No. Marlins is not close to a closed system. Herd immunity does not perfectly protect everyone, but keeps huge outbreaks from happening.
So they postponed Yankees-Phillies again today as they wait for more tests to come back... but then they fully acknowledge the incubation period of 14 days and how negative tests now mean very little. So, what’s the plan now... let the Phillies play and possibly exacerbate the process should tests start coming back positive a week later? Quarantine them and their visiting clubhouse for 2 weeks? I’m guessing these Marlins games will be indefinitely postponed, and likely just cancelled al-together if future double headers can’t be worked out.... and then who gets the honor of playing them first?
In an ideal world, players would have monitors such that they know which Phillies were in close contact with Marlins. Teams have 60-man rosters so they should have a backup team ready to go. Teams have been stupid about risking their entire MLB squad by letting them have repeated close contact with one another. Marlins should just play their players at their backup site if they don't know who has had close contact with those infected. I understand that some people get COVID-19 through bad luck. What is happening to the Marlins appears to be mostly bad social distancing lack of masks.
Within the dugout, it's a closed system. If all the players and coaches have been infected, they should be safe in close quarters with each other, right?
They have not all been infected. It is not a closed system as they leave the dugout and other people enter the dugout. If all the players and coaches were infected, they never left the dugout, no one else was ever allowed in, yes, they would likely have herd immunity such that they would only have to worry about getting reinfected and could be as close as they want to be to each other.
This is the post you were responding to... That said, all your other caveats are still unnecessary. If people are infected and recovered, there is no evidence that can get reinfected, which also means they don't transmit it again. They would theoretically be able to come and go and as they please and interact with anyone - teammates, infected people, etc - and not affect transmission of the virus. It was the whole idea behind immunity passports people were discussing a few months ago for travel.
Just drop the Marlins... they have to be easily the most expendable team. They clearly have no ambition at this time to compete for anything. The MLS had their tournament and two teams (Nashville/Dallas) had to drop out.. everyone else moved on... granted that was just a tournament and not the regular season but still MLB has to be flexible... If you have a team with 15 positive cases and the break out just occured I don't see how logistically you can make it work in this truncated season.
Sorry, I missed assumption about all players and coaches having it. There is no evidence that absolutely zero people can't get reinfected twice and transmit again. As long as other people enter the dugout and leave the dugout, it is not a closed system or even close to it. I have no issue with two infected players hanging out, but it isn't herd immunity and should not be treated as such.
Joel Sherman: Have heard strongest plan is to have #Marlins not play until Monday, give time to regroup and update/prerare roster. The hope would be that with regional games/repeat v. same opponents that they could make up much of the 60-game sked with offday pay and DHs. #Phillies also may be stopped from playing for a few days but not as long as the #Marlins. Plan would be then for the #Yankees, who were supposed to play at home v. #Phllies Wed/Thurs, to instead play at #Orioles, who were supposed to play Marlins Essentially MLB would take the #Marlins #Phillies out of play for a few days, and hope that with regional sked they can make up as many of 60 games as possible when cleared to do that. Heard MLB would like to get 60-game season in for all teams, but not wedded to it. If some teams play 58, 56, 55, etc, winning pct would determine playoff spots. #Yankees are in a holding pattern in Philadelphia, told to expect to go straight to Baltimore to play 2 vs. #Orioles. Plan after game vs. #Phillies was cancelled, had been to go to NY and workout at Yankee Stadium tonight. Also no worries if #Nationals will or won’t go to play in Miami this weekend if the Marlins are on hold unti Monday at the earliest.
Bingo...wasn't this the point of the 60 man roster. If you can't play your original 30, put out the next 30 guys. If you don't have enough to form a squad...forfeit. I'm all for ensuring the health and safety of the players, but if you're going to create a plan for this exact scenario...move forward with that plan. This commissioner is just way in over his head and just has no clue.
So the Phillies and Marlins are out for now... with the Marlins likely being out longer than Sunday, but the worry about the Phillies just starting to test positive because of the incubation period and possibly will be seeing more positive cases in upcoming days. I still want to know what the protocol will be on when will a team be deemed "recovered" enough to have other teams play them? And even then you have teams like the Nationals voting not to play the upcoming series in Miami regardless of the testing. Will likely see a similar response to whoever is scheduled to play in Philly next.
MLB, union making progress on deal that would allow for doubleheaders consisting of two seven-inning games, sources tell me and @Jaysonst. Would be for 2020 season only. Parties believe more doubleheaders will be necessary as schedule is adjusted. Idea is to preserve pitching.
