Now what? That is the question we all must be thinking with the present situation in major league baseball. The Miami Marlins today stated that a number of players have now tested positive after their weekend in Philadelphia and have now cancelled their own home opener.
MLB said in a statement today: “The members of the Marlins’ traveling party are self-quarantining in place while awaiting the outcome of those results. Major League Baseball has been coordinating with the Major League Baseball Players Association; the Marlins; the Orioles; the Marlins’ weekend opponent, the Phillies; and Club medical staffs, and will continue to provide updates as appropriate.” Add to that, the cancellation of the Yankees and Phillies today which prompted the owners, commissioner and the player’s union to call an emergency meeting. Again, now what? Heck, that question is quite apropos to the national and worldwide pandemic that has brought us to our knees.
MLB spent most of it’s time bickering about money. Billionaires arguing with millionaires, instead of thinking the situation out better for if and when they could begin the season safely. The government at its highest level pointed more fingers than a cargo ship filled with pebbles. There is no unified plan from the White House or Congress to take control of the virus, leaving everyone just twisting in the wind. “Every Man For Himself” has never been more evident. Owners and players like every other business are trying to stay afloat during this crisis and has been told to figure it out on their own.
Baseball will earn a much deserved Olympic Gold medal for greed and a giant pie in the face for putting their people in harms way. It breaks my heart to see the game I have loved since I was a seven year old at my first game at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, become so much about the money. This rush to put players on the field was not so much about the fans to them as it was about the TV revenue money they so desperately wanted.
The few games I have tried to watch were dull, lacking a real crowd presence along with a lackluster play by play by people who were most likely broadcasting from their basements around the country. Watching players in the dugouts not keeping a safe distance from each other, not wearing masks and touching each other after a HR showed a blatant disregard for any of the protocols set down by MLB. Then again, were those protocols really that enforceable?
Will the players union instruct their players to be more aware of their close proximity to others when not wearing a mask or will they advise them to all go home until this pandemic is under control? Will the owners see the severity of the situation more clearly and decide that it is no worth risking the health of their players? Or will they continue this farce of a baseball season? Soon they will have to put non roster players who are not ready for the big leagues in those dugouts. Can you say “Spring Training quality games boys and girls?” Will the Commissioner say anything that matters? Or will he give us another idiotic rule change to speed up the game?
Hey, maybe that would help. Less time for players to infect each other. How about only putting one umpire behind the pitchers mound and the first baseman can not hold anyone on. No tags, every play is a force out. Don’t laugh, having this guy for the commish is like putting Dr. Fauci on a pitchers mound. Oh wait, we already saw that.
And so here we are, full circle. with the original question of “Now What?” What ever the powers that be in baseball and Washington come up with I’m sure it will be well thought out with the best interests of everyone in mind. Did I just say that?
