BACK TO BIZ their informal workout following coronavirus delay

The Yankees choose as a team to stay and continue their workouts and Saturday was the first day of that new odd reality.

“It went well. Large group of players showed up today and we were able to do defensive work, infield work, guys hit indoors, pitchers played catch,” Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza said as he drove out of the complex Saturday morning. “We’ll continue to do that.”

The Yankees cut back their personnel to those that are essential to keep the players training, sending others back to New York. Coaches like Mendoza are helping run the informal workouts. Manager Aaron Boone was also remaining and had plans to be at the facility with the team. The team is still providing meals, meal money and help with housing.

But, it’s a decidedly different setting for the team, who are used to working out in front of crowds and media.

“Pretty weird,” Mendoza said. “It’s pretty strange, obviously a difficult situation but we’re trying our best to do what we can.”

Saturday, LeMahieu, Gio Urshela and Tyler Wade were among the infielders there to work on drills. Outfielders Brett Gardner and Clint Frazier were in to hit and do drills. Luis Cessa, Chad Green and Jonathan Holder were among the pitchers there on Saturday.

Mendoza said the staff would be there as long as the players continue to come in.

“We want to support and obviously that’s our job. We’ll see where this situation will take us because every day it looks like it changes, so who knows what’s going to happen,” Mendoza said. “But as of right now we’re here for them.”

Privately, players and team personnel do not believe that the league will be able to start up after just two weeks delay. Many believe there will be no baseball before May. Still, the Yankees players hope that they will be able to remain sharp for whenever the league is able to start up.

“Guys will be able to keep their arms sharp, be able to work out. And, you know, like [Brian Cashman] said, this is going to be something that changes on a daily basis and hopefully becomes more and more clear as we move along,” Boone said. “As to when the season is going to begin, it’s going to have to evolve each and every day. But for right now, you know, they’ll be able to get in whether they want to work in the cage, whether it’s in the weight room, whether it’s the training staff providing service they need, whether it’s pitchers keeping their arms going and having the ability to throw bullpens.

“We’ll be here to support that and, and each and every day is going to be a little bit different as more and more information rolls in. I mean,

I just think in the last 48 hours, and how much it’s changed, you know, I would expect it to be similar moving forward.”

In the days since the league announced it was shutting down there have been reports that Illinois will not allow sporting events until May and President Trump has declared a national state of emergency. While outside Steinbrenner Field everything is changing, inside, the players and coaches tried to keep it as normal as possible.

“We’re just working because obviously we don’t have much information, we’re just waiting to see what happens above us,” Mendoza said. “So as of right now it’s like business as usual and we’re just working out.”