MLB prepares to discuss virus outbreak
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — As U.S. sports leagues weigh whether to bar fans from ballparks and stadiums to help stall the coronavirus outbreak, San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzija is one of the few players who can tell them exactly what that feels like. “It’s not very fun,” he said. Samardzija pitched for the Chicago White Sox in a 2015 game played without fans in Baltimore due to civil unrest in the city. It was a bizarre scene at Camden Yards — a sun-drenched stadium, empty except for the teams — but something that has already become common internationally and could happen in the U.S. if there’s no slowdown to the spread of the COVID-19 strain that has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide.
The global virus outbreak has caused concern about cramming tens of thousands of fans in for games that technically can go on without them.
Sports leagues in Europe, Asia and the Middle East have already locked supporters out of venues, and the NBA sent a memo to its franchises Friday warning them to prepare for the possibility that it may have to host games without fans.
While U.S. sports leagues have been in regular contact with each other regarding the outbreak, MLB and the NHL have not yet issued similar notices.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred plans to discuss the coronavirus with team owners in a conference call today — the first league-wide call between clubs and the commissioner about the outbreak. But at this stage, the league plans to open the season in 21/2 weeks as planned.
With the situation evolving quickly, athletes in the U.S. are becoming aware — and concerned — about the possibility of playing behind closed doors.
“Boring. Boring,” Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson said. “We get the energy from our fans. It would suck, man.”
Virus concerns are greater in some pockets of the country — like in Washington state, which has reported 16 deaths and more than 100 people diagnosed.
Washington officials are already cautioning residents to avoid large gatherings — and one of the biggest on the schedule is when the Mariners host the Texas Rangers for opening day March 26.
Seattle, like all other big-league clubs, has been monitoring the situation in conjunction with MLB and taken precautions around its spring training complex in Peoria, Ariz. But Mariners vice president of communications Tim Hevly said that at this stage, “we have no specific concerns or precautions based on what is happening in Washington.”
“These decisions will be made by Major League Baseball with the Mariner people that sit in a higher chair than I’m in,” Seattle Manager Scott Servais said. “It is serious, it is really serious. Something that we do not look lightly at. … But hopefully it gets calmed down a little bit.”
Spring training routines have been gently adjusted — hand-washing has gone up, autograph meet-and-greets with fans have been tweaked, and Servais said the Mariners have altered some dugout handshakes — but overwhelmingly, team members have said they and their families have been unaffected.
“Certainly you want to make the right decision for our fans, everybody that’s close to the game,” Servais said. “We still need to play our games, if we can, but that’s not for me to decide. We’ll adhere to the decisions that are made. We are planning on playing a complete season this year, and I’m sure we will.”