Recently MLB released a plan to have players back on the field by May. This plan incorporated quiet a few changes go the baseball we know. One of these changes includes having the league set itself up in Arizona to start. Many fans are jumping all over the idea but players and their families aren’t all in agreement. Statements about the plan began rolling out from players, former players an players families alike. It seems as though not everyone is on board to bring baseball back.
Former players speak out
A-Rod and Mark Teixeira were both quick to give opinions on MLBs latest plan. Both former players seem to be in agreement that the plan isn’t a masterpiece but have different opinions on what MLB should be doing right now.
Rodriguez, who spoke on ESPN’s “Get Up!” show, doesn’t exactly believe the plan as is will work, but seems to believe that it’s better to have players ready for a return than spring it on them last minute.
“The worst thing for a player would be, âHey, we think itâs August,â snd then the commissioner says, âHey, weâre opening things up,â Rodriguez said. âAnd you have to show up May 15 and youâre not quite ready. So, I think itâd be an adjustment, but I think we would follow suit.â
A-Rod on ESPN just now: "I think players want to play and fans want to watch."
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) April 7, 2020
Teixeria, who was completely against shutting down spring training, is starting to think MLB might need to move on to planning the 2021 season. Teixeria appeared on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio, and stated this is a “half baked idea” and listed five big reason for why he just doesn’t see this working: 1. Leaving families, 2. the Arizona heat, 3. subpar facilities, 4. no fans and 5. owners take a loss.
Despite a slight difference in opinion, both former Yankees believe there is a long road ahead before baseball can be played.
Players have something to say
Former players aren’t the only one’s sharing their opinions about MLB’s latest announcement. Current players have been releasing statement since the proposal made its way to the headlines and it seems not everyone agrees. Adam Ottavino, for example, just wants to play and has no real gripe about the current plan.
Adam Ottavino: "Iâve seen it (the Arizona idea). I donât have any good insight but I would be in the camp of supporting the idea. Iâm sure a lot would have to go right for it to actually happen but Iâm hoping it can work because I want to play.â #Yankees
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 7, 2020
White Sox reliever Evan Marshall is in agreement with Otto. Although he doesn’t believe the plan is perfect, he is on board to get back to playing the sport he loves. Royals reliever Trevor Rosenthal was another player who is ready to play. According to the NY Post, Rosenthal said, âI am in support of the plan. I think itâs in the best interest of the nation for MLB to go through with this plan as quickly as possible”
Player aren’t all against the idea. Many young players are ready to be back on the field and to get back to being paid. One American league player stated that finances are likely to trump other issues. âI do know guys will want to get paid” he said.
Some players may be ready to take MLB’s plan and run with it but not everyone is in agreement. Diamondbacks left fielder David Peralta agrees that he is struggling without baseball but just doesn’t think this is the idea to fix the problem. Teammate Stephen Vogt agreed, citing the time away from his family as the biggest problem. One Mets player thinks everything about the plan is far fetched while another Met seems to think that playing in Arizona would be comparable to playing in hell.
One Mets player who asked not to be identified has concerns about the idea of 30 teams playing an entire summer in Arizona: "It's the desert," he said. "Stuff doesn't live there, it dies there."
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) April 7, 2020
Right now there seems to be no real agreement among current players.
Families are not happy
Players wouldn’t be the only ones affected, and are certainly not the only ones speaking out about it. Playersâ wives, in particularly, have something to say about having their husbands away for months at a time. Josh Reddick and Eric Sogard’s wives both took to twitter to express their distain for the idea. Jett Reddick is angry at fans for comparing MLB players time away from family to that of military personal. “This is not what we signed up for” she stated in her reply to a tweet from a fan.
ThisâŹď¸ We have the utmost respect for our military and they know going into it that they will have to be separated from their families. I couldnât even imagine what that is like but that is NOT what we signed up for. https://t.co/EpsglW0h8v
— Jett Reddick (@JettReddick) April 8, 2020
Kaycee Sogard is equally upset by the idea that her husband would be quarantined away from her and their young children.
If it means my kids will not get to see their dad for months, no. Absolutely 100% no.
— Kaycee Sogard (@KayceeSogard) April 7, 2020
The big question
With so many differences in opinion, the big question here is: can MLB really convince everyone to agree to their Arizona dreams?
