COVID-19 impact on MLB season

[monty57]

the cactus league has told mlb that they want to delay the start of spring training.

 

It'll be interesting to see how this develops. Sounds like the union is going to win the argument for a 162-game season, so I'd guess they'll either go with a shorter spring training in AZ or tell them to play the games with no one in the stands and some sort of "bubble."

[JohnBriggs12]

They could move all the teams to Florida where the infection rate is about half of Arizona and where they are way ahead of Arizona in vaccines being administered.

 

With it just being major leaguers in camps, they should have room too.

[nate82]

 

With it just being major leaguers in camps, they should have room too.

 

This is incorrect. MLB players and AAA players will be reporting around the same time with AA and A players reporting afterwards. A and AA will stay behind and will start their season later. MLB and AAA teams are scheduled to leave first from spring training.

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/start-of-minor-league-season-at-double-a-and-class-a-to-be-delayed/

[monty57]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/cactus-league-informs-mlb-of-desire-to-delay-start-of-spring-training.html

 

Doesn't sound like the players union is going to listen to the request from the Cactus League.

[DHonks]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/cactus-league-informs-mlb-of-desire-to-delay-start-of-spring-training.html

 

Doesn't sound like the players union is going to listen to the request from the Cactus League.

 

Don't look at the total numbers for COVID, especially in AZ. It's very misleading. Last week we had a day with about 5k cases and at first it sounded encouraging that things are improving in AZ. Then an official came out and said only about 15k had been getting tested each day lately, and the state was wishing more like 80-100k would be getting tested. Bottom line is AZ--and especially Phoenix--is seeing massive community spread of COVID.

[monty57]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/cactus-league-informs-mlb-of-desire-to-delay-start-of-spring-training.html

 

Doesn't sound like the players union is going to listen to the request from the Cactus League.

 

Don't look at the total numbers for COVID, especially in AZ. It's very misleading. Last week we had a day with about 5k cases and at first it sounded encouraging that things are improving in AZ. Then an official came out and said only about 15k had been getting tested each day lately, and the state was wishing more like 80-100k would be getting tested. Bottom line is AZ--and especially Phoenix--is seeing massive community spread of COVID.

 

I wasn't trying to judge anything like that. I was just stating from the article that it appears the players union is holding their ground that there will be a 162-game season played this year, which means Spring Training can't be delayed unless the government steps in and shuts it down.

 

Sounds like they're more interested in getting paid then they are worried about getting sick. They don't care if there are fans in the stands, as the owners are the ones losing money if the stands are empty.

[DHonks]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/cactus-league-informs-mlb-of-desire-to-delay-start-of-spring-training.html

 

Doesn't sound like the players union is going to listen to the request from the Cactus League.

 

Don't look at the total numbers for COVID, especially in AZ. It's very misleading. Last week we had a day with about 5k cases and at first it sounded encouraging that things are improving in AZ. Then an official came out and said only about 15k had been getting tested each day lately, and the state was wishing more like 80-100k would be getting tested. Bottom line is AZ--and especially Phoenix--is seeing massive community spread of COVID.

 

I wasn't trying to judge anything like that. I was just stating from the article that it appears the players union is holding their ground that there will be a 162-game season played this year, which means Spring Training can't be delayed unless the government steps in and shuts it down.

 

Sounds like they're more interested in getting paid then they are worried about getting sick. They don't care if there are fans in the stands, as the owners are the ones losing money if the stands are empty.

 

Didn’t mean to say you were judging. I was just trying to add some context for the “declining” totals in AZ. No reason for Cactus League to have games with fans in the near future. A 2 week delay could be a good start

[MrTPlush]

Really no reason to delay things and no reason to request them to delay it. Not like they are trying to have fans.

[djoctagone]

mlb has proposed a 154-game season, starting late april. spring training would start late march.

[djoctagone]

five washington nationals players will miss opening day due to one of them testing positive, and the others requiring to quarantine due to close contact with the positive tester.

[djoctagone]

player transactions will be different in 2021, however.

 

replacement players for the nationals are not subject to outright waivers to remove them from the 40-man roster, once the original players are cleared to return.

 

the change to not require outright waivers during a covid outbreak is pretty significant. it basically allows a club to yo-yo any player from its alternate training site back and forth without having to worry about putting him on outright waivers to return him to the minor leagues.

 

for example, with a brewers covid outbreak, the club could bring up non-roster players such as garrett mitchell, ray black and zack godley to replace players on the special covid-19 injured list. they get added to the 40-man, taking up the spots vacated by the covid-19 players. when the covid-19 players are activated, the club can just return those replacements to the minor leagues/alternate training site and remove them from the 40-man roster without exposing them to another team to claim.

[Eye Black]

Per Will Sammon:

 

Brewers had a false positive COVID-19 test result earlier today, per David Stearns. They went through entire protocol because, at the time, they didn't know it was a false positive. Player was retested and it came back negative. Expect to have full roster available to play.

 

And Adam McCalvy:

 

The Brewers had a false positive COVID-19 test result come back earlier today, David Stearns said. At the time they didn't know it was a false positive, so the club went through all of the relevant protocols and, "We are now confident it was a false positive," he said.

[Simba2020]

Lasted all the way until opening day before we have our first postponement of the year in the Mets and the Nationals.

[djoctagone]

the entire nationals-mets series has been postponed.

[adambr2]

I'm honestly surprised its still such a factor. In Wisconsin we are pretty much to the point where if you are an adult and you want a vaccine, you can get one. I suppose that's not the case everywhere.

 

I would expect this becomes less and less of a factor but I suppose we can still expect some 7 inning double-headers this year.

[djoctagone]

only 10 teams have hit the 85% vaccination threshold to relax covid protocols.

[MillerParkSouth]

Unbelievable

[djoctagone]

it would certainly be a grey area, and it could most certainly lead to legal challenges (and definitely a grievance from the mlb players association), but do you think clubs are factoring in vaccination when making their decisions on taxi squads, player recalls and player contract selections?

 

in other words, being vaccinated helps give you the inside track on a promotion from the alternate training site.

 

i know that no club would admit to doing this, but they are going to know who's vaccinated and who isn't.

[djoctagone]

only 10 teams have hit the 85% vaccination threshold to relax covid protocols.

12 days later, some better news on the 85% front.

[djoctagone]

tonight's tigers-yankees game will be the first game where at least 85% of both teams' tier 1 personnel are fully vaccinated. that means masks not required in the dugout or bullpen.

[djoctagone]

the brewers' tier 1 personnel have finally hit that 85% vaccination threshold. protocols can be relaxed for the team.

[djoctagone]

mlb is now at 22 teams with at least 85% of tier 1 personnel who are fully vaccinated.

[djoctagone]

my post above was from 18 june. since then, only one team has joined the ranks of at least 85% of tier 1 personnel fully vaccinated.

 

the holdouts still:

 

arizona diamondbacks

boston red sox

chicago cubs

kansas city royals

new york mets

philadelphia phillies

seattle mariners

 

for the sake of the brewers, i hope the teams lacking shots don't have a shot to make it into the postseason.

[djoctagone]

due to a massive covid-19 outbreak, the trash pandas (class aa affiliate of the angels) have canceled the rest of their season. Edited September 19, 2021 by djoctagone

[djoctagone]

my post above was from 18 june. since then, only one team has joined the ranks of at least 85% of tier 1 personnel fully vaccinated.

 

the holdouts still:

 

arizona diamondbacks

boston red sox

chicago cubs

kansas city royals

new york mets

philadelphia phillies

seattle mariners

 

for the sake of the brewers, i hope the teams lacking shots don't have a shot to make it into the postseason.

the postseason-contending phillies have been added to the list of at least 85% of tier 1 personnel being fully vaccinated.