Major League Baseball made headlines Tuesday after reports circulated that professional baseball could potentially continue in Arizona quite soon. The catch? Teams would be sequestered, there'd be no fans and games would get played multiple times a day on minor league fields outside in the brutal Arizona heat throughout the dog days of summer.
Understandably, some of the game's biggest names were asked about, and commented on, this potentially huge move that would bring live sports back by the middle of May. Here is what some of them had to say.
Chris Sale, for example, seemed not too fond of the plan given the distance it would put between himself and his family. It's also worth noting that the implication of such a plan is that there'd probably be limited contact with people outside of this quarantined sports league.
Chris Sale on AZ plan: "I don't know if I could look at my kids through a screen for 4-5 months."
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 7, 2020
Thinks there's a right way for season to get restarted. Thinks sides will find a way to come together to find a safe way to begin season that will please everyone.
Brewers pitcher Brett Anderson shared a similar sentiment as the Red Sox ace, even kindly highlighting the portion of the original report where his concerns were focused on.
It begins and ends right here https://t.co/TzyQvLq0bc pic.twitter.com/OAkDcl3JWY
— Brett Anderson (@_BAnderson30_) April 7, 2020
An anonymous Mets player decided to be a bit more poetic with his concern. Perhaps his anonymity had something to do with his desire to hide his knack for dramatic language.
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
Here's a case of a player actually agreeing with the idea of this quarantined season.
Adam Ottavino: "I’ve seen it (the Arizona idea). I don’t have any good insight but I would be in the camp of supporting the idea. I’m sure a lot would have to go right for it to actually happen but I’m hoping it can work because I want to play.” #Yankees
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 7, 2020
In another report from the New York Daily News, an unnamed Yankees player had this to say about the plan, which seemed to echo what most of these players have expressed so far.
"I'd have to hear a lot more about the plans for these issues," one player said. "I want to get back, but my wife wasn't exactly excited about the idea of me going away for four months. I don't like the idea of not seeing my baby for that long either."
Another believer in the plan is Rockies star Nolan Arenado who told Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post, "If it's safe, I'm in."
"I believe these ideas wouldn't be thrown around if it wasn't approved or can be (approved)," Arenado continued. "I want to get back out there and play."
In conclusion, the MLB is a land of contrasts.