Local alums in limbo as virus halts season
Major League Baseball season suspension leaves local trio in limbo
Major League Baseball, like all other professional sports, suspended play because of the coronavirus outbreak late last week.
That ruling has left three local players in limbo: Kingston High graduates Zack Short, Pat Dorrian and Matt Tomshaw.
Short is on the 40-man roster with the Chicago Cubs. Dorrian is in the Baltimore Orioles’ minor league system and Tomshaw is in the Chicago White Sox’s system.
Parent clubs had all their minor league players head home.
“I got home yesterday (Sunday) and I drove to Syracuse. I’m at my girlfriend’s house,” Dorrian said.
Dorrian had been at the Orioles’ camp in Sarasota, Fla., not even a week when the league suspended spring training last Thursday, March 12.
“I was only there one week. It more like a vacation than it was a training. I think I had three days of hitting on the field and workouts,” he said. “We couldn’t go to the facilities on the Friday and the Saturday and then they had us go home on the Sunday. They weren’t really sure what they wanted to do at first and then they let us know Saturday night that we would be flying out on Sunday.”
Short and Tomshaw had been in camps since they opened and played in a number of games. Short got into 15 contests for the Cubs, batting .190 (4for-21) with seven walks, a home run and three RBI.
Tomshaw, a non-roster invitee, was with the White Sox in their camp in western Phoenix. He appeared in six games, striking out three and allowing two runs on six hits in six innings for a 3.00 ERA.
“Guys were talking about it when we first got there, like ‘Hey, this may happen’ and ‘No way. It’s not going to actual happen,’” Dorrian said about the coronavirus talk. “It kind of slipped my mind. Then, we got done with our workout on Thursday about 2 or 3 o’clock. I think that’s when things started to pick up. The NBA did their thing and the MLB probably felt like they needed to do something.”
“They sent a bunch of minor leaguers home but, being on the 40-man, they gave you an option if you wanted to stay or go,” said Short, who has remained in the Cubs’ complex in Mesa, Ariz. “They advised you to go home, but being here we can work at the facility and I wouldn’t have that luxury at home.
“I just feel better off out here than travelling. Obviously, New York is not the greatest spot right now. I would rather stay here,” Short added.
Players are allowed to use the weight room, club house and batting cages on a limited basis.
“At certain times, though. There’s only so many people that can go. We have a schedule, but it’s well ran considering the circumstance,” said Short who, as of Wednesday, was one of 15 Cubs still in camp, along with stars such as Anthony Rizzo, Yu Darvis and Kyle Hendricks. “As of now, I’ll be here for a little bit and kind of play it by ear.”
After a conference call with team owners on Monday, Commissioner Rob Manfred said that spring training camps won’t be closed and players can still do informal workouts.
Dorrian is making do in upstate New York with outdoor workouts.
“I did a workout (Monday) in my girlfriend’s backyard with a 45-pound plate,” he said. “I’m going to be doing a lot more backyard workouts, for sure.
“It won’t be a problem. I can still hit outside. I’m use to hitting in cold weather. I can make that work. There’s plenty of workouts I can do without actually being at the gym. It will be a little different, but it will be a challenge. I’m up for it. It will be fun. I’ll make it work and I’ll be ready to go whenever they text, call, email.
“I got a (batting) tee in my trunk. It’s always with me wherever I go, just in case,” Dorrian added. “I think I got one of Zack’s Cubs bags filled with baseballs and I got my tee.”