The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Players have already tested positive
Classic Park will be alternate site for Indians during Spring Training 2.0
President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said a number of players have tested positive for the virus.
As players and staff of the Indians prepare to report to Spring Training 2.0 at Progressive Field on July 1, Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said a number of players have already tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
On a Zoom conference with reporters on June 26, Antonetti said cases have been isolated and there hasn’t been any spread of the COVID-19 virus within the Indians environment, but that there have been cases.
“We’ve had a few isolated cases,” Antonetti said. “There have been a few from players who have been at home, a couple cases in the Dominican Republic and a few cases in our Goodyear (Ariz.) facility. The good thing is all cases have been isolated and there hasn’t been any spread within our environment.”
In accordance with Major
League Baseball protocols, players and staff will be tested when they arrive at Progressive Field next week for Spring Training 2.0. Any person with a positive test result will be placed in quarantine — likely for 14 days, Antonetti said, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
Earlier this week, owners implemented a 60-game season. Players will report to their home cities on July 1, with games slated to commence July 23-24.
Even Antonetti said that while July 1 is a reporting day and games are slated to start a few weeks later, much remains up in the air. Including the season in general.
“We understand there may come a point in time where circumstances dictate we might not be able to play,” Antonetti said. “Obviously our hope is the protocols we have in place will be sufficient enough to at least keep our players and staff healthy.”
Antonetti said players and staff have been given the option to opt-in or opt-out of the abbreviated season. So far, no players have declined to play.
Antonetti said the Indians “would be fully supportive” of any player who felt it wasn’t in his best interests to play in light of the coronavirus.
The Indians will use both clubhouses — the home and visitor’s sides — during the shortened spring training. Players will work in smaller groups in order to be spread out more during the workouts.
Classic Park, home of the Lake County Captains, will be utilized as an alternate site.
Antonetti said the protocols that are in place are “very extensive” and the players are taking ownership to make the working environment as safe as possible for everyone involved.
“They see this as an opportunity and challenge to be better than every other team,” he said in regard to a safe and healthy playing environment.
He said no roster decisions will be made based on financial ramifications, but he did hint the organization will take a big financial hit this year.
“Our financial losses will be extraordinary this year,” he said, “but I do not expect we will have any short-term decisions that will be impacted by finances.”
Will fans be able to get into Progressive Field to watch the games when they start? Antonetti said the State of Ohio will have a big say in that.
“They’re going to have to give us some guidance on what they might be comfortable with,” Antonetti said. “Then it would be up to us to adapt a plan in which we could do that in a safe way.”
The restart of baseball will have a different look to it.
Teams will be allowed to invite 60 players to their major-league camp and only those 60 will be eligible to play the regular season.
Among the rule changes — or alterations — are the implementation of the designated hitter rule for both the American and National Leagues and the change in extra-inning games in which a runner is placed on second base to start the inning.
Additionally, teams will have a specific “injury list” for players who have tested for coronavirus, are showing symptoms or have been exposed to the virus.
Antonetti said he is “hopeful” the season will run as currently scheduled, but that “to assess a probability, I have no idea how to do that.”
He did say, however, that the absence of baseball to this point has driven home a point.
“It re-affirms for all of us our love for baseball,” he said. “I think we will not take it for granted when we start playing again.”