Feeling safe at home
Orioles players, coaches are doing well in MLB’s return, despite league’s problems
With workouts canceled across baseball due to problems with MLB’s coronavirus testing procedures over the holiday weekend and more players testing positive for the virus or deciding not to play because of it each day, Orioles players and coaches are presenting a picture of a relative oasis from the issues of restarting the game in a pandemic that seem to be jeopardizing the season elsewhere.
Down the highway in Washington, the World Series champion Nationals canceled Monday’s workout because Friday’s set of COVID-19 test results were never returned from the league. Same goes for their World Series opponents, the Houston Astros, who along with the Oakland
Athletics had to adjust their plans because test results weren’t processed in a timely manner.
In Atlanta, former Orioles star Nick Markakis decided he wouldn’t play in 2020 after talking to Braves teammate Freddie Freeman, who not only tested positive but also is dealing with some symptoms of the virus.
MLBsaid in a statement that 98% of the 3,740 intake tests from the week between June 27 and July 3 had results reported back to the club, many the day after testing, though 86 samples were still pending Monday morning. Those that weren’t returned were attributed to shipping delays due to the holiday weekend, the league said.
“The process has not been without some unforeseen difficulties, which are being addressed with the service providers that are essential to the execution of the protocols,” the league said. “It is
East a lot is going to be interesting,” executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said last month. “I didn’t think that our strength of schedule being an American League East team could get any tougher, but it actually did. We do have the toughest strength-of-schedule this year. It’s not going to be an easy road.”
While overlooking the caliber of opponents they’ll be facing and the high stakes of such games, some have chosen instead to focus on the unpredictability of a short season and the circumstances it’s being executed under to posit that the Orioles could over-perform their last-place expectations.
“It’s definitely a sprint,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “There’s no doubt about it. We’re going to be in first place in late July. I think that’s really exciting for all of us.”
Fortunately for the Orioles, much of their travel will occur in the Northeast, where coronavirus cases have been relatively stable over the past month. Their trips to face the Tampa Bay Rays and Marlins in Florida could prove challenging on that front, as cases have spiked in Florida. No firm solution to the international travel regulations caused by COVID-19 has been reached when it comes to traveling into and out of Canada to face the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Orioles have said the season will begin without fans, though the office of
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said last week that discussions were being held to explore that option later in the season.
MLB’s announcement included two showcase games on Thursday, July 23, to kick off the season. The Nationals will face the New York Yankees, then the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants will play later that night before the season begins for the remaining 26 clubs July 24.
Before the season begins, the Orioles will play exhibition games at the Phillies on July 19, at home against the Nationals on July 20, and at the Nationals on July 21.