The Coronavirus effect has now hit the sports world. A situation almost unprecedented is currently affecting MLB. Washington Governor Jay Inslee has banned gatherings of more than 250 people in three Washington state counties: King, Pierce and Snohomish. King county, incidentally, is where the Seattle Mariners play their home games.
Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, Gov. Inslee is attempting to prevent a potential serious health situation. He is attempting to be proactive and his ban includes social, recreational and spiritual events. The full story can be read here.
So, what does this all mean for the Mariners and MLB in general?
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners released a statement this morning stating that they are currently working on alternate plans for their opening games. Back-to-back series against the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins were scheduled to begin on March 26. Those games, as well as others, could potentially be affected by Gov. Inslee’s ban. The current plan is to ban games at T-Mobile park through at least the end of March.
One potential playing spot could be the Mariners’ spring training facility in Arizona or at a neutral site.
San Francisco Giants
The Mariners aren’t the only team currently feeling the effects of the coronavirus. As of this morning, the San Francisco Giants have cancelled an upcoming exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics. The game was scheduled to be played at Oracle Park in San Francisco. According to a team press release, the Giants are acting in accordance with San Francisco county officials banning gatherings of more than 1,000 people.
Should this ban go past the current two-week mark, the Giants will also be looking for an alternate home game playing.
Around the Country
MLB along with the NBA, NHL, and MLS have already closed clubhouses to reporters and are limiting locker room access to players and essential employees only. Even the PGA is taking steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus by giving players their own pens for autographs as to not have to borrow any from spectators.
MLB has also told players to avoid taking pens and balls from spectators. They’ve even gone so far as encouraging players to opt for fist bumps as opposed to handshakes. Can you imagine the players refusing to sign autographs from young fans who bring baseballs to the game? The Coronavirus effect just keeps growing not only day by day but hour by hour.
There have been nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida and five more in Arizona. Both states, of course, are home to all of MLB spring training facilities.
Cancellations
COVID-19 is wreaking havoc across the sports world. Should the situation continue to escalate, fans should expect more games to be moved or canceled. There’s even a possibility that, even if games are played, there will be no fans allowed even to attend. Fans watching televised games could see completely empty stadiums until the threat of the virus is over.
Only once before has MLB been influenced due to a sickness scare. In late 1918, Pasadena, California required nearly everyone to wear a mask due to a horrid influenza outbreak. The final few weeks of the season were cut short, but, there was also a war going on. The 1919 MLB season started on schedule, but California residents were still required to wear masks and, there are even photographs of players participating in the Southern California Winter League wearing flu masks as part of their standard equipment.
The ”Spanish flu” as it was called at the time even took the life of Silk O’ Laughlin, one of the best umpires in the league. Along with O’ Laughlin, the virus also took the lives of six major and minor league players.
The only other time a game was moved was in 2016. A Miami Marlins–Pittsburgh Pirates series was moved from Puerto Rico to Miami due to the Zika virus.
Precautions
MLB and the rest of the sports world are currently facing another epidemic. MLB is bracing itself and doing the best it can to protect its players as well as its fans. It hasn’t quite come to the point yet will players will need to wear medical masks in order to play a baseball game. The Coronavirus effect has already halted the NBA season with the NHL and NCAA currently having discussions on what their next steps will be. Hopefully, it never will.
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