WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP AMIDST COVID-19 WOULD BE AN HONOR

Source: USA Today

I was talking to some Yankee fans about all the possibilities for baseball this season.  You've likely heard about the combo Cactus League-Grapefruit League option, the Arizona-only option, the shorten regular season, the extension of games well into the fall and of course, phased-in empty ball parks to limited spectators approach.  But, the comment I can't dismiss or even just get passed is that whoever wins the World Series did so in a compromised way and therefore will be in the books with an asterisk.  What?  Are you folks serious?  It would be an honor to be the team who won despite COVID-19, despite the disruptions and challenges and all of the new mandates imposed on players.  It would be an honor and blessing just to have the opportunity to play for the championship.

Source: Golden Auctions

"The Astros won the 2017 World Series. We all witnessed it. It happened. Many want an asterisk next to that title or even want the title vacated due to the Astros sign-stealing scandal. I wouldn't be holding my breath for such a thing to happen. The time has passed," reported CBS Sports.  In my mind, I am just as upset about what they did today as I was when I first heard about what they did.  You may have heard that one player has chosen to put his ring up for auction and you know what, people want to pay for it.  That's just nuts.

Source: USA Today

To be healthy enough, talented enough, strong enough and quite frankly, have mentors in the form of parents and guardians who were willing to invest in you to play from an early age are all blessings.  To take advantage or take any of that for granted is simply sinful.  And that is exactly what Houston did, they took advantage.  So, let any player, owner, fan or the like cast the first stone at the team that competed among the constraints and contingency plans to win the World Series. Cast that first stone and I will be at their door step (six feet away of course).

According to NBC Sports, “The only real decision that we have made, the only real plan that we have is that baseball is not going to return until the public health situation has improved to the point that we’re comfortable, that we can play games in a manner that’s safe for our players, our employees, our fans, and in a way that will not impact the public health situation adversely,” Manfred said on Fox Business. “So, right now, it’s largely a waiting game." 

Manfred mentioned that what baseball essentially has are some ideas not really plans.  "All of them are designed to address limitations that may exist when businesses restart. Traveling limitations. Limitations on mass gatherings that may still exist. We thought about ways to try to make baseball available to all the fans across the United States in the face of those restrictions. From our perspective, we don’t have a plan; we have lots of ideas," said Manfred as reported NBC Sports.

Source: New York Post

There will be more limitations on player to player contact, mound visits, spitting, congregating in the dugout, utilizing more of the clubhouse and more and more cleaning. Perhaps new members to the grounds crew would be the cleaning crew, armed with bleach, sprays and yes, hand sanitizer.  And for fans, much of the same with more space between the seats, which is going to be challenging as well.

Source: New York Times

So any team that could rise above all of this and play and win quite frankly deserves more than a ring and trophy.  All players should be honored just for getting out there and playing.  And they should feel grateful for the opportunity to do so.  Life is too short and we are reminded of just how short these last several weeks.

Getting back to baseball is the goal, even if it looks different.  We need some baseball.  We crave it and we will be more thankful and perhaps less critical once we are blessed with the words, "Play Ball!"

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof