broad, don't you think? The large majority of players, young and old, are doing their part, I reckon.

 

 

 

Not sure where to put this, but I found it to be a little disgusting... These young guys just don't get it... Too bad they can't just suspend him from all team functions for the rest of the year, without pay to send a message. Very douchey thing to do.

 

Zach Plesac was sent home by the Indians and will be quarantined for 72 hours after going out with friends in Chicago on Saturday night.

 

Plesac tossed six scoreless innings against the White Sox on Saturday afternoon and apparently wanted to celebrate the impressive outing, but he did so in violation of team rules and MLB's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Plesac's actions have "upset teammates and club officials," per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, and it's unclear whether he'll be given the go-ahead to make his scheduled start next weekend in Detroit.

 

SOURCE: The Athletic

Aug 9, 2020, 5:51 PM ET

[trwi7]

Maybe if boomers had taken it seriously back in March...

[MrTPlush]

I don’t think this is a young guy problem. Ryan Braun likes to mention how he takes it day to day on whether to keep playing and still can’t grasp the concept of using a mask in the dugout. Which he isn’t alone...many players still can’t figure it out and age doesn’t seem to be a factor.

 

I bet the young guys probably take it more seriously generally speaking in baseball. They need the money while the older players are sitting on a fat stack of millions.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Per Jeff Passan, the Pirates Sunday night flight to St. Louis has reportedly been cancelled, and at the very least the Cardinals-Pirates won’t play on Monday as scheduled. No word yet on if the entire series will be postponed.

 

Looks like series is officially PPD. That is 13 games the Cards will miss. I say this without Cardinals bias: if this were Brewers, I would be like, why are we still tryong to play baseball games. And MLB's response has just been....non-existent. At this point, doesn't it make sense to just remove the Cardinals? I mean, they are going to be 3 weeks idle when they come back...it is a big recipe for disaster injury-wise beyond any COVID risk.

[TURBO]

Are the older players going out to bars and clubs to celebrate victories? That is pretty much what I meant. My guess is that the young guys don't take the virus and all it's complications it causes (to teamates, the schedule, the game itself, etc) as seriously as the older players. I doubt you'll catch Ryan Braun out at bars after a win.

 

I meant no offense to the young guys here.

[TURBO]

more on Plesac, wonder what his Uncle thinks?

 

Indians president Chris Antonetti told reporters late Sunday that the team had been discussing Zach Plesac's role prior to his violation of the health and safety protocols on Saturday in Chicago.

 

Plesac left the team hotel and went out with some friends following a terrific outing Saturday afternoon against the White Sox. When that came to light on Sunday, he got sent home to Cleveland in a rental car and will now be quarantined for 72 hours. The Indians don't technically need a fifth starter again until August 22, so Antonetti said they were already considering moving Plesac to the bullpen for a bit or even optioning him to their alternate training site. It's hard to see the option idea happening - he boasts a 1.29 ERA, 0.667 WHIP, and 24/2 K/BB ratio in 21 innings (three starts) this season - but the 25-year-old right-hander certainly irked some people in the organization (and around the industry) with his decision to break protocol.

 

SOURCE: Jon Morosi on Twitter

Aug 9, 2020, 11:42 PM ET

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Plesac should be out for the year. Enough is enough. If this were the first disruption you can excuse being soft, but we have a team stuck on 5 games played, that went out golfing, and another team that was probably at a nightclub. Just tell him he's done. Young, old, whatever. Start kicking guys out.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I mean, if they can suspend a pitcher 15% of the season for throwing at a known dirty rotten cheater, they should give the commissioner some unilateral power here to suspend these guys a fair amount of time for breaking protocols that actually threaten to put the season at risk.

[MrTPlush]

That brawl yesterday should be an interesting one too. Not exactly following protocols.

[CheezWizHed]

Plesac should be out for the year. Enough is enough. If this were the first disruption you can excuse being soft, but we have a team stuck on 5 games played, that went out golfing, and another team that was probably at a nightclub. Just tell him he's done. Young, old, whatever. Start kicking guys out.

 

Is golfing against the MLB COVID policy? Seems like one of the few safe activities that could be done.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I don't really care if it is or not. The Marlins story had broken by then, there is nothing better for them to do on a road trip than a golf outing? I think the bigger point is that they can come and go as they please. Really necessary to travel to Whistling Straits during a series in Milwaukee? That they get to play baseball right now seems like a privilege lost on many. I'm sure there are all kinds of 'safe' activities for people to enjoy but the NBA isn't letting guys just freely roam around Orlando.

[CheezWizHed]

It isn't a good thing to just sit around inside all day either. They do need some activities to decompress. I can't shame a guy for going golfing in the midst of this. Its an activity that can be easily done with social distancing. Especially the way I golf...

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I mean they play baseball. It's not like they work in a cubicle all day. It's more about the optics though. It's one thing for Joe Blow to hit the links. A guy making $4 million to play 2 months of baseball and he can't resist golf? They are sacrificing on some level, for sure, but so is everybody.

[reillymcshane]

Clevenger was with Plesac as well.

 

Just mind-blowing people can be so cavalier towards the situation.

 

I don't care if you believe it's all a lie or not a danger - you know the rules. You are hurting your teammates and fans. Silly.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29635888/indians-mike-clevinger-miss-start-violating-protocol