A LONGER MLB SHUTDOWN LOOMING AFTER FIRST POSITIVE CORONAVIRUS TEST

This Coronavirus outbreak just got very real for the New York Yankees after an unidentified minor league player at spring training has tested positive for COVID-19, read more HERE. Today is four days that the sports world has stopped turning. It's been hard enough, we all know this will continue to be hard. The only thing we want to be talking about right now is....when does it get better? When do we get our sports back?

No one knows, I wish we did. For now, we sit back and wait for more answers and hope this does not spread to other players within the Yankees organization or any other team for that matter. Here's what Brian Cashman has said so far:

-The player who tested positive showed symptoms last week. He stayed in his room Thursday and on Friday woke up with a fever and felt fatigued.

-The positive test came from a younger player and was not working with any of the major league players in camp.

-The player was exclusively in minor league camp and had no interactions with anyone at Steinbrenner Field.

-Yankee minor leaguers and some staff are under self-quarantine including the players roommates.

-As of Sunday afternoon, no other Coronavirus tests were administered to Yankees players or personnel.

-The player who tested positive is already reporting that he is feeling better, and no longer as a fever.

The fact that this kid is already feeling better is great news, but now what? Hopefully no one else catches this.

As we look further down the road, we have to wonder if anyone else will test positive for this....and we all cross our fingers the answer is no. Although, I must admit that sounds like it would be a miracle. It seems crazy to believe that there will be no spread of this virus. Before the news of this positive test Yankee player unanimously voted to stay in camp and continue to workout and prepare for the regular season. The regular season was going to be delayed "at least" two weeks....but now we face he reality of that delay lasting much longer now that all MLB teams are headed home.

But how much longer? According to USA Today HERE, maybe beyond Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully that's not the case and right now it is just hearsay. Owners and team presidents have a conference call scheduled for today to determine the next steps which seems to change hourly at this point. The idea of a full 162 game season sounds unrealistic at this point, the season would extend too late into the year. So who knows what the structure of the season will look like once all parties agree to it and how that will affect division races.

There is a lot to figure out at this point but we will just have to wait and see as MLB regroups from this. I hope the player who tested positive recovers quickly, and I help no one else gets sick. I hope we get to watch baseball again soon....I hope things go back to normal soon.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj