Teams have taken various approaches in the wake of the coronavirus hiatus. Some more details have emerged about how a few teams plan to handle the unpredictable situation.
- The Cardinals had initially planned to largely disperse, with only ten to fifteen players remaining at the team’s Florida complex. It seems they’ve reversed course somewhat. Fifteen to twenty-five players will stick around for the time being, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They’ll continue to work out informally, but they unsurprisingly plan to pare back the training intensity, especially on the pitching side. Cardinals officials anticipate an eventual abbreviated “2.0 spring training,” in the words of manager Mike Shildt, that’ll last around two weeks in advance of MLB’s official regular season start date. Technically, MLB could return as soon as April 9, but it’s unlikely games will get underway until at least May.
- The Astros will split into two groups to train, pitcher Lance McCullers announced (h/t to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). Some members of the club will remain in the team’s spring complex in Florida, while others are headed back to Houston. The players plan to work out collectively.
- Most of the Mets’ coaching staff will stay at the team’s Florida spring complex, as will many players on the team, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Newsday’s Tim Healey recently reported that most of the team would stay put.
- As of yesterday, the Royals were holding tight at their Arizona spring facility, reports Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star. As pitcher Danny Duffy acknowledged to Worthy, the fluid situation could call for a change in plans at any time.
- A good portion of the Rays’ roster is holding tight at the team’s spring complex for now. 30-35 players took part in an informal workout yesterday, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Unlike some other clubs, Tampa has no plans to conduct any sort of team-wide vote on the matter, Topkin adds, preferring to let players decide on a case-by-case basis their preferred course of action.
The Cardinals manager’s design of a pitcher’s maintenance plan, over their time out from Spring Training, is an excellent process. Plus, extending live bullpen pitches, along with facing live hitters, helps maintain what their pitchers have already built up. Which sets up extending their pitching program out toward actual game day —-When that time comes. .
That’s why they’re constantly winning. People can hate on the Cardinals all they want, but the proof is in the pudding. Jealousy is a weak emotion.
Actually I see few Cards haters outside fans of NL Central opponents. Most of the rest of us have a healthy respect for the franchise.
Oh for the Love of God!
Your franchise got caught stealing info, and still doesnt catch 1/4 of the flack most franchises do. Dont be so sensitive. Here in SF a majority of Giants fans have a lot of respect for the franchise. Disposing of them twice on the way to WS championships was almost as big an accomplishment as winning the WS itself.
@Frisco500, drop the mic. Love it.
@Frisco500 Chris Correa Acted alone. That’s why he was the only one who went to jail for it.
@timbuck, and you believe that?
The Phillies have closed their ST site to all players with the exception of those in critical need of rehab.. Don’t expect to hear “play ball” for regular season games before Memorial Day…
I’m curious as to why MLBTR is closing down comment sections on some COVID-19-related posts and not others. I get the general policy – shut down a post when the comments become too difficult to moderate, or shut down comments preemptively, especially with very sensitive topics like domestic violence – but I was wondering if there is a pattern to the recent posts that I’m missing.
Also, this question is just curiosity, not critique – I appreciate all the content that MLBTR generates on a free site that has, overall, unobtrusive ads.
I suspect that the comments very much mirror the divisions in our country right now,. Dual realities, and people very often move away from healthy disagreement towards being more than a little offensive. I read plenty of politics (and write about it, from time to time) and I come here for the baseball. I’d much rather read a “your team stinks” than some tinfoil stuff.
Because those comments get political and are not related to the topic as it relates to baseball
The overwhelming majority of major and minor league players will eventually contract COVID-19. The first minor leaguer testing positive may seem like important news, but it’s going to become very common. Fortunately, these are all very healthy men in their 20s. They should be fine within a couple of weeks according to reports. It may, however, cause constant interruptions throughout the season—minors and majors— once play resumes as regulars constant are taken out of action. Also, what happens if half a team is goes on the IL?
If its still prevalent that half a team can go on the DL with a virus capable of killing someone, the season isnt going to be starting
All viruses are capable of killing someone.
You knew what the commenter meant. *eyeroll*
My wife has known two young scientists (30’s) from a major university who have gone into the ICU, almost died. Still there. I’ve never known anyone who died of the flu. I’m thinking I stand a good chance of knowing someone who dies of COVID-19. Heck, it could be me.
I agree with the sports league’s closing and delaying. Just watched ABC NEWS 263 people died in Italy in just 1 day. 63 total in the United States. This is a worldwide pandemic that needs dealt with before it reaches record numbers
The hope is that this only lasts two months.