May 20th, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It goes without saying that when Major League Baseball announced on Saturday that they had submitted a 67-page proposal to the MLB Players Association about possibly resuming baseball as early as July 1, there wasn’t a baseball fan on the planet who wasn’t ecstatic about the news. The proposal, which was extremely detailed on the steps that would be required to resume play in front of fan-less ballparks – either the teams’ home ballparks or their Spring Training facilities in Arizona or Florida – indicated that Spring Training-2 (as it is being called) could resume as early as mid-June.
But less than 48-hours after news of that 67-page proposal hit social media, the L.A. County Department of Public Health released its daily COVID-19 report on Tuesday evening indicating that the county had experienced its second-highest daily spike in COVID-19-related deaths at 76, to bring the death toll within the county to 1,913 since the pandemic was first reported in Southern California on March 4. The report also indicated that there were 1,183 newly confirmed cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 39,573.
Although the protocols set forth in MLB’s proposal are very proactive and if followed to the letter could and probably would prevent the spread of the deadly virus within the ranks of major league baseball, it is impossible to believe that every line item would be followed to the letter; including and especially the one about no spitting.
That being said and absent the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus, something has to give.
Let’s just hope that ‘something’ doesn’t cost a major leaguer – or a member of their family – their life.
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I think MLB players (and associated support staff) will have less risk from the virus under the proposed guidelines (which may be enhanced by union input) than they will in normal, every day routines. As states reopen the lack of respect for social distancing, limited use of masks and gloves, makes every day life more dangerous than playing MLB, especially for those at high risk. I fully expect the union to come back with a proposal that allows players who are high risk with heart conditions, cancer survivors, those with diabetes, asthma, etc. to opt out of playing with some level of reduced compensation. I believe there will less risk to MLB players than food store employees, and other similarly situated workers who are considered essential and must work to support their families.
I totally get what you are saying, Jesse. But the bottom line (and the intent of this article) is to point out that we aren’t even halfway through the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, it’s going to get worse before it even begins to gets better.
There is no question that EVERYONE is chomping at the bit to resume baseball, especially the players themselves. But I will say it right here and right now: an MLB player or a member of their immediate family WILL die from COVID-19 if play resumes before a vaccine is developed; this you can take to the bank.
I understand. I live in an area where the covid-19 cases are not expected to peak for another 30 to 60 days, yet the cities and counties will soon enter phase 2 of reopening even though it is obvious that at least half the population are oblivious to social distancing, and wearing masks are the exception rather than the rule. After reading the summary of MLB’s proposed safety rules, I think players will be much safer in the clubhouse, and playing field than they will be in day-to-day life.
@Dodgers I agree with you Ron
I hope the reason for the spike in LA County cases isn’t because Newsome followed the lead of NY, NJ and Pennsylvania and ordered people with the virus into nursing homes. That would be a deadly mistake.
Or how many of those deaths were from gunshot wound or motor vehicle accident with Covid? Illinois is counting people on hospice with heart disease, cancer, stroke and other illnesses as Covid deaths if the virus antibody can be found on them.
Even with a hoped for vaccine people are going to die from this virus until it burns itself out. Seems like we’d be lucky to get the same effectiveness as a flu vaccine
Mayo Clinic: Some older people and people with certain medical conditions may develop less immunity after receiving a flu shot. Reviews of past studies have found that, on average, the flu vaccine is about 50% to 60% effective for healthy adults who are between 18 and 64 years old.
There are no guarantees in life, MLB is a young man’s game, the virus is an old person’s scourge. I’m more worried about young guys dying from suicide or drug overdose than Covid as they watch their fleeting MLB careers go down the drain from shutdowns. Let’s Play Ball!! And if you’re a player and don’t want to play ball, DON’T. It’s still a free country isn’t it?
The numbers indicated in the graph are ONLY COVID-19 related, not the result of “…gunshot wound or motor vehicle accident.”
Free country? That was a long time ago. Unless you mean you’re free to get harrassed, cited, or arrested for opening your business. Or free to get dragged off a beach. Or free to get persecuted by attending your place of worship. Free to get sucker punched by someone that doesn’t like your hat. Gotta love freedom these days.
Yeah, the concept of freedom does seem to be changing and not for the better.
Ronald Reagan: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
I didn’t appreciate the wisdom of these words very much at the time. I think about them more and more now.
Love the quote.