MIAMI – With six Major League Baseball teams idle Friday because of COVID-19, commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to union leader Tony Clark about the importance of players following the sport’s health and safety protocol that was developed in hopes of making a 60-game season – and then the playoffs – possible during a pandemic.
Manfred and Clark talked about what needs to be done to finish the season, said a person familiar with the conversation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. The conversation, first reported by ESPN, occurred amid growing evidence the spread of infection threatens to overtake efforts to play ball.
“Some things aren’t looking too good right now, but we have to play up to that point. Players are seeing what can happen,” Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “The rest now is up to us and the virus,”
Concerns have been expressed about lax behavior by players on the field – such as spitting or high-fives – and off it. The scrambled schedule has also heightened doubts about whether team owners’ desire to play is realistic.
“Obviously, we saw the message. They sent a memo. Just be more diligent, wear a mask in the dugout when you’re not playing, what we’ve thought to be the rules all along,” Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Stephen Vogt said. “So it’s just like every other rule that MLB has for players – now it’s going to be enforced, so to speak. Just strongly encouraging.”