What is Commissioner Rob Manfred waiting for?
With the sport struggling to deal with the Coronavirus, Manfred has informed Players Union President Tony Clark that he would cancel the season as soon as Monday. The news comes as the Miami Marlins have 20 people who have tested positive for the virus, two visiting clubhouse guys from the Phillies tested positive just days after Miami left Philly, and just Friday afternoon, two players from the St. Louis Cardinals test positive for the virus.
As a result the Marlins, Nationals, Yankees, Orioles, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Brewers, and Phillies have all seen their games get postponed becuase of growing COVID concerns due in major part to the fact that the Phillies and Marlins play a majority of those schedules affected.
Baseball has bent over backwards to legitimize a season that should never have taken place. The latest gimmick by baseball is to pull another idea out of the nether-regions of Indy ball by having seven-inning double-headers to make up the games that get postponed.
There is no telling when these games will get made up and how many more games will get shelved as a result.
To date baseball has been as effective as the rest of the United States in combating the Coronaviurs: ignore it, pretend it doesn't exist and look the other way.
Manfred said if another outbreak happens he would consider wielding his power to cancel the season. Why wait? How many more players have to test positive? Keep in mind it isn't just ball players who are at risk. Hotel staff, flight crews, bus drivers, clubhouse staffs, team personnel are all at risk to catch and spread the virus.
The longer baseball waits on a decision, the worse the prospects are that, 1), we will even finish the season, and 2) that baseball will be highly responsible for manifesting the spread of the deadly virus.
Baseball had the opportunity to avoid this. They could have taken steps like the NHL and NBA and quarantine the sport in a bubble, but both the owners and palyers decided against it. Instead baseball and Manfred were engaged in a three month standoff over player salaries for a shortened, and, now utterly pointless season.
As much as Manfred and the owners are to blame, the players' haven't helped. Many are not wearing masks. Players are spitting, high five-ing and acting like the virus doesn't exist.
If baseball keeps canceling games and forcing teams to not play for extended periods of time, how can it continue to legitimize this season? How can one sport allow seven-inning double-headers, the international rule in extra innings, and total chaos and no sound plan with regard to controlling the virus and still play ball?
It's ridiculous. Don't wait for someone to die, commissioner Manfred. Do the right thing and end the season - NOW!
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