I'm not gonna jump on MLB by trying to put some well needed entertainment out there for us on a daily basis. The fact that TV ratings are thru the roof across the nation is proof that fans are happy to see it.
But it was...and is..a nigh on impossible mission in this nation, where adherence to common sense instructions are ignored and/or flaunted by wide swaths of the population. Baseball is merely a microcosm of society as a whole.
It has been reported that multiple Marlins also flaunted protocol, while on the road. They were in a hotel bar, mo masks, no social distancing, no common sense. Does this sound familiar?
While the focus is rightfully focused on the Marlins, does anybody really believe that, among 1200 mostly twentysomething athletes with money in their pockets, there arent others?
Whether I think much of Manfred, or not, he has at least tried to put a season together. His efforts may be patched with mistakes, but he has tried. Obviously, there are some players..and probably some orgs..who haven't really tried at all.
One way to solve this situation, if solution is even possible, is to levy severe suspensions to any player or member of club staffs who disobey the common sense protocols..suspensions that go well beyond this season. Of course, that wont happen.
But when it comes down to it, those Marlins players did more to harm baseball than anything Clase put in his body.
But this illustrates why the Cleveland org stands out when it comes to culture. There is no such thing as being too careful. Erring on the side of caution is nothing more than common sense.
I've spent much of my summers on Lake Erie for my entire life. If you have a boat on that lake, and you dont fear Lake Erie, you are a fool. The same applies to this pandemic...and to the players who dont fear it.