And there goes Major League Baseball for the year.

[RandySF]

Major League Baseball, which has had at least 12 major-league players and staff members test positive for COVID-19, has decided to immediately shut down all of their spring training facilities in Arizona and Florida, a high-ranking official with direct knowledge of the decision told USA TODAY Sports.

MLB has ordered all of the facilities to undergo a deep clean, and will require all players and staff members to undergo testing before being able to use the facilities again when they open.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sport on the condition of anonymity since MLB had not released a formal statement.

There were five Philadelphia Phillies players and a player from the Houston Astros who tested positive this week, with three spring-training facilities closing Friday.

“The Phillies are committed to the health and welfare of our players and staff as our highest priority," Phillies owner John Middleton said, “and as a result of these tests, all facilities in Clearwater [Florida] have been closed until medical authorities are confident the virus is under control and our facilities are disinfected.’’




https://www.usatoday.com/

[Yeehah]

1. Time to stop pretending the virus went away

Rally away, trump bumpkins!

[First Speaker]

2. I've been expecting this outcome ever since the original shutdown...

...the notion of playing a few dozen games on "neutral" ground, with no crowds...it never seemed real to me. Just as the NFL season will probably be lost. We just have to brace ourselves and regard 2020 as a lost sports year. It's too bad, a full year out of the prime of Mike Trout and Mookie Wilson and the other great players...I hope this won't compromise anyone's road to Cooperstown. Well, Williams and DiMaggio and Musial all made it despite World War Two. But 2021--if we're playing even *then*--will be hard for everyone. Losing a season takes its toll...

[Initech]

12. This piece of shit virus has literally taken all the fun out of life.

The sooner it's gone from the planet the better.

[Renew Deal]

14. The NBA plan is too ambitious too

They should not play a full playoffs. I’m not convinced they can keep everyone healthy for that.

[Stallion]

3. College Football Already Has 50+ Cases Based Upon Scattered Reports I've Read

UT has 15 in quarantine--Houston has had 6

and not all schools or waves of players have even reported

[Bleacher Creature]

4. Not just baseball.

There were also positive tests in hockey, golf, and college football. And don't forget about the Cowboys and Texans players earlier this week.

I miss sports (particularly baseball), but can't see any of them returning this year.

[dem4decades]

5. The NFL treats their players like shit. I'll be surprised if they don't force them to play.

[Bleacher Creature]

8. Yeah. The only people the NFL treats worse than the current players are former players.

It's going to get ugly.

[JI7]

9. NFL should be banned anyways based on the brain damage it causes

[Initech]

13. And then next year, no crowds.

I don't see live audiences returning until '22 at the earliest, assuming we have control of this thing or it burns out on its' own.

[sarcasmo]

6. 23 Clemson college football players.

Team sports are doomed until we have a vaccine.

[Gore1FL]

7. Here is a direct link to the article

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/06/19/mlb-closing-spring-training-sites-covid-19-coronavirus/3227579001/

[herding cats]

10. Eventually we'll figure out that, right this moment, the virus is in charge.

We might want it to be otherwise, but we're powerless unless we accept the virus is currently exploiting the loopholes in the foolish plans to pretend it away.

That's just not how a novel virus works. I deeply understand people wishing otherwise. But, wishes and prayers are toothless here.

[blitzen]

11. For some reason I don't think that a "deep cleaning" of facilities is the answer...

In fact it's manifestly ridiculous. Take two people into a perfectly sterile room. One has the virus and transmits it to the other. The virus doesn't care about the deep cleaning.

[Initech]

15. Yeah I've been wondering if all this extra cleaning is going to help or not.

Or if it's just security theater. I'm guessing it's just security theater.

[Ex Lurker]

16. My bank reopened its lobby this week

The receptionist desk is encased in plexiglass. It looks like she's sitting in an aquarium.

[Initech]

17. This is all so fucking insane.

I just want it to stop.

[Baclava]

18. Athletes are not immune, a shocker, Hockey players too, Tampa Bay Lightning shut their facility down

11 NHLers test positive

PGA tour Nick Watney withdraws from event.

23 Clemson football players test positive...

shut it all down for the year!