Following yesterday’s workouts in the Bronx, Aaron Boone delivered the latest on Jonathan Loaisiga, Clint Frazier, Masahiro Tanaka & other key Yankees. I want to focus on a key issue that he spoke about during the press conference. When Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News asked Boone to follow up on last night and give some clarification on how the team is using the baseball, Boone gave a breakdown on how he and his club are taking extra COVID-19 precautions. As far as my opinion, I think the Yankees are taking the right steps, and I am not just saying that because I am a long-time Yankee fan.
Boone told Ackert, “So…it is absolutely discouraged to throw the ball around, but I think there is a bit of discretion with throwing the baseball around….” I always wondered, with this new way of life, “Teams that have to use balls for a long durations, how will they take precautions to play full length games?” I think Boone cleared that up for me, when he went further into details with his response to the New York Daily News reporter. Boone detailed that, “…You know if a number of guys handle a ball over a course of play…that ball is typically thrown out…” I got to say, I like that course of action and it is great to know that it has been going on before this COVID period. As a matter fact, the Yankee manager made it a point to say “…you watch any game now, balls get thrown out…Pre-COVID, balls get thrown out pretty quickly anyways…”
With all that has been going on, the virus has managed to spread all across the global and with that said, it has hit the sports world hard. From basketball to baseball, and other sports, the coronavirus has managed to mess up everyone’s routines. If you have been keeping up with the news, then you know that a growing number of athletes across each of the sports have concerns. The initial plan to start up sporting events again entailed a plan to have empty bleaches. Even with that plan in affect, we have seen the virus
In the end, I take what Boone said as a good sign that baseball will be one of the sports that will progress this year. I don’t want to get my hopes to high, or anyone else’s, but if the Yankees are taking such tight precautions, my hope is that the rest of baseball is doing the same. This year’s baseball has me on edge, as I am sure it has everyone feeling the same way, but hearing Aaron Boone in the press conference has to ease everyone’s uncertainties. At least, I know I am not as nervous as I was before Boone made his statements yesterday. Quite frankly, that is the only reason why I would like to believe that baseball will have prominent outlook in this year’s championship run.
The Pinstriped Baseball Lane 