With the coronavirus already having disrupted multiple teams’ seasons, commissioner Rob Manfred reportedly warned union chief Tony Clark last week that Major League Baseball could shut down the campaign prematurely if clubs don’t follow its protocols. Baseball has continued on since then, though, and Manfred seems confident the league will finish its current season.
The Marlins and Cardinals are well behind schedule because of positive COVID-19 tests, though Manfred told ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers on Wednesday that most of the league’s players have behaved properly under tough circumstances.
“I think the vast majority of our players have done a really good job adhering to what are difficult protocols,” Manfred said. “They’re contrary to the way people normally live their lives.”
As Rogers explains, MLB’s protocols include surgical masks instead of cloth masks and social distancing on airplanes. According to Manfred, the league’s even considering a way to “spread” relief pitchers out in teams’ bullpens. With no fans in the stands, Manfred suggested some relievers could sit there.
Moreover, the Manfred-led league sent its 30 teams “severe, revised protocol measures” on Wednesday that say it could suspend players or staff members if they’re guilty of “repeated or flagrant violations,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Nightengale details those measures in his piece, but in short, the league’s hammering home the importance of wearing face coverings, socially distancing from one another and limiting travel to essential personnel.
“The behavior of every covered individual affects the players and staff on his or her team, and on other clubs as well,” the league said in a memo to its clubs.
Halo = never wrong
it’s nice when comments start going down the tubes 6 minutes after the article gets posted
Just shut down that wing joint in Atlanta
Suspending players for this will create a lot of controversy… Although, I do understand the intent behind the proposition.
At this point… we’re so far past “controversy” into weird uncharted territory. I guess I’d rather have them unjustly crucify players for sitting 5 feet and 11 inches away from each other than not have baseball to watch.
Hopefully the Cardinals and Marlins situations opened the eyes to the other organizations, if they weren’t already aware, of how quickly things could get shutdown and the season ended if they didn’t take things serious and more outbreaks started happening.
You shot derek jeter
The Yankee Clipper
Cost me 20 grand on that game
I think they’re more concerned about players going to strip clubs on the road, as well as teams not having real measures in place
The league actually reached out to the Cubs for information on how they’ve approached the pandemic. Why? Because they are the only team yet to have a positive test since intake at summer camp.
Those talks bore out these revised protocols in part.
So, Sox fan commentators, let’s go with the dumpster diving Theo comments. He’s run a wonderful ship as have the players through this.
(Oh and, best record in NL, second in MLB.)
Dipping all of the Cubs players into the river Styx was a brilliant move by Theo.
Switching ankles was even smarter.
Manfred needs to send the same warning to the umps, especially, Joe West. If you’ve watched any game, you see umpires complying and umps that do not. Where are their fines?
It’s like a graveyard here… where did everyone go? Just a couple weeks ago there would be a couple hundred posts per article… now, 5, 10, a couple 20’s…. they better start charging more money to be members.
Because there were a lot of arguments and questions about whether the season would start and how it would start. Besides the two outbreaks and more injuries, it’s mainly been business as usual. Places are also opening up, sports are coming back, people are going back to work and there’s more things to do than be on the internet.
Surgical masks? I see players and coaches wearing cloth masks during games… or am I wrong?