It’s time again to “Play ball!” – But this year, in the middle of a pandemic.
On Thursday, MLB finally returned to the field, and all eyes were on the defending world champions: the Washington Nationals.
Given that the season was shortened due to the coronavirus crisis, it may be appropriate that the first ceremonial launch be launched by none other than Dr. Anthony Fauci, a huge fan of the Nationals as well as being the leading infectious disease expert in the nation.
“I’m pretty nervous about that,” Fauci told Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals, who is out of season for security reasons, citing the virus.
“Fine, don’t worry about it,” Zimmerman replied in a tweeted video. “If you bounce it, there’s no one there to boo you. Then, you’re ready to go.”
In fact, Fauci threw him well outside and on the ground. But then again, three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer allowed Giancarlo Stanton a two-run homer in the first, so everyone on the mound fought a bit earlier.
President Donald Trump announced during his coronavirus briefing on Thursday that he will launch the first pitch, for the first time in his presidency, at Yankee Stadium on August 15.
On Thursday afternoon, ESPN reported that Nationals star outfielders Juan Soto had tested positive for COVID-19 and would not play in the season opener.
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the country and 39 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico report an increase in positive cases, the United States hobby returns to completely empty stadiums, cardboard cutouts as spectators, sound effects hindered to imitate the noise of the crowd. , masked players, and pitchers with personal rosin bags.
Opening day comes after months of talks between team owners and the players’ union. Gamers, paid for the game, wanted more games as their wages had already been cut due to the shorter season, and owners wanted fewer games to keep costs down. Neither side could agree, so MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred imposed a shorter season consisting of 60 games, compared to the usual 162.
There are also other changes. The games will be played against regional teams to limit travel. If a game exceeds nine innings, a runner will start at second base on additional innings to try to speed things up. And to limit the spread of the community, fans will not be able to enter the stadiums, so fans will have to watch their teams on television.
On Thursday, the Nationals will play the New York Yankees in Washington, DC. In the west, the San Francisco Giants will play against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Friday, the Braves will play the Mets, the Brewers against the Cubs and the Angels against Athletics.
Normally, the baseball season is a marathon. But this year, it is a sprint. The shortened season could pose a problem for teams starting slowly. Last year, after 50 games, the Nationals were 19-31. And yet, with the longest season, they were able to come back and win it all.
Due to the coronavirus, some key Nationals players have chosen to exit the season due to health problems, including Zimmerman.
“I can’t speak for anyone else, but given the unusual nature of the season, this is the best decision for me and my family,” Zimmerman, the team’s regular first baseman, said in a statement issued by his agents, “and I really I appreciate the understanding and support of the organization. “
Zimmerman, who has been with the team since 2005, made the difficult decision because he has three young children and a high-risk mother due to multiple sclerosis. Joe Ross has also chosen not to participate, citing the personal health and safety of his family.
“We fully support your decision not to play this year,” confirmed general manager Mike Rizzo in a statement. “We will miss his presence at the clubhouse and his contributions on the field.”
Spring training started on July 1, just over a month after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers and protests erupted across the country. During preseason games, players and managers knelt during the national anthem, following in the footsteps of Collin Kaepernick calling for an end to police brutality against African Americans.
Earlier this week, President Trump tweeted that he is “eager to play live sports,” but if a player kneels down “the game ends for [him]”
“I don’t see anything more American than defending what you think,” Gabe Kapler, manager of the San Francisco Giants, told USA Today. “I don’t see anything more patriotic than peaceful protests when things are frustrating and annoying.”
As cases continue to rise by the tens of thousands, Trump said “the virus will disappear. It will disappear,” during a press conference on Wednesday. But there is no evidence to suggest that the virus will go away.
The director of the National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins, told ABC’s Bob Woodruff in an interview on Monday, “I don’t think this particular virus is going to disappear from the planet.”
On the eve of its first release, Fauci made a similar statement, saying he sees no particular end of the virus in sight.
“We certainly are not at the end of the game,” Fauci said of the pandemic. “I’m not even sure we’re halfway there … but we’re certainly not winning the game right now.”
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