Wear a mask. This three-day vacation weekend has a chance to turn what is already a blast of cases into a complete conflagration, just as Memorial Day celebrations did just over a month ago. Celebrate if you want. Gather together, if you choose to be so bold. Just wear a damn mask for any chance of a return to normality this calendar year.
Use one.
In other news, most of the Cincinnati Reds had their first practice today, and members of the media allowed limited access to see them on GABP. Apparently, Prasco’s facilities are still off limits at this time. I also specifically said ‘most’ in that first sentence as we found out yesterday that a couple of Reds players have tested positive for COVID-19 and are not yet in Cincinnati. Wear a mask.
C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic was present, watching a particular Red do very, very encouraging things.
Things are back to normal, Eugenio Suárez goes to the top deck at GABP
– C. ト レ ン ト ・ ロ ー ズ ク ラ ン ズ (@ctrent) July 3, 2020
Considering that Geno was shelved earlier this spring with a blow to the shoulder sustained in a bizarre swimming pool accident, it’s good to see him swinging freely once again. In other news related to the shoulders, it seems that Nick Senzel is also eager to go … now.
#Red Nick Senzel, “If I’m being honest, there’s probably no chance I’m ready for opening day.” I went back to Knoxville. It says “it finally feels like a normal shoulder”
– C. ト レ ン ト ・ ロ ー ズ ク ラ ン ズ (@ctrent) July 3, 2020
That’s the whole reveal from Senzel, who was able to DH in a handful of spring games before the pandemic shut things down completely, but never once did he go out on the field with a glove. His health combined with the addition of a DH this season should certainly go a long way in helping the Reds get the most out of their offense, though it will still be interesting to see how manager David Bell puts it together every day. . Will Shogo Akiyama, a career CF, move Senzel elsewhere? Will the Reds commit to Senzel in CF again after sending him green as he can be last year?
For what it’s worth, that’s Shogo taking BP in the picture at the top, so we know he’s in camp and healthy. Senzel, Suarez, Joey Votto, Luis Castillo, Lucas Sims, Jesse Winker, Phil Ervin and Mark Payton have also been seen on GABP. Our friends at Reds Content Plus spent the afternoon watching the workout on the team’s Twitter feed, noting that all three receivers (Tucker Barnhart, Curt Casali and Kyle Farmer) were also present and represented, while Mike Moustakas, Freddy Galvis, Nick Castellanos, Alex Blandino, Cody Reed, Matt Davidson and Josh VanMeter were also in the camp.
There has been no word yet from the Reds on which players tested positive, and that is undoubtedly their prerogative. And, once again, I don’t want to realize that I’m trying to catch the latest news on what players they were. Who those players are will soon become clear, and rocket surgeons won’t need to be the one to point it out.
In a related note, MLB today revealed that 38 total positives returned on the league’s initial roster of tests, just a positive rate of 1.2%. That is the good news.
The bad news, however, refers to the previous paragraph on ‘investigation’ in which players have been impacted. The Astros’ next camp exchange with new Houston manager Dusty Baker emphasized how awkward the position is right now.
Current American League Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez is not in Houston, Astros manager Dusty Baker said. When asked why, Baker said he couldn’t say it because of “league mandates.”
Read between lines.
– Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 3, 2020
I’m not exactly sure what else the league can do right now, and I’m certainly not sure what else managers at Dusty’s position can say. It is just a simple fact that the players are going to test positive, it will be more obvious who said that the players are more advanced in this, and this will be how it is. It is a clear reminder of the effort and risk that each of these players, coaches, staff and those who cover it will be forced to face and control for the next three months, and although we can certainly debate the merits of whether that is a good one. idea or not, it is undeniable that it will happen, and that we will witness it.
One player who seems to be in the best shape of his summer camp life for now is Joseph Joseph Votto, as broadcast by Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
Votto: “I feel renewed as a professional. I haven’t felt this way in years.” More to come later in a story.
– Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) July 3, 2020
It’s worth noting that Votto has been a much more attractive hitter in the last half of the seasons in recent years, so perhaps there is something about the heat, the nature of the beast that has him most marked during the days of dogs. Just last year it reached .263 / .374 / .447 (.821 OPS) from July 23 to the end of the year, with rates for-162 of 23 diners, 39 doubles and 104 walks. Peak-Votto isn’t, but he would still be an extremely valuable and acceptable # 2 hitter in this revamped Reds lineup.
There will be more last minute, average, expected and routine things to cover in the coming weeks. The coronavirus, unfortunately, will be the undercurrent of everything. Still, it looks like we’re going to get some kind of Major League Baseball at the time, and while we can’t physically be there for it, we’ll definitely be here for it.
