[ESPN] MLB suspends spring training, delays Opening Day at least two weeks

93.7 percent of statistics are made up, drawn from a hat amidst conversation--just like this one.

 

There have been around 7500 deaths of people under 55. Let's assume every single one of the 2.8 million USA cases was people under 55. (clearly that is not the case). That gives you a 1 in 375 or so of dying if you have it. So....that number will even be less than 1 in 375 since a subset of that 2.8 million is in the under 55 range.

 

The problem is, "the rest now understand the risk and accept it" is not true. People are not doing what needs to be done to mitigate transmission for those of us who "need to worry". My dad has Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. I have Juvenile/Type 1 Diabetes. My mom is old as well. We are the ones who worry. Yet people still are not wearing masks. I went to Walgreens for my dad a few times this week, and half of the customers were not wearing masks. A Walgreens of all places! We have been quarantining and staying at home longer and more intensely than anyone. But the sad fact is, enough people are not doing what needs to be done. Now, I'm not saying that nothing should reopen. Things 100% should reopen. But, we need to reopen smartly, and that requires everyone to do their part. It requires mask wearing in certain situations. It also requires empathy. I do not understand how so many people fail to just empathize a little bit more. I really wish healthy people, or just those who have not seen or experienced lives being shattered by debilitating diseases--would just relish in that miracle for a hot second. Embrace it, care for it, and try to help other people who are not as fortunate or lucky.

I have been lucky enough to work from home, but I still have to venture out into the world for myself and for my father. It's just staggering to me that people aren't wearing masks inside shops/restaurants/etc. It's pathetic. I went to get a steaks at B&B Butcher to celebrate my dad's 12th round of chemo, and the guy behind me in line wouldn't even give me 6 feet of space, let alone wear a mask. No patron who came in even brought a mask. It is so sad that masks have been politicized again and that we, as a country, cannot just empathize with one another. America's needs to cool it on fetishizing the the government taking away personal liberties and just wear the damn masks because it objectively reduces the likelihood of transmission.

The last thing I will say is this: COVID isn't just about the deaths. While a ton of people are asymptomatic, or have a mild case and get over it, there are many people who have survived and who are having long-term complications. I have a friend in California, a 30 year old type 1 diabetic, in good shape like myself, who had a bad case but survived. He was on a ventilator for 2 weeks in early March. He's had to go back to the ER in late May and is still having breathing related complications. It's not a mild recovery for everyone.

 

Take some time to do the research. Over 50% of deaths are from nursing homes.
Look at the research and figures from the antibody testing.
The numbers are pretty well settled.
0.6% infection fatality rate, but that is skewed due to the elderly being so hard hit.

Your chances if you are under 40, of dying from this, are slim.
40 to 60 moderate
60 and up is the danger zone.

Those people that need to quarantine can quarantine. It's not like the opposite of a mandatory quarantine is a mandatory you must leave the house and congregate.

Those people that want to quarantine...can quarantine...it's great.

 

You said folks under 55 had a 1 in 10,000 chance of dying from COVID. I merely argued that the number was much greater than 1 in 10,000. Easily 1 in 300 or so.

In no way did I argue those under 55 were more vulnerable than old people. Show me factual evidence that USA deaths of COVID are 1 in 10,000 for those who have/had COIVD and are under 55. I'll wait.

 

LOL. There have been several antibody studies, with results all over the place. There's not even certainty on the accuracy of the antibody tests or how long antibodies might last. This is all the opposite of "the numbers are pretty well settled". You literally made your statistics up.

 

nm

 

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent a letter to MLBPA executive director Tony Clark today offering to cancel expanded playoffs and universal DH for 2021 if a full season isn’t played in 2020. Players are concerned about giving up leverage of playoffs for naught.

The proposed 2021 olive branch may be the last and best chance MLB and MLBPA have to strike a deal. Players had planned on voting today whether to accept a 60-game season or allow Manfred to impose a season of his desired length.

In letter to Tony Clark today, Rob Manfred said, “I really believe we are fighting over an impossibility on games.” Says given need to relocated teams from Florida, earliest players could report is June 29, leaving 66 days to play 60 games.

Letter from Manfred to Clark reiterates league previously agreed to full termination pay for players who were arbitration-eligible in 2019, are on non-guaranteed contracts and are terminated in spring training.

Manfred offered to eliminate 2021 components of deal (expanded playoffs, universal DH) if 2020 season was shorter than agreed upon number.

Players previously had signed off on Manfred having right to terminate 2020 season at any point after consulting with medical experts and union. But they later raised concerns that if season was shortened they would be giving away 2021 postseason and getting too little in return.

Players cut union meeting short after Clark received letter from Manfred. Unclear whether things will progress from here.

 

You cant have a season as long as this is going on. I would both be surprised and shocked if MLB or the NBA have a fruitful continuation of their seasons in 2020.

Given almost half of 2020 has passed with little to no significant progress, I am starting to cast doubt in my mind that 2021 will be a return to normalcy either.

 

While I agree in principle here that this seems likely to end up in a bit of a trainwreck, we have to remember numerous other industries are operating through all of this mess, including team sports in other countries, little league baseball in the US, etc. Employees get sick and companies are having to find workarounds. Players may end up missing games due to the virus and the idea of fair competition may get jacked up a bit if key players are out, but they can likely make this work in some form if they want to.

 

With some of what I have heard, and granted, all the data isnt in yet, but there are growing reports concerning virus victims who survive but have permanent repository and/or lung issues. While your average industrial worker may continue on as usual, a professional athletes career is over.

 

I would imagine that there would need to be a substantial and expensive insurance pool for MLB players to tap into to protect their value moving forward.

 

Kirk Cousins put it best yesterday.... “Telling young, insanely rich men to take a risk over a virus that has killed over a hundred thousand people and we don’t know the long term effects of it, that they have to play? That isn’t going to be easy because a lot of us don’t have to play.”

 

My heart goes out to your family. Lost my mom 18 months ago to a recurrence of breast cancer after 6 yrs of remission. My dad is approaching 12 months post-surgery from colon cancer. Family is incredibly important. Enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.

 

For baseball, most of the professional players don't have huge reserves of money and will likely work odd jobs that are not as safe as MLB games. If a rich player wants to stay home without pay, that should be allowed (and I think it will be).

 

This (potentially) isn’t unlike post-career concussion issues suffered by NFL players. Who wants to play baseball, be infected with COVID-19, and suffer potential lifelong consequences? There isn’t much data on post-COVID-19 contraction. Players may be apprehensive to forge ahead without protections in place.