Nationals manager Davey Martinez is scared, rating his level of concern at a 12. Dodgers pitcher David Price, one of 14 players who opted out of this truncated season, doesn’t believe the sport is putting the players’ health first.
Those were the two biggest reactions to the news that 13 members of the Marlins — 11 players and two coaches — tested positive for the novel coronavirus on the first weekend of the 60-game season, leading to the postponement of two games on Monday night. After their series against the Phillies, the Marlins remained in Philadelphia for additional testing and their home opener Monday night against the Orioles was called off. So was the Yankees-Phillies game, since the Marlins had just spent the previous three days in the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
The 30 baseball owners had a scheduled conference call on Monday, but there was no discussion of canceling the season, The Post’s Joel Sherman reported.
“Now we REALLY get to see if MLB is going to put players health first,” Price tweeted on Monday. “Remember when Manfred said players health was PARAMOUNT?! Part of the reason I’m at home right now is because players health wasn’t being put first. I can see that hasn’t changed.”
In an interview on MLB Network, Manfred was asked about Price’s comments. He replied, “I disagree with David’s comments. I think both for the MLBPA and for us, the health issue was the one that had to be resolved. It was the most important one to all of us. In terms of the activities that have happened in the last few days, we followed the protocols to a tee. We went beyond those protocols in the sense that we canceled games, two for the Marlins so far. We’re open to having to cancel additional games if we feel it’s necessary to keep our players safe.”
Martinez expressed his concern, not only for himself and his family, but everyone involved in the game. He dealt with heart problems last September and is worried about what could happen if the outbreak within the Marlins is a sign of what’s to come as baseball presses on. He’s also worried about traveling to Miami, a COVID-19 hot spot, next weekend to face the Marlins, and hopes MLB “makes the right decision.”
“I’m going to be honest with you, I’m scared. I really am,” he said on a Zoom call on Monday with reporters. “I go from here [Nationals Park], home, back here, every day. That’s all I do. I wash my hands — I went from 47 times a day to probably 99 times a day. Wear my mask everywhere I go. But there’s always that concern. You don’t know — right now you don’t know, because of my heart condition, what happens to me if I do get it. So, I got to be extra careful.”
Other managers voiced similar concerns, with the Rays’ Kevin Cash saying he has to do a better job of making sure his players socially distance during games, even in the case of a walk-off victory. Angels pitching coach and former Mets manager Mickey Callaway admitted the Marlins situation only adds to the nerves of everyone fearful of getting the virus. There were players, such as the Tigers’ Jody Mercer and Cameron Maybin, who said they expected something like this to take place, and believe it’s a matter of everyone following the protocol set forth by MLB to avoid another Marlins situation.
Everyone, however, can agree the Marlins’ virus numbers are a reminder of what can happen to any team.
“My level of concern went from about an 8 to a 12,” Martinez said. “I mean, this thing really can — it hits home now that you’re seeing half of a team get infected and go from one city to another.”