https://nypost.com/2020/04/07/mlbs-arizona-restart-vision-fraught-with-logistical-nightmares/
Arizona restart vision fraught with logistical nightmares
By Joel Sherman
April 7, 2020 | 11:32am
MLB officials on Monday sketched out for the first time to the Players Association a vision of re-starting first spring training in May and then beginning a season a few weeks later, with all of the training and games played exclusively in Arizona with no crowds.
The Associated Press and ESPN were first to outline details, but officials from the commissioner’s office, team executives and union personnel cautioned the plan is in its infancy, not embraced by either side as gospel yet and facing many hurdles of logistics, finances, staffing and permission of medical and governmental institutions.
MLB put out a statement Tuesday that said it is “actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so.” The statement acknowledged the one-locale plan as a possibility, but that no detailed elements have been formalized nor has there been approval with officials from the government, medical community or the Players Association on the plan.
What is fueling the energy behind the one-locale plan is concerns by both management and players that playing games broadly across the country during this coronavirus pandemic will be impossible. Thus, what might be in play for MLB and its players is to play in one region such as Arizona and isolate the personnel needed for this as much as possible, potentially for months — or not to play at all.
As one person briefed on the plan said, “It is imperfect. It may be impossible. But we should study this in every way possible because it could be a plan like this or no baseball in 2020.”
The obstacles, though, are significant and many. Here are a few key ones:
— What signal and from which medical and science professionals will it take for the league to say it will try this and then for players, coaches and whatever staff is needed to return en masse? What happens if a bloc of players on, say, the Phillies or Angels refuse to come back until there is a vaccine that brings the chances of contacting this coronavirus to near zero?
— How will players be paid? If there are no gate receipts, luxury boxes, concessions, parking, etc., MLB will be losing a substantial amount of its revenue for this season. Some of it could be made up if TV networks — hungry for live sports again — provide additional payouts to show a greater number of games. Still, owners are facing substantial losses either way.
One club official said, “Say a team is losing $70 million this year and to play it knows it would lose another $10 million to $20 million without fans and all that comes with that, why would they approve that plan without the players taking a cut?” Conversely, players could argue that by returning sooner than later they are playing a risk/reward game to help the institution and should not have to sacrifice pay.
MLB and the union already reached agreement on a plan that gives $170 million to 40-man roster players through May. But the arrangement is for no more than that without games. As opposed to NBA and NHL players who had received the bulk of their 2020 salaries because of how far their seasons have gone already, MLB players would not be in that situation. As a person briefed on the plans said, “It could come down to how many players are willing to accept fill-in-the-blank, 35, 40, 50, 60 percent of their salaries or zero the rest of the way.”
— What percentage of risk is acceptable? It is not going to be zero. There is not going to be a vaccine in the next month. Perhaps there will be wider testing or better understanding of who is now immune and who is not. But this will still entail putting a lot of people in one place at one time — and not just players. There is a need for coaches, umpires, TV crews, grounds crews, clubhouse attendants, doctors, trainers, workout specialists. Everyone will have to be fed and housed and commuted from one place to another, forcing an ever-wider pool of contact.
Can all of these people stay isolated from others?
There are a few players, for example, with diabetes. Will players, coaches and umpires with underlying health issues be told not to participate because they are more vulnerable to coronavirus and bad outcomes?
A player representative said, “There are significant medical and practical challenges ahead in this whole thing. Everyone wants to play as many games as possible, but only at the point that health and safety are adequately protected.”
How many people will agree what “adequately” means?
— What happens if a player, coach, clubhouse attendant, etc. tests positive for the virus? Does that force a team-wide quarantine and, thus, a shutdown of the sport again? After all, if, say, the Yankees need to quarantine, the other 29 teams can’t keep playing without them.
That is why MLB is asking its medical/scientific advisors can the person who tests positive be quarantined and the rest of the team continue playing under an even more watchful medical evaluation? Teams, after all, are used to having to put players on the Injured List all the time. But when a player sprains his ankle, for example, it is not infectious and it is not lethal to him or others. If someone associated with this venture of putting on games got very sick or — worse — died, what would that make the decision to return look like? Again, the chances to get to zero risk is not here. How much risk and potential damage to reputation is the league willing to take?
The answer is at least some. MLB recognizes that if it can get out first among sports leagues there is potential residual benefits both monetarily and in image in helping the country potentially feel more normal again.
— Where will teams play? There are 10 spring training facilities in Arizona housing 15 teams (five clubs share a facility), plus the Diamondbacks’ Chase Field plus some universities/colleges/junior colleges that have potentially suitable stadiums such as the University of Arizona, Arizona State and Grand Canyon University.
But think of the number of people it will take to get 15-ish fields prepped daily for baseball. If this goes for months, think of the daytime heat in Arizona becoming a factor. And think about how much governmental and public pushback there could be to increase risk in the name of playing baseball. No plan is going to get near 100 percent approval.
— How long will players and staff tolerate being separated from their families? Just how isolated is isolated and for how long? Just think of this example: Gerrit Cole and his wife, Amy, are expecting their first child in June. Can Cole return to his wife for that birth? If he does, will he have to quarantine for two weeks when he comes back? Multiply that by many players making similar situations for births, funerals and just general need to have proximity to loved ones.
— What is the imagery going to be? Yes, a lot of it is positive, just having games on again. But remember this is a sport in which — among other things — there is a lot of licking of fingers, spitting and reaching for some sweat to get a better grip. The ball is shared. Someone has to pick up and clean the uniforms. All of this would be true if MLB were playing widely in familiar sites. But it will become even more pertinent whenever they try to play next.
Arizona restart vision fraught with logistical nightmares
By Joel Sherman
April 7, 2020 | 11:32am
MLB officials on Monday sketched out for the first time to the Players Association a vision of re-starting first spring training in May and then beginning a season a few weeks later, with all of the training and games played exclusively in Arizona with no crowds.
The Associated Press and ESPN were first to outline details, but officials from the commissioner’s office, team executives and union personnel cautioned the plan is in its infancy, not embraced by either side as gospel yet and facing many hurdles of logistics, finances, staffing and permission of medical and governmental institutions.
MLB put out a statement Tuesday that said it is “actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so.” The statement acknowledged the one-locale plan as a possibility, but that no detailed elements have been formalized nor has there been approval with officials from the government, medical community or the Players Association on the plan.
What is fueling the energy behind the one-locale plan is concerns by both management and players that playing games broadly across the country during this coronavirus pandemic will be impossible. Thus, what might be in play for MLB and its players is to play in one region such as Arizona and isolate the personnel needed for this as much as possible, potentially for months — or not to play at all.
As one person briefed on the plan said, “It is imperfect. It may be impossible. But we should study this in every way possible because it could be a plan like this or no baseball in 2020.”
The obstacles, though, are significant and many. Here are a few key ones:
— What signal and from which medical and science professionals will it take for the league to say it will try this and then for players, coaches and whatever staff is needed to return en masse? What happens if a bloc of players on, say, the Phillies or Angels refuse to come back until there is a vaccine that brings the chances of contacting this coronavirus to near zero?
— How will players be paid? If there are no gate receipts, luxury boxes, concessions, parking, etc., MLB will be losing a substantial amount of its revenue for this season. Some of it could be made up if TV networks — hungry for live sports again — provide additional payouts to show a greater number of games. Still, owners are facing substantial losses either way.
One club official said, “Say a team is losing $70 million this year and to play it knows it would lose another $10 million to $20 million without fans and all that comes with that, why would they approve that plan without the players taking a cut?” Conversely, players could argue that by returning sooner than later they are playing a risk/reward game to help the institution and should not have to sacrifice pay.
MLB and the union already reached agreement on a plan that gives $170 million to 40-man roster players through May. But the arrangement is for no more than that without games. As opposed to NBA and NHL players who had received the bulk of their 2020 salaries because of how far their seasons have gone already, MLB players would not be in that situation. As a person briefed on the plans said, “It could come down to how many players are willing to accept fill-in-the-blank, 35, 40, 50, 60 percent of their salaries or zero the rest of the way.”
— What percentage of risk is acceptable? It is not going to be zero. There is not going to be a vaccine in the next month. Perhaps there will be wider testing or better understanding of who is now immune and who is not. But this will still entail putting a lot of people in one place at one time — and not just players. There is a need for coaches, umpires, TV crews, grounds crews, clubhouse attendants, doctors, trainers, workout specialists. Everyone will have to be fed and housed and commuted from one place to another, forcing an ever-wider pool of contact.
Can all of these people stay isolated from others?
There are a few players, for example, with diabetes. Will players, coaches and umpires with underlying health issues be told not to participate because they are more vulnerable to coronavirus and bad outcomes?
A player representative said, “There are significant medical and practical challenges ahead in this whole thing. Everyone wants to play as many games as possible, but only at the point that health and safety are adequately protected.”
How many people will agree what “adequately” means?
— What happens if a player, coach, clubhouse attendant, etc. tests positive for the virus? Does that force a team-wide quarantine and, thus, a shutdown of the sport again? After all, if, say, the Yankees need to quarantine, the other 29 teams can’t keep playing without them.
That is why MLB is asking its medical/scientific advisors can the person who tests positive be quarantined and the rest of the team continue playing under an even more watchful medical evaluation? Teams, after all, are used to having to put players on the Injured List all the time. But when a player sprains his ankle, for example, it is not infectious and it is not lethal to him or others. If someone associated with this venture of putting on games got very sick or — worse — died, what would that make the decision to return look like? Again, the chances to get to zero risk is not here. How much risk and potential damage to reputation is the league willing to take?
The answer is at least some. MLB recognizes that if it can get out first among sports leagues there is potential residual benefits both monetarily and in image in helping the country potentially feel more normal again.
— Where will teams play? There are 10 spring training facilities in Arizona housing 15 teams (five clubs share a facility), plus the Diamondbacks’ Chase Field plus some universities/colleges/junior colleges that have potentially suitable stadiums such as the University of Arizona, Arizona State and Grand Canyon University.
But think of the number of people it will take to get 15-ish fields prepped daily for baseball. If this goes for months, think of the daytime heat in Arizona becoming a factor. And think about how much governmental and public pushback there could be to increase risk in the name of playing baseball. No plan is going to get near 100 percent approval.
— How long will players and staff tolerate being separated from their families? Just how isolated is isolated and for how long? Just think of this example: Gerrit Cole and his wife, Amy, are expecting their first child in June. Can Cole return to his wife for that birth? If he does, will he have to quarantine for two weeks when he comes back? Multiply that by many players making similar situations for births, funerals and just general need to have proximity to loved ones.
— What is the imagery going to be? Yes, a lot of it is positive, just having games on again. But remember this is a sport in which — among other things — there is a lot of licking of fingers, spitting and reaching for some sweat to get a better grip. The ball is shared. Someone has to pick up and clean the uniforms. All of this would be true if MLB were playing widely in familiar sites. But it will become even more pertinent whenever they try to play next.
