Whatever you want to call this iteration of preseason training, it started at Guaranteed Rate Field this morning. Some of the photos look refreshingly normal.
Others reflect the weirdness of it all.
James Fegan wrote an in-depth assessment of the White Sox's part in getting the season off the ground, but in the end, they can only be responsible for a small part of it.
2. Is this going to work, though?
I don’t think anyone knows. We’re walking into the unknown, and none of the stadium accommodations make a vigorous travel schedule bulletproof, or keep dozens of people safe in a state that is both reopening and seeing cases spike. What if the Guaranteed Rate Field staff did a great job outfitting the park but one of the nine teams they play this year totally biffed it?
The biggest unknown of them all is what happens if a team experiences an outbreak. The details of MLB's response are slow to emerge, but as Jayson Stark's reasonable, responsible assessment of the big picture shows, I don't know if plans can assess every potential condition that can go wrong this season.
That said, the number of unanswered questions makes it hard to shake skepticism. One of the most natural hypothetical situations -- what happens to the schedule if a team tests positive? -- lacks a clear plan. Basically, the season has to be guided by gut feel, but the owner of that gut needs to have a lot of knowledge about COVID-19. If Rob Manfred owns that gut, then he needs access to knowledge and a willingness to yield judgment. He hasn't been the guy for this job in a lot of ways, but now would be a good time to show something different.
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Outbreak Outtakes
*Of the White Sox's 44-man player pool, Michael Kopech and Cheslor Cuthbert have yet to arrive. Rick Hahn says Kopech is dealing with a personal matter, while Cuthbert is delayed coming in from Nicaragua. The results of COVID-19 tests will be announced when results are back.
*Kopech's situation naturally invites speculation, and Hahn tried to address it as delicately as he could.
“At this time I do not have a timeline for his return and given the personal nature of the matter he’s tending to I won’t provide updates until we know the actual plan for Michael going forward."
Hahn's tone is a reminder that Kopech has been open about his anxiety and depression in the past, which is a reminder that the pandemic poses such a threat to mental health that the CDC has its own guidelines for managing that aspect of it.
*Jose Quintana's season is delayed longer than the league's, as the Cubs announced that he sliced his left thumb while washing dishes. The cut required five stitches, and it lacerated a nerve that needed surgery. Quintana is a free agent after this year.
*The All-Star Game is officially canceled.
*Mike Trout expressed doubt about how he'll participate this season, as his wife is expecting their first baby in August.
“We’re playing it by ear,’’ Trout said. “I think the biggest thing is this is our first child. I’ve got to be there. If I test positive, I can’t see the baby for 14 days. We would be upset. I’ve got to keep Jess safe. I’ve got to keep the baby safe. … I try to talk to my wife every night about this. I know I’m risking myself. I could meet somebody and get this virus. That’s the last thing I want to do.
