For players, COVID-19 is nothing to spit at
Players’ traditional on-field habits are subject to change because of COVID-19
Spit — that ooey, sometimes-gooey, mouth-soaking saliva — is synonymous with the Boys of Summer.
So, as we gingerly wade through the early innings of a COVID-19 global pandemic, Major League Baseball is preparing to play ball once again. Well, at least, they’ve been talking about this for months now.
One of the many contentious issues — one that has nothing to do with revenue-sharing plans or how much the players should be paid — is the matter of spitting.
There are health and safety concerns over the possible transmission of coronavirus particles in the air associated with America’s favourite pastime.
When it comes to baseball, there seems to be a whole lot of spit spilling onto the diamond.
Whether you like it or not, spit has become ubiquitous with the sport of baseball.
Heck, there is even a type of pitch named for it, the outlawed “spitter” or “spit ball.” Pitchers can lubricate the baseball to affect the aerodynamic properties or to reduce friction between the fingers and the ball.
The practice is illegal, of course, just like corking bats, stealing signs, and such.
Yet, spit isn’t just limited to the pitching mound.
Take the batter’s box. Players spit in their hands; they spit on their bats; they spit into the sand. Catchers lift their masks and spit to the side. Even some of the umpires spit. There’s spit flying everywhere, like sprinklers on a golf course.
Next are the dugouts.
So many sources, too.
Of course, there’s the traditional projectile-like saliva spit, but there’s also spit from tobacco chew — a little more viscous, to be sure, but spit nonetheless.
There’s spit from the so-called spitz — sunflower seeds.
And, lastly, don’t forget the confrontation between umpire and club manager — picture the late Billy Martin or Lou Piniella or Earl Weaver or Tommy Lasorda and some stubborn ump going face to face, moistly talking and often barking, at home plate.
Add it all up and baseball’s pretty much a Spit Fest.
Now they’re talking about banning spit from Major League Baseball. Good luck with that, I say.
It’ll be interesting to see how they police this. Or will spitting simply be highly discouraged?
Seriously though, baseball and its cousin softball would seem to be on the lower end of the risk scale, as a whole, when it comes to COVID-19, outside of the aforementioned spitting.
When youth baseball and softball organizations look to return to play, quite possibly in July here in Saskatchewan, there are many preventive steps that could be taken to help maintain the health and safety of participants.
Modification and innovation are both key.
Thankfully, the game is played outside, often with the helpful UV rays of vitamin-d sunshine and fresh air. Those are good things.
Umpires could wear face coverings or visor shields.
Batters could wear helmets with visors or clear shields.
Players out in the field aren’t typically confined to tight spaces. There are steps that could be taken to alleviate concerns around the basepaths.
Even at home plate, the catcher could be moved back six feet and the umpire placed behind the backstop. Baserunners would not be allowed to steal bases, and would be banned from leaving the bag until the ball is released by the pitcher. (This is already done in softball).
Those bases? Well, you may have seen “safety” double-bag bases at first base, one of them for the baserunner and the other for the first baseman. Why not have them at second, third and home plate as well? You could eliminate the sliding and physical tagging at these bases and home plate and let the runners run through. The second-baseman, third-baseman or catcher could simply catch the ball with his foot on the bag for an out, much like what happens at first base.
There’s also concern about the sharing and handling of balls and bats. Hand-sanitizing stations would be crucial to address this, as much as possible.
There will always be a risk of transmission, yes, but careful and prudent steps could minimize this risk.
The nice thing about ball diamonds is there’s no shortage of space. You can expand the dugout with additional exterior benches to spread players and coaches to ensure a six-foot or two-metre distance between them.
Whether or not any ball will be played yet this summer in these parts remains to be seen, but next to golf and tennis, can ball be the next safest thing for youth sports participants? Surely some modified form of baseball or softball could be played to mitigate risks and safety concerns.
Personally, I’d rather see sports played outdoors in the summer while we can still get outdoors. Who knows what will happen come late fall and winter, when many experts are predicting a second, possibly more serious, wave.
Right now, when it comes to return-to-play in any sport, nothing comes lickety-split or, in this particular case, lickety-spit, thanks to COVID-19.