Florida and Arizona – homes to all 30 MLB spring training complexes – have been among the most aggressive states in reopening businesses and easing restrictions prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
In Florida, the Miami Marlins have reportedly taken advantage of this by reopening their training facility in Jupiter, Florida, as of Tuesday, allowing players on their 40-man roster to resume workouts with some restrictions.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he wasn’t sure anything would change in the short term at the team’s Camelback Ranch complex even with Arizona easing restrictions.
Several Dodgers have stayed in the Phoenix area since the abrupt suspension of spring training in mid-March and have been able to use the Camelback Ranch facilities for individual workouts. Hitters like Cody Bellinger and Kiké Hernandez have worked with hitting coach Brant Brown at CBR and another facility in what Friedman called “one-off” training sessions. Pitchers including Julio Urias have used the mounds at CBR for throwing sessions.
“Some are,” Friedman said. “We just have a lot of restrictions and are kind of erring on the side of caution. A number of our guys have opted against coming, but we do have a number of guys coming, staggering times and allowing guys to come in and throw off the mound or hit in the cage.”
Though some have had to get creative – Friedman joked about left-hander David Price building a pitcher’s mound in his backyard – Friedman said the majority of the Dodgers’ pitchers have been able to continue throwing off a mound on a regular basis during quarantine.
“I think the group that I am really most concerned about is our starting pitchers, from a baseball-preparedness standpoint,” he said. “Our relievers and our position players can run and do things in a way that I think we can get them prepared for spring training and then prepared for an Opening Day. It’s the starters who are a little bit more front and center in terms of wrapping your arms around where they’re at now and building that up. We’ve got guys spread out all over the country. I know Mark (Prior, Dodgers pitching coach) and Connor (McGuiness, assistant pitching coach) have been in close communication with them and making sure they’re in a good spot– or in as good a spot as they can be.”
MLB has begun negotiating with the players’ union over a plan to play a 2020 season. A proposal was sent to the union last week that included numerous physical changes to the way dugouts and clubhouses are set up. Friedman said the Dodgers have not begun to put any of those into place.
“Not yet,” Friedman said. “I know the document that went out last week is the first draft and it’s going to change. Once we get a final document, obviously we’ll kick into gear to make sure our clubhouse can facilitate the new protocol and that our players are aware and our coaches and staff and that everyone is on the same page.”
On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said it is possible that the state could host live sporting events (without fans) as early as June if positive trends regarding the coronavirus continue. Friedman warned against making too much of anyone’s predictions about the future with so much about the return of live sports events still unknown.
MLB’s 67-page first-draft proposal is expected to undergo changes as the two sides discuss the plan. The players’ union reportedly held a conference call with players from all 30 teams Monday to discuss the proposal.
“We’ve been asked almost daily about different politicians’ take on any given day,” Friedman said. “Our approach has remained the same – that things are seemingly changing day to day and it’s difficult to look too far out. But anything that is positive and pointing towards us being able to play games at Dodger Stadium is a good thing.”
