MLB and the MLBPA released the results of their initial intake testing this morning via a press release. Through July 9th, there have been 66 positive tests out of 3,748 samples. 58 of the positives were players, while the other 8 were staff members. Only 3 clubs did not have any instances of positive tests.
Teams have now moved into the monitoring phase of testing. With monitoring now underway, the new totals have 83 positive tests from a total 11,149 samples (0.7%). Not included in the press release was the total number of individuals tested. Players and staff alike are being tested multiple times, and while it’s good to see such a low positive results rate, given the way this virus spreads, it would be apropos to know the total number of individuals being tested to get a sense of how much of the population is testing positive. The process, of course, is a work in progress. Here’s the latest from the MLB’s attempts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic…
- A number of teams had to shift their plans as test results have come in slower than anticipated. This garnered criticism from some players – notably Kris Bryant – and prompted MLB to look for a second site. Needless to say, timing is key with these tests, and any testing backlog threatens the system the sport established to protect player and staff safety. MLB has secured a second site for testing, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Rosenthal provides this quote from a league spokesperson: “This decision was not made because the Utah lab cannot handle all of the testing taking place. No clinical laboratory will process samples faster than the Utah laboratory. This decision by the Utah lab was a business decision to ensure continuity of results reporting and to make sure that MLB’s COVID-19 testing program is not interrupted for any reason.” The Utah-based lab that MLB uses as its primary testing site subcontracted its additional venue at Rutgers University. All of the results will continue to come from the Utah site even though a portion of the testing will be diverted to the Rutgers location.
- Major League Baseball recently chartered two flights from the Dominican Republic to Miami to bring players and staff members stateside for the start of Spring Training 2.0. But players and staff weren’t tested for coronavirus before boarding the planes, and even though passengers wore masks and socially distanced on board, players on both planes tested positive during intake testing, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. Over 160 people were present on the two flights. A number of Washington Nationals players present on these flights tests positive, though they were asymptomatic. MLB says it was protecting the Dominican healthcare system, trying not to divert their resources. Still, considering the dangers of the virus, to board those two planes without testing is a little fast and loose for an organization with such deep pockets like Major League Baseball. If they are truly committed to this reboot, instances like this don’t present the best optics.
This season is madness! As much as I want to see baseball, lives of everyone involved comes first.
Totally agree. Selfishly, baseball needs to be played. Thinking of everyone involved, we will live if there isn’t a season.
There already isn’t a season. The question that remains is whether or not we can get entertained and as Pete indicated, safety has to come first.
There is a season doesn’t matter if it’s 40 games ,60 or 162. Its still a season. I doubt you’ll be disappointed if your team wins this year.
Do people think 1981 was a season? 1981 isn’t going down in the history books as a joke.
For sure it did…Dodger fan here….we don’t count that one or brag about it
The Dodgers don’t celebrate that season? News to me.
Less than 2 percent have tested postivie. The players are plenty safe.
Wouldn’t agree that they are plenty safe but I do think that the measures MLB is taking are pretty good as long as they are followed and that’s a big if but hopefully they will be.
They are being tested everyday. They are not part of the demographic that is being hit hard by this disease.
How many players have died in accidents the last fifteen years? For a baseball player, I don’t think the odds are going to be any greater than that.
The demographic doesn’t support mass concern. Could it happen? Of course, but I’m not expecting it.
I’m a lot more concerned with umpires, managers and coaches than players.
What teams haven’t had any positive testings?
The Modesto Nuts.
Probably miami, tampa, and florida.
This season should not be played. It’s not safe. No sports until 2021
Not safe for whom?
I would say a player is much more likely to have a career threatening injury than a career threatening virus.
What make this virus dangerous is not what it does to healthy 30 year old people.
We have No clue what this virus does long term. I find your confidence in the subject matter a tad irresponsible tbh. The scientific community doesn’t even know and finds new things every day so I sure as hell know you have no clue talking in such an assured manner.
Telling people there would be a vaccine for sure yesterday by the end of the year wasn’t a very responsible act as well. Lets let the scientists do their job and stop spreading disinformation to the public . Honestly unless you have a PHD your not adding anything here except another weightless opinion
We don’t have a clue what the virus does long term?
What confidence? I look at data. Fit 30 year olds are incredibly likely to shake this off without much of an issue.
Lets be conservative, there are at least ten million Americans that have had the virus. We have an idea.
Very very very very little clue
And that’s why these players are opting out amigo
We have conservatively ten million cases. We have a clue.
And players are typically opting out for their families.
But some players are opting out because they don’t don’t want to go through trying out to make the team.
Hmm I guess long term lung scarring, brain damage, and increased strokes dont factor in –
To say if your 30 and healthy you dont have to worry about yourself is completely irresponsible –
To say they have more risk in driving a car is absurd
Just 2 days ago MIT linked potential long term effects on the brain from covid
Heres an idea, try and just talk baseball here for 2 days straight, you might like it!
66 out of over 3000? That’s really not that many and probably most were asymptomatic. Play ball!
I’m not really sure why some of you are saying we should scrap the season. These test results are quite encouraging, and if the trend continues, it shouldn’t be much of a problem having a season.
If the numbers were much higher (10%+) and secondary testing results demonstrates a rapid spread, then I could be convinced that the season is a mistake. But so far, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
If we are in this same holding pattern come the 23rd, then I think this is a wonderful opportunity for baseball not only to proceed but to provide a nice release valve for the country. Some people really need a distraction and baseball can be it.
Have No Fear, I was assured yesterday by Halo 11 a vaccine would be here by the end of the year. Ive already booked my vacation for next Jan!
You are not telling the truth. I assured you? I predicted. People like you are the problem with this board.
Second of all, Pfesier has made progress with a vaccine, it has shown to create anti-bodies, and if validated, they can produce 100 million doses by the end of the year.
I predict there will be a vaccine in the next nine months.
Halo11Fan1 day ago
There will be a vaccine by the end of the year. High risk people will get the first shot, then moderate risk people will get the next shot and so on. In a year this will be much more like the normal flu than it is now.
HMM prediction??? Those are your exact words and honestly pretty alarming considering how many people know little about this virus.
Covid aint my jam and I wish it wasnt yours either….Get back to baseball, you make about 100 posts a day on this and you have zero credentials… You yourself are detracting this site from baseball !!! Just put a lid on all the Covid man its obnoxious with you every day
People who read the thread know what I wrote. I wrote at least ten comments on it.
“If a private enterprise is doing something, I’m optimistic, if the goverment is doing something… not so much.”
That’s assuring??!!!
Saying you are not telling the truth is being nice.
You are one of the reasons we have problems on this board. You are part of the problem.
My prediction is we will have a vaccine.
I talk baseball 99% of the time
You make over 100 posts a day everyday on Covid in a baseball site
Yup, Im def the problem
Have you ever thought “You might be the problem”?
My prediction – I want the scientists giving Vaccine and long lasting effects on the body info to the masses: not you 😉
You make over 100 posts a day everyday on Covid in a baseball site
I do? OK. You keep doubling down on not telling the truth. At some point that makes you a liar.
You are part of the problem with the message board.
Your pretty one-note these days Halo
I think the writers on this site want to get back to baseball…..I do as well
Its difficult with people like you constantly spamming their Covid thoughts in every article
Testing is about baseball.
When the threads are about covid, I write about covid, when the threads are about the Angels I write about the Angels.
Since there is a lot more threads on covid than the Angels. I write about Covid and baseball.
But if you want me to write about the Angels here… I will.
If the Angels are able to go into the season with a healthy Heaney, Ohtani, Canning, Bundy, Teheran and Sandoval, I think they will be playing meaningful games in very late September. Hows that?
I dig that but id rather focus the Angel talk on removing that huge eye sore we have at the Orange crush first-
Long Beach has some great land devoted for a sports franchise and the Angels are LONG overdue for a new (modern ) stadium
Yes I do think a 60 game season helps the Angels- The (great) pen should be able to more adequately absorb that terrible staff
I’d much rather talk about the Angels than covid.
If you want to challenge me, please be honest. You know I didn’t “assure” people. You know I don’t post 100 times a day on covid.
You can’t have dialog without honesty.
I dont want to challenge anyone…100 was obv an exaggeration
I want to get back to baseball…
I respect that you take the virus seriously, Ive lost someone close to me, know someone in a coma right now, and my Gf had it and is still showing symptoms over 35 days later. As you know, the Oc aint really the place to be right now. I dont agree this is the platform to talk about Covid, Im glad MLBTR stepped in…. I miss talking baseball
The expansion series was a beacon of light here for me in April/May
I hardly ever chime in on Covid so I dont get where you get “Im the problem here” What because I tell my own Dodger fans Pollocks a Pos and aint worth nowhere near 15 mill per year?? Cmon…..
So being that its a light day here… whatcha think about packing up 20 miles west to Long Beach??
Let’s be nice, what you wrote was a distortion of what I wrote in that thread. People who are antagonistic are part of the problem. I felt you were being antagonistic.
It looked like a snipe to me.
I’m glad you know I take it seriously. It’s not just the flu. I’m sorry for your loss.
I’m not big on a move to Long Beach. Yes the stadium needs to be addressed for sure. But with land deals and incentives in Anaheim the Angels aren’t going anywhere especially when they basically draw 3 million fans a year in Anaheim. There is no financial reason to move when you have the incentives, tv deal, and draw the attendance. I’m one of the fans that hates the name change to Los Angeles from Anaheim Angels for the OC representation. But I understand again good business to draw the LA market in. Then again I miss the California Angels name and Gene Autry. But definitely against moving the team from OC.
Nice post sith-
I was unaware of the land deals and incentives-
I guess Im just shooting for a wonderful park down near the Marina in LB- I think it would be gorgeous albeit a little difficult to get in and out of
Its just so funny how the Oc is suppose to be some magical place around the world but if its your first time here and your driving down the 57 to the BIG A your probably going to be extremely underwhelmed when exiting Katella – And geezus I never thought id say this but can they stick another appt complex or starbucks in that vast eye sore of a parking lot or something— I guess all the Bros need that space to tailgate at Motorcross but my God talk about hideous
mynewsla.com/business/2019/12/20/anaheim-council-a…
Yes there’s the details of the deal that got approved. Angels will be in Anaheim for a long time. And the plan is to build that parking lot up so it could turn out pretty cool. I laughed at your 57 freeway comment. Way too many hours spent on that parking lot posing as a freeway lol.
Brotha you have No idea how many times I have gotten “crushed” right there
Very good news about building that parking lot up, Ive never understood why its lasted so long
“With monitoring now underway, the new totals have 83 positive tests from a total 11,149 samples (0.7%). Not included in the press release was the total number of individuals tested.”
This is what makes me crazy, the haphazard way that data is collected. There are 11.149 tests, a very precise number, but an essentially meaningless number because we don’t know how many people have been tested and over what time frames. Take this relatively easy to track subset of our population and you magnify the absolute inability to get any useful information from the testing process. Just an absolute sp1tst0rm!
The only numbers I look at every day are the total death counts which I know are under counted, but I’m looking for trends, not overall numbers. Even that is messed up by the lack of proper reporting on weekends so I use 7 day averages. The decay rate has gone from 14% which was pretty consistent for awhile down to 11%, which is unfortunate. And that 11% is optimistic by assuming that the recent RISES in the death rate (good lord) are a temporary anomaly. If they are not then we have just kissed the decay rate goodbye. We are back to talking about losing 1,000’s of lives every week for the near future.
I had some hope that baseball trying to have a season would do a better job with gathering data but they’re not really doing this for anyone but themselves. And their data is not really providing any kind of insight. It’s not even as good as batting average.
The infection rate is greatly underpopulated. So we really don’t know what any rate is.
But who is getting this is far more important than how many. If you tell me this is going through a clubhouse, I’m worried for the coaches and managers.
You tell me this is going through a retirement community and I know a lot of people are going to die.
And we know that players and coaches are tested everyday. I would think that would extend to anyone employed by baseball that has contact with players or coaches.
We are learning very quickly that reopening without proper protocols in place and adhered to by the population is putting an end to the death decay rate. This just means we will see more people die than necessary. If baseball can do this right then it’s a successful experiment. But we need accurate data from this experiment to be able to use it going forward. If you can show the rest of the population that certain protocols work effectively, maybe the population will heed the protocols more seriously.
Wow. Pretty irresponsible with the flights, MLB, but what goes around always comes back around.
So MLB charters a flight from the Dominican and didn’t require testing prior to boarding? Awesome.