To play or not to play
An “easy call” for Brewers star Christian Yelich to play during pandemic, but he supports those opting out.
Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich said Sunday he supports all players who have opted out of Major League Baseball’s pandemicdelayed 2020 season over concerns about catching the virus or unknowingly spreading it to loved ones but felt it was “an easy call” for him to report to Summer Camp.
“I really didn’t ever have the thought of opting out or anything like that,” said Yelich, who particiwould in a morning Zoom session with media before taking part in the second day of workouts at Miller Park in Group 2, otherwise known as the night shift.
“But guys are all in different boats and if you choose to opt out or if we ever had anybody that chose to opt out, then you would fully support that decision and understand where they were coming from. You know it’s a unique year. It’s something that we haven’t experienced before and guys have varying comfort levels with what’s going on, so if someone chose not to play on our team, I definitely support them.
“I support the guys throughout the league that have already made that decision and chose not play, and I do not think they’re going to be the last ones. I think it’s probably going to be more common as camp goes along. It’s something that you just have to respect as a player. I definitely do.”
Veteran pitcher David Price of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the biggest name thus far to opt out of playing during the pandemic but even the game’s biggest star, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, said he reserved the right to leave and return to his pregnant wife if he started feeling uncomfortable with the situation.
Yelich, 28, in the prime of his capated
reer and coming off two fantastic seasons since being acquired by the Brewers from Miami, admitted it’s impossible not to think about COVID-19 when nearly everything players do, on and off the field, has been changed to meet strict health protocols. He said he is not overly worried about contracting the virus but understands the importance of doing everything necessary to stay safe.
“I’m in a different situation than a lot of guys as far as I’m not living with family members that are at risk,” Yelich said. “I’m not, quote, unquote, ‘at risk’ myself as a high-risk individual with health conditions.
“For me, my outlook on it is you’re going to have guys that feel differently about this virus. You know some that are very worried and some that aren’t. You have to be respectful of everyone’s views and take it upon yourself to take all the precautions and be a good teammate and do the best to your ability.
“But, at the end of the day, part of that unknown is where you could do all that stuff and still come down with the virus and miss up to a month. I think a big part of the season is going to be dealing with the unpredictable, the unknown. We get tested so much that every other day you could lose one of your guys for an extended period of time.”
Over the course of a normal 162game season, teams that advance to the postseason usually have the best combination of talent, momentum and health, in terms of the usual baseballrelated injuries. Now, in a shortened 60game season scheduled to begin near the end of the month, another undeniable factor is at play: trying to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak, especially among star players.
“We’re looking forward to the opportunity to get back out there and provide some entertainment,” Yelich said. “Obviously, it has been a tough first half of the year for a lot of people. We’re taking that seriously and trying to do everything we can to just get back out there and make sure that we follow all the rules and regulations that we have to, to enable that process to take place.
“We have a long way to go, obviously, but we would definitely really enjoy the opportunity to get back on the field and
At Miller Park last season, Christian Yelich posted a .750 slugging percentage a 1.201 OPS and 27 of his 44 home runs.
provide some excitement, some entertainment, to not only our city and state but the rest of the country.
“We have to be cautious because, like I said, if we end up coming down with this thing, then it’s an extended period of time away. Depending on what time period you do come down with it, it could potentially be the season or much worse, with some health effects. So, for us it’s really just minimizing the time that we spend away from the field or our houses. Basically, not really going out in public or doing things that we don’t absolutely have to do. That’s what it’s going to take for this to be successful.”
Unlike many other players, Yelich doesn’t have to worry about his future earnings. Less than a week before the pandemic shut down spring training camps and put the season hold, he agreed to a nine-year, $215 million deal that in essence makes him a lifetime Brewer.
With teams hemorrhaging money this year and already at odds with the players union over finances, the expectation is that the free-agent market could be depressed for at least a year or two. Many stars could see paydays not meet expectations, but Yelich’s salaries are secure through 2028, with a mutual option for 2029.
Yelich heard some criticism for not getting absolute top dollar after rising into the upper echelon of offensive players, but his decision is looking pretty good under these circumstances.
“It’d be hard not to think about it but, to be honest, I wasn’t really expecting a pandemic to hit or anything, even though (the contract extension and shutdown) were really in close relation; I think maybe a week apart,” Yelich said. “At the end of the day, this is where I wanted to be.
“I said it a lot at the time when we had the press conference, which feels like it was years ago, but it’s one of those things where one of the reasons I did it was because I’ve really loved and enjoyed playing here. The other is you never know what’s going to happen in the future. It was something that I felt was good for myself and my family, and saw it in my eyes which was far and something that I was happy with.
“I’d be lying if I told you I knew a pandemic was going to hit but it’s kind of just how it played out. The fortunate thing about that is after it happened, you just focus on playing baseball and trying to win and bring as much success to the Brewers organization as possible. Fortunately, I haven’t had to worry about the contract aspect of my life during this whole thing.”
In his two seasons with the Brewers, Yelich has been a Miller Park monster, posting a .750 slugging percentage there last season with a 1.201 OPS and 27 of his 44 home runs. He has fed off tremendous fan support, drawing adrenaline from the often electric atmosphere but now must prepare for playing in a vacuum with no one in the stands, at least at the outset.
“It’s going to be different, for sure,” he said. “We obviously enjoy playing in Miller Park in front of the home crowd. As a team, we feed off that. Even on the road, you feed off it when you’re getting booed and heckled and everyone in the stadium wants you to fail. As a player, it gets you up for the game.
“To not have that is going to be different, and I think once we are back to the point when we do have a packed house at Miller Park again – whenever that might be – you’re going to appreciate it that much more. You’re not going to take it for granted as much that you play in the big leagues and there’s going to be big crowds, because that’s not going to happen this year.
“I think the sounds of the game are going to be amplified. The popping of the catcher’s mitt or the crack of the bat. You’re going to hear a little bit more of that during these games. For a player, it’s definitely going to be unique. Where will they find the energy? I think it’s going to be through your teammates. Every team is in the same boat. The players are great at motivating each other.”
One of things Yelich has enjoyed while playing for the Brewers is the togetherness of the players and how they’ve been able to mix business and pleasure, finding the right mix to be successful. For a player who hits a lot of home runs, he was asked what it will be like with dugout celebrations prohibited.
“We’ll figure it out and see,” he said. “I don’t even think we’ve had any discussions about that or how that is going to work. So, we will just see. It’s going to be a very weird year, but it is what it is.”