Amid a viral outbreak in the Marlins and concerns in Philadelphia that they’ve canceled a game there, there is a sudden explosion of renewed questions about how MLB tries to handle the interaction between virus transmission, positive testing timing, and interactions. between humans.
The answer? Well, we’ll just try harder!
Commish Office will redouble health directives, for example, players must wear masks in dressing rooms and enforce behavior prohibitions on the field against crashing all five and spitting.
– Scott Miller (@ScottMillerBbl) July 27, 2020
I’m not saying that you want the league to cancel the season or even pause the season, necessarily. I really don’t have the information to be able to say that. And of course I hope the Marlins players / staff are doing well, and this somehow turns out to be a beneficial wake-up call for everyone else in the league.
But I’m just a guy who writes on a website. So it is not up to me.
I’m amazed that the owners and the league I didn’t even argue the possibility of pausing the season not only to clarify the extent of the spread between the Marlins and potentially other teams, but also perhaps to gain some additional time to improve test / trace / distancing protocols. Instead, deciding that the best approach right now is to re-emphasize behavior?
As I said, I really don’t have the “correct” answer here, and there is always a chance that in these heated moments, you may become overly reactionary.
But let me tell you this: The Reds had a positive test on Friday, and then two players came out because they felt sick yesterday. Imagine the Cubs playing against them tonight, and then tomorrow, the Reds are the next Marlins, with a sudden rush of positive evidence. How do you feel about MLB’s decision today not to even consider pausing the season?
Meanwhile, the “plan” for immediate consequences for the Marlins and Orioles (ditto Phillies and Yankees) is to more or less cross your fingers so it doesn’t get worse:
In fact, this is the plan, although it is fluid, sources say. Orioles flying back to Baltimore from Miami tonight. https://t.co/99Unoq2cm1
– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2020
