How will COVID-19 affect this shortened baseball season?
The New York Yankees are making there way to Yankee Stadium in the shadow of the coronavirus. With the virus raging in many parts of the country it’s anyone’s guess if the season can be completed. Over 40 positive virus tests have already been reported across the MLB teams. The Philadelphia Phillies lead in that total with seven staff infected, three of which are players. The Yankees have reported only four cases; none are players.
Additional positive tests are bound to show up. MLB officials have not made it public as what would happen if a team becomes heavily infected. If that happens, it could shut down a team. What effect that would have on other teams and the season is unknown.
As an example, in Connecticut, the Travelers Golf Championship is being held this week. Most of the players and their caddies arrived at the course on Monday, as of Thursday morning five players have had to drop out. One player has tested positive; two players had to drop out when their caddie’s tested positive and two other because a family member has tested positive. One dropped out on Monday and Tuesday and three just yesterday. However, the tournament will be played.
Zack Britton on the health and safety protocols
The New York Yankees assumed setup man Zack Britton has stated that he feels that Major League Baseball has their priorities straight. He is satisfied with the health protocols that have been put in place. He, as well as all of the Yankees, are ready to take the field.
“I am anxious to see how it all works out. I think we are taking the appropriate steps regarding health protocols,’’ Britton wrote in an email to The New YorkPost on Wednesday. “Obviously, with only 60 games, the season will feel a lot different, but I am excited we are playing again.’’
The New York Yankees and Mets won’t be affected by tri-state quarantine rules
Yesterday the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut agreed to a joint quarantine requirement from anyone entering those states that are coming from a state that has ten in one hundred thousand rates of coronavirus infection. That includes states like Texas, Arizona, California, Florida, the Carolinas, and other southern states.
The mandate is that anyone coming from those states by any mode of travel will have to self-quarantine for fourteen days.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated yesterday that the quarantine would not affect the New York Yankees or Mets. He stated the reason for the exclusion was that he and health officials had already worked out an agreement with the New York teams. Missing from the statement was if it applied to other teams traveling to play in New York Stadiums, however, one would have to assume it does.
What do the Yankee fans think about this shortened season?
There are some New York Yankee fans that would rather see this season canceled altogether. They are in the minority as most fans want to see a baseball season this year and have been starved waiting to see the boys of summer take the field.
Yesterday across five Yankee fan groups on Facebook I conducted a poll to find out what Yankees fans felt about a season and if it could be completed during the coronavirus pandemic. 6% feel the coronavirus will cause the second half of spring training to be canceled. 9% responded who cares it’s not a legitimate season. 19% believe the season will be completed and the Yankees will be World Champions again. But a resounding number, 66% of Yankee fans believe that the season will not be completed due to the virus.
The Yankee bullpen will see expanded use this season
When any baseball season starts it takes several games beyond spring training for stating pitchers to build up arm strength. With a season that may only feature ten to twelve starts, they won’t be at full strength when the season starts on July 23rd.
Manager Aaron Boone will rely heavily on the bullpen at the start of the season. Usually, a manager tries not to do that so that the bullpen is fresh going into the postseason. Boone, will not have to worry about that this year as the season will be 20 games short of a half-season. He will have the luxury of using the bullpen as much as he wants.
Boone will be especially careful of letting new Yankee ace Gerrit Cole go too deep in early games. Boone will want Cole to be fresh and at his best going into the postseason where he is expected to be a significant factor in the Yankee’s success.
Blue Jays face additional hurdles to start a season
The Players Association has informed players agents that they are petitioning the Canadian government to allow them to have a baseball season in Canada. They expect to get an answer today or tomorrow. Once the get that that permission, they have to get permission to play at Roger’s Center, their home park in Toronto. That permission is expected to take a few days.