I couldn’t care less about baseball, but Ken Levine is a big fan of the game (and former broadcaster) whose message to everyone involved in the upcoming short season (which will likely be shortened even more as soon as a few players or other personnel test positive for coronavirus) is DON’T DO IT!
Let’s look at the “safety” precautions. Players were given a hundred page booklet with the guidelines. How many players do you think are going to read it? Or even the first five pages? A friend said that on page 50 they could give a phone number and say anyone who calls this number will get a million dollars and they wouldn’t give away a single cent. He’s right. You could put the phone number on page 11 and get the same result. Or maybe even 2.
The players will be tested often. That’s a lot of players, a lot of tests – might those tests be better used in communities to help lower the spike? Players will seemingly be in a bubble. On the road they’ll be in blocked-off sections in hotels on lower floors. They’re instructed not to take elevators. I guess most meals will be room service. Forgetting how that arrangement is far from impenetrable, at home they’ll be with their families. Who knows who family members have been with? Who knows how many wives and girlfriends and live-in uncles wear masks or go to bars in states where they’re open? Good luck to Marlin and Ray players.
Oh… and support staff, stadium personnel, announcers, ground crew, media members – they’re not entitled to the vigilant testing. They’re on their own. And everybody has to sign waivers freeing MLB and the teams from any responsibility or damage should they come down with the virus. And you KNOW some will. It’s just a matter of how many and how serious?