MLB’s COVID-19 rules are creating a strange new brand of baseball, and a few New York Yankees have voiced their opinions about the changes.
How are MLB teams taking to baseball under the COVID-19 social distancing rules? Here to explain in their own words, the New York Yankees:
“It’s the new normal,’’ outfielder Aaron Hicks told the New York Post’s Dan Martin. “It takes a while to get adjusted on the baseball field. You want to engage in conversation and you’re told to stay at a distance.”
The Bombers are currently prepping for the coming coronavirus-shortened season at Yankee Stadium. Fans cannot attend, high-fives and fist bumps are banned, and there’s no spitting allowed.
Also, players and staff will undergo regular testing and multiple daily temperature checks.
“It was definitely different,’’ starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery told Martin. “But it’s just like working in Tampa in an empty stadium. You try to get your work in, stay focused and stay safe as I can.”
Manager Aaron Boone also commented on the odd new circumstances his team is facing. The third-year skipper described the 2020 MLB season as “a whole different animal.”
The season is slated to start on July 23, with a truncated schedule of 60 games, not including postseason contests.
In addition to the loss of regular-season games, MLB could soon start bleeding star players.
Dodgers starter David Price has already decided to forego his 2020 season. Reports indicate that Mike Trout could be next in line.
The “new normal” may be a bit uncomfortable, but it’s important to remember it’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened to the game. Several MLB players actually died while fighting in World Wars I and II.
Suffering the annoyance of wearing masks, playing fan-less games and breaking spitting habits pales to ghost-like shades in any comparison.
