The 2020 season for the New York Yankees and the remainder of major league baseball was interesting, to say the least. Tumultuous times and maximum effort lead to a 60 game regular season, but things were far different than the norm, as Yankees relief pitcher Adam Ottavino recorded throughout the campaign.
Ultimately, this moment in time will be talked about in the history books for years to come, and with advanced technology to record and transcribe every part of it, it is interesting to see a behind the scenes look at how the MLB functioned during these times.
Masks, precautionary measures, transportation disruptions, you name it, Adam hits on everything in this fantastic capture of his experiences.
Ottavino was interviewed by ESPN on life during quarantine, and he gave some amazing answers:
During the shutdown, Gerrit [Cole] had moved to Connecticut, and that’s pretty close to where I live. We discussed on my drive up from Tampa throwing together, so for a while, we were throwing in my yard. Then eventually, as we got closer to summer camp finally starting, the Yankees let us back in the stadium. Obviously I knew that there was a narrative on Gerrit coming to the Yankees as a big free agent. People were probably dying to see him on the field. So I figured it was a good opportunity to kind of present him with the whole stadium empty there and just kind of get that epic shot. It was the first time he was there as a Yankee, even though it’s not a game.
Before playing Tampa Bay at the Trop, Ottavino described the eerie sense of emptiness:
That’s the cameraman [at the Trop] who is getting ready to shoot the game. The game is probably at least 30 minutes away from starting, but from the photo you would have no idea. There’s literally no one there.
The ESPN article includes pictures, and fantastic quotes, showing behind the scenes looks at how the players were treated by the medical staff and their methods during transportation.
Taking private trains via the Amtrak to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and more. Watching Aaron Boone manage the lines of his players boarding the train in a dark subway station is rather surreal, and boarding the planes with one player per row opens your eyes to the seriousness of this virus.
The MLB went through an unprecedented time in 2020, and so did the rest of the world. While the virus remains at large, progress is being made, and the hopes of a regular 2021 season are still viewed as optimistic.