There's been a trickle of alterations, cancellations and compromises across sports in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but the active American professional sports leagues made their first official concession on Monday, and I imagine many more will be on the way.
Major League Baseball along with the NBA, NHL and MLS, announced the barring of reporters from clubhouses, limiting access to only "players and essential personnel."
The Baseball Writers Association of America, perhaps recalling the Astros' contract-breaking barring of an individual reporter from the clubhouse because Justin Verlander said so, objected to the measure, probably more because accepting it without issue might encourage the league to restrict media under less dire circumstances.
But it seems like such gripes will be temporary, because with the increased amount of non-media bodies around a team -- spring training non-roster invitees, all the new coaching positions analytics has created -- this seems like it's more thrown out there as an acknowledgment of the crisis. Nippon Professional Baseball has delayed its season, and that's the kind of thing that will make the clubhouse access debate seem quaint.
In the meantime, I suppose we should start figuring out how we'll bide our time here should coronavirus delay the start of the season. I'll accept any and all ideas, because even if this comes and goes with minimal disruption, I still may need to file it away in the event of a work stoppage.
Spare Parts
It's always satisfying when the subject of a post validates the premise. For instance, here's Dylan Cease talking about his unprecedented fastball command.
“I don’t feel like I commanded it at all last year,” Cease said of fastballs low and away. “I might have had spurts but if you go back and watch it, I had four straight innings of dotting, dotting low and away. I didn’t have it any point last year.”
Let's just not talk about Cease's third inning on Monday.
It's also worth noting that Aaron Bummer was motivated to take a contract extension because, as Josh Hader shows, the quest for substantial raises through arbitration for a non-closing reliever is kind of a slog.
David Laurila talked to Nick Madrigal about his craft, and it sounds like Madrigal sees his opposite-field-oriented approach to line drives and foul balls as a fixture instead of a flaw.
Madrigal has a mechanical change in his background, as well. He lowered his hands when he got to Oregon State, and the result was “shorter moves to the ball” and harder contact to the opposite field. When his hands were higher, Madrigal tended to flare the ball when going to right field.
It's no longer just Keith Law anymore. The White Sox farm system now falls outside the top 10 on the MLB Pipeline list as well, coming in at No. 11 after opening 2019 in the fourth spot, and sliding down to ninth midseason.
With no clear path to immediate MLB playing time, Zack Collins' main job is to make the White Sox notice him. He's doing that this spring, goin 5-for-17 with two homers, a double, eight walks and six strikeouts over 25 plate appearances. Rick Renteria has complimented his defense, too.
“He’s maturing first and foremost,” Renteria said. “He’s understanding the work he’s putting in is going to pay huge dividends. He’s receiving much better. He’s working with the pitchers much better. The communication is much better. Everything in his blocking game is improving. Any number of things we’ve asked him to do behind the plate, he’s trying to show us he’s capable of doing it.”
While Renteria likely wouldn't knock Collins' defense even if it warranted it, this is more than he had to say.
Eddie Olczyk made the first bet at Illinois' first sports book at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, and he placed $100 on the White Sox to win the American League pennant at 16-to-1 odds.
From being a first-round pick to having to explain how this season is going to be different, Carson Fulmer has a lot of Gordon Beckham in him. The good news is that Fulmer only has to be decent for an inning at a time in order to serve a purpose, and he's had some moments this spring. I've seen him use his changeup more than usual.
A Christian Yelich-like deal is not happening for Francisco Lindor, mostly because he wants more than Christian Yelich-like money, and the Indians insist on carrying an eight-figure payroll.
