coronavirus – Page 42 – The view from left field

Siakam’s agent Ramasar talks about doing the job during coronavirus shutdown — Toronto Sun

One of the key requirements of being an NBA agent is spending plenty of in-person time with your clients. Of course, that’s an impossibility these days, with measures in place to try to stem the coronavirus pandemic. Self-quarantining and social distancing are the themes of the moment, so everyone needs to adapt, including in the…
Siakam’s agent Ramasar talks doing the job in age of coronavirus — Toronto Sun

Todd Ramasar said he’s talking to Pascal Siakam and the rest of his clients more frequently in lieu of being able to visit.

“Because, I think more than anything, and this is not just for athletes, you just talk about the effects on mental health. Kind of being in self-isolation,” Ramasar told Postmedia in a phone interview. “Even with family and loved ones, just having your normal routine taken away overnight, it takes its toll on anybody. So, for a lot of my guys, it’s just making sure they’re good,” he said.

Information is constantly arriving as we all go through his odd period and it’s no different for professional athletes. Ramasar says questions have been evolving as more is learned and as more time passes.

“The initial conversations were mainly business. Also their health and safety. But now that we’re a week into this, it’s more like, ‘Are you good. How can we be helpful?’” he said.

“A lot of them are staying (put), can’t go work out at their facilities. So trying to get workout equipment into their homes and talk to their teams. Just making sure that they’re not getting stir-crazy just sitting in their homes. Since there aren’t very many activities for them to do,” Ramasar said.

“There’s literally nothing. You can’t go to the movies, you can’t go shopping. You can’t go out to eat. Everything is from home base. And for these guys, where their internal clock has been on the road traveling (for 41 road outings or more) or going to a game or, you know, interacting with (team) staff and personnel. That camaraderie. And then, overnight, that’s taken away or that shifts. That’s tough,” Ramasar told Postmedia.

It’s also difficult because nobody knows what’s next, or how long it might take before training and games can resume.

“It’s tough to say, I mean I think it’s gonna be challenging the longer this plays out. Because it’s not a matter of logistics,” Ramasar said when asked to opine on when the league will be back. “I think for the NBA to return the season, say, in mid-June, it’s more of a matter that these guys are going to need at least a month to practice and find the rhythm and the chemistry again that they would have lost over that extended period of time. Because, what you don’t want to do is put these high-level athletes back on the floor without practice. To throw them out there in a high-level environment, which would be the playoffs (and potentially the end of the regular season), I think it’ll put them in harm’s way and increase the likelihood of serious injury. And that’s the challenge.”

more….

Siakam’s agent Ramasar talks doing the job in age of coronavirus — Toronto Sun

Salary cap issues could become greater problem for Leafs in wake of coronavirus — Toronto Sun

When the Maple Leafs skated off the ice 11 days ago — it seems more like weeks — after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena, none might have thought they could have just finished their final game as a member of the organization …. Read More
Salary cap issues could become greater problem for Leafs in wake of coronavirus — Toronto Sun.

For the Leafs headed for unrestricted free agency, a group that includes forwards Jason Spezza and Kyle Clifford and defencemen Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci, that the game against Tampa concluded their respective tenures with the Leafs is a clear possibility in the wake of the pandemic.

With the future of the 2019-20 regular season up in the air — and with the status of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs unclear — everything, as the saying goes, is on the table.

There’s no telling yet what the salary cap for the 2020-21 season will amount to once the NHL returns, whenever that may be. The $81.5-million US cap for this season was expected to rise to anywhere between $84 million and $88.2 million, based on numbers being projected at the conclusion of the general managers meetings in Florida two weeks ago.

Among the possibilities is that the cap could remain flat for next season, which could mean some trouble for the Leafs.

The Leafs have in the range of $77 million US committed to 17 players (including goalies Andersen and Jack Campbell) for ’20-21, using data from the web site capfriendly.com. Four restricted free agents with varying degrees of importance — forward Ilya Mikheyev, defenceman Travis Dermott and forwards Frederik Gauthier and Denis Malgin — are going to be looking for new contracts.

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Salary cap issues could become greater problem for Leafs in wake of coronavirus — Toronto Sun

Jets players score in the clutch, donate $100K to Harvest — Winnipeg Sun

Winning on the ice may be on hold at the moment for the Winnipeg Jets, but that’s not stopping them from doing so off of it. Read More
Jets players score in the clutch, donate $100K to Harvest — Winnipeg Sun.

Winning on the ice may be on hold at the moment for the Winnipeg Jets, but that’s not stopping them from doing so off of it.

While the National Hockey League hit the pause button on the 2019-20 regular season last week thanks to the coronavirus, Jets players came together to deliver a big win for Winnipeg Harvest on Friday.

A donation of $100,000 was made to the food bank, which feeds roughly 70,000 Manitobans each month.

“We know times are difficult right now,” read a tweet that was sent out by Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and other players on Friday. “We know there are people in the community struggling. more…

Jets players score in the clutch, donate $100K to Harvest — Winnipeg Sun

Sparks’ Sydney Wiese, WNBA colleagues flock home amid coronavirus outbreak — Press Telegram

For WNBA players competing overseas this winter, the coronavirus outbreak didn’t only interrupt their seasons – it sent them hurrying home, racing against the global pandemic that has shuttered much of an anxious world. One of them: The Sparks’ Sydney Michaels, who was based for the winter in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain. A 24-year-old guard…
Sparks’ Sydney Wiese, WNBA colleagues flock home amid coronavirus outbreak — Press Telegram

For WNBA players competing overseas this winter, the coronavirus outbreak didn’t only interrupt their seasons – it sent them hurrying home, racing against the global pandemic that has shuttered much of an anxious world.

One of them: The Sparks’ Sydney Wiese, who was based for the winter in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain. A 24-year-old guard from Phoenix, Wiese saw the outbreak hit Spain fast, and hard.

She’d only started hearing that the coronavirus outbreak was causing cancellations of schools and universities in the country on Tuesday, March 10. By the next night, her Liga Femenina league was suspended (the NBA paused play hours later).

The following morning, Wiese awoke to texts, emails and notifications: President Donald Trump had announced a travel ban from Europe. (American citizens and legal residents would be permitted to come home, but there was uncertainty about the parameters immediately after Trump announced the policy.)

“By late morning Thursday, I had a flight booked for the next day, and would be home before the ban was initiated,” Wiese wrote in an email a week later. “My club (AE Sedis Basketball) was incredibly understanding, sad for all of us that this was taking place, but health was top priority, and they supported my decision to get on home.”

On Friday, March 13, Wiese flew from Barcelona to Mexico City and then to L.A.

“As I was traveling, my town in Spain was placed on lockdown and there was talk about shutting down the Barcelona airport by the end of the weekend,” she said. “By Monday, Spain was on total lockdown and has been this entire week.”

As of Friday, March 20, Spain has logged 21,510 coronavirus cases, the second-most in Europe beside Italy. More than 1,000 people in Spain have succumbed to the disease.

“I was on my way home right on time,” said Wiese, who was met with long lines and confusion upon re-entering the United States, her experience aligning with those of many travelers who also rushed home from abroad.

more…Sparks’ Sydney Wiese, WNBA colleagues flock home amid coronavirus outbreak — Press Telegram

Here Is Red Sox’s Strategy To Get Players Ready For Postponed Season — NESN.com

With so much uncertainty around when Major League Baseball’s opening day will be, the Red Sox are trying to keep its players prepared to resume with spring training, (or maybe, summer training). In a conference call Thursday, interim manager Ron Roenicke gave insight on what the team has both pitchers and position players doing to…
Here Is Red Sox’s Strategy To Get Players Ready For Postponed Season — NESN.com

With so much uncertainty around when Major League Baseball’s opening day will be, the Red Sox are trying to keep its players prepared to resume with spring training, (or maybe, summer training). In a conference call Thursday, interim manager Ron Roenicke gave insight on what the team has both pitchers and position players doing to stay prepared. According to him, the coaching staff has instructed their projected starters to simulate two innings during unofficial bullpen sessions. “So pretty good effort to throw the first inning, sit down for a little bit and then get back up and throw another 15 pitches or whatever it is,” Roenicke said, via MassLive’s Chris Smith. “And we feel like if we do that, whenever we come back depending on the time period they give us, (it will be enough). If they give us three weeks to get ready, those guys will have four starts. And if they give us four weeks to get ready, they’ll have five starts. And either one of them (three or four weeks), we feel like as long as they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing now and getting a couple innings in, that we can ramp up and get them really close to where they need to be.” Red Sox Roster Projection: How Chris Sale News Impacts Opening Day Plan Instructions for position players aren’t as intricate, however. Coaches simply asked that group to treat it like it’s January. And while the coaching staff has returned to its normal residences, many of the players have stuck around Fort Myers. “They are showing up in waves (at the JetBlue Park complex),” Roenicke said. “The pitchers are showing up first in the morning, the guys who are in the area. And then in the afternoon, the guys who are still there, the regulars, are showing up to hit in the batting cages and stay sharp that way. Some of the pitchers really didn’t feel like they had somewhere else to go to stay in shape, whether it was another country or whether it is up north where it’s harder to work out in the cold.” The MLB is hoping to squeeze in all 162 games, which seems more and more unlikely every day. Regardless, the Red Sox hope with this down time, they’ll be ready when Opening Day does come

Scheduled doubleheaders could make a comeback as MLB tries to play a full season — The Associated Press

Scheduled doubleheaders might be a necessity to make up games once an MLB season delayed by the new coronavirus gets under way.
Scheduled doubleheaders could make a comeback as MLB tries to play a full season —

foxsports.com/midwest/story/mlb-scheduled-doubleheaders-coronavirus-full-season-031920(opens in a new tab)

Pat GrahamAP Mar 19, 2020 at 10:48p ETMajor League Baseball may consider scheduling doubleheaders as it attempts to play a full 162-game schedule in 2020. Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s play two? Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black would be down for doubleheaders.

Maybe even a couple a week.

That might be a necessity to make up games once a baseball season delayed by the new coronavirus gets under way.

“In theory, yeah, I think all of us would be up for some sort of doubleheader situation,” Black said during a conference call Thursday. “The thing that’s going to be in front of all of us is it’s going to be the same for everybody. It’s got to make sense for the clubs and the players.”

Opening Day has been pushed back from March 26 to mid-May at the earliest, and both sides are committed to playing as many games as possible.

Translation: Doubleheaders could be on the docket.

“I know that when we’re able to safely play, we’re going to have to think of creative ways to get in as many games as possible given all the time that’s going to be lost,” said Farhan Zaidi, the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants. “I don’t really have any specific thoughts on that, but I know everybody’s going to be thinking through ways to do that.”

Two pitchers announced they are having Tommy John surgery and will miss the season whenever it starts: Boston ace left-hander Chris Sale and San Francisco right-hander Tyler Beede.

Major League Baseball announced minor league players shut out of spring training camps amid the novel coronavirus outbreak will receive allowances from teams through April 8, and a plan is underway to compensate those players during the postponed portion of the regular season. Minor leaguers will receive allowances of $400 per week from teams in a lump sum for the next three weeks — a significant bump from their usual spring per diems of $100-200 per week. Teams hope that will allow players to cover housing, food and other expenses through the previously scheduled end of spring training.

The Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks halted their voluntary workouts at their shared Salt River Fields complex in Arizona. This was after the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community decided to temporarily cease operations there in the wake of the pandemic.

Some of the Colorado players may travel to Denver with Coors Field open for workouts. The Mile High City sure looked a lot different than Scottsdale on Thursday as a snowstorm hit the area.

More than anything, Black wants his players to treat this time away like it’s December and the season is still in the distance.

Don’t ramp up.

Black said that when a timetable is known, the teams will be given approximately three weeks to get back in shape as part of a second spring training. That’s plenty of time for a starting pitcher to work his way into form.

“There’s no need to throw bullpens. We’re a ways away from that,” Black said.

Hit in a cage — if one’s available. Work out at their gym at home. Or play catch — with social distancing in mind.

“They get together and go to a local park, they go to a high school, they go somewhere where there’s a stretch of grass and they play catch,” Black said. “They’re not going to play closer than six feet together, right? You can play catch.

“Guys are on the down low. They’re probably not doing much baseball activity right now. There’s a sense this is going to be much longer than first anticipated by baseball.”

Seattle shuttered its facility in Peoria, Arizona. The Mariners had initially planned to keep the facility open and work with players in small, staggered groups of 10, but general manager Jerry Dipoto said most of the 40-man roster had gone home.

“As we got to the point yesterday where we pulled the plug there were about 10 or 12 guys that were actually coming down and taking advantage of the workout time,” Dipoto said. “And frankly, we were concerned with the idea of group gatherings of any sort, particularly after we got the news yesterday there was a positive test of a baseball staffer down here in Arizona with another club.”

On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Reds, whose training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona, said an employee who works year-round at the complex tested positive for COVID-19. All Reds employees who were in contact with the employee during spring training are being tested and have self-quarantined. Dipoto said no Mariners players or staff have reported showing any symptoms of coronavirus.

In Dallas, there are about five major leaguers working out at the Texas Rangers’ youth academy. It’s closed to public and has been sanitized.

At their facility in Bradenton, Florida, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a small contingent of players that work out on an informal basis, rotating in and out to make sure there’s not more than a handful at a time.

Opening Day would’ve been next week. That’s hard for Black fathom in light of what’s happening around the world.

“I miss the build-up to Opening Day. I miss what that’s all about. I love our sport. I love the people in it,” Black said. “I’m probably as practical as they come and a realist, and aware of what’s going on and that takes a precedence over our sport and our jobs.”

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Lakers and Sixers announce coronavirus positives — Asportsupdate

New York (AFP) Two members of the Los Angeles Lakers have tested positive for the new coronavirus on Thursday as the Philadelphia 76ers also confirmed that three of their players had contracted the disease. The Lakers said they tested their players because on March 10 they played the Brooklyn Nets, who had four players previously […]
Lakers and Sixers announce coronavirus positives — Asportsupdate

The Lakers said they tested their players because on March 10 they played the Brooklyn Nets, who had four players previously test positive for the virus. The Lakers said team doctors are closely monitoring the two players.

“We learned today that two Lakers players have tested positive,” said Lakers spokesperson Alison Bogli in a news release. “Both players are currently asymptomatic, in quarantine and under the care of the team’s physician.

“All players and members of the Lakers staff are being asked to continue to observe self-quarantine and shelter at home guidelines, closely monitor their health, consult with their personal physicians and maintain constant communication with the team.”

The Sixers said the positive cases were uncovered after health authorities warned that certain players, coaches and support staff may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Like the Sixers, the Lakers declined to name the players who tested positive.

The Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets also announced positive tests on Thursday for COVID-19.

On Wednesday, commissioner Adam Silver said NBA players should be considered “super spreaders” of the disease. His comments came amid criticism that wealthy athletes are getting tested for the virus ahead of critically ill patients in American hospitals.

The Sixers said the three individuals were in self-isolation while being monitored by medical professionals.

“Three individuals have received positive test results for COVID-19,” the Sixers said. “All other tests results are currently negative. We have reported this information to state and local health authorities as required.”

“The health of our players, staff, fans and community is paramount, and we continue to be guided by medical experts at this time,” the team said.

Marcus Smart Becomes First Celtics Player To Test Positive For COVID-19 — NESN.com

The Boston Celtics have had their first player test positive for COVID-19. Marcus Smart took to Twitter on Thursday to announce he’s officially tested positive for the coronavirus. He is the first Celtics player to do so as of now. A statement released by the team, which did not identify Smart, noted it is awaiting…
Marcus Smart Becomes First Celtics Player To Test Positive For COVID-19 — NESN.com

76ers Announce 3 Members of Organization Tested Positive for the Coronavirus — Darnell’s Notebook

The Philadelphia 76ers announced Thursday that three members of their organization have tested positive for COVID-19 (via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski): The news comes just hours … from Bleacher Report – NBA https://ift.tt/3dei3gO via IFTTT
76ers Announce 3 Members of Organization Tested Positive for the Coronavirus — Darnell’s Notebook.

NBA tells teams to keep players, staff out of practice, training facilities

The NBA has told its teams to close its training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, saying the shuttering will last indefinitely.
NBA tells teams to keep players, staff out of practice, training facilities —

Tim Reynolds AP

Mar 19, 2020 at 3:03p ET

The NBA has told its teams to close its training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday, saying the shuttering will last indefinitely in the latest response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The league told teams of the new directive in a memo sent Thursday afternoon, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. As recently as Monday, the NBA was telling teams that individual workouts could take place using what the league called the “one player, one coach, one basket” rule.

Now, that’s not even permitted. If players are going to work out during the league’s shutdown, they’ll have to do it at home or some other private facility.

The NBA said it was updating the guidelines “in light of the rapidly developing coronavirus situation, and consistent with evolving advice from health experts regarding how to promote individual and public health while minimizing the spread of the virus.” It further recommended that players “should take aggressive measures to avoid contact with others and remain home as much as possible, leaving only for essential activities.”

The league described those activities as “buying food, medicine, or other necessary supplies; obtaining critical medical services; providing necessary care for a family member in another household; or attending to some other emergency.”

Entering Thursday, the NBA had seven players — four from the Brooklyn Nets, two from the Utah Jazz and one from the Detroit Pistons — known to have tested positive for COVID-19. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN on Wednesday that eight teams have been tested; not all of those teams have publicly acknowledged testing, so it is possible that the number of positives among NBA players could be higher.

With the belief that there are going to be no NBA games for several more weeks, at minimum, the league felt the time was right to take the additional step of urging players to limit exposure.

“Consistent with an increasing number of state and local government restrictions, and an emerging consensus regarding how to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus with which the NBA’s infectious disease and public health experts agree, effective tomorrow and until further notice, team practice or training facilities … will be closed to players and staff,” the NBA wrote. The league said the ban applies to G League facilities as well.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

The NBA previously banned teams, as part of the coronavirus response, from using public health clubs, fitness centers, gyms and college facilities. But the league said Thursday that teams are permitted to set players up with training, conditioning, or other instructional materials for use at their homes.

Some players have been doing individual workouts at team facilities, on the court or in the weight rooms. Others have gotten creative. Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat recently posted images of a morning workout at his home, and Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers said he’s finding different ways to keep in some short of shape.

“I’m incredibly blessed to just have some free weights here. I have a versa climber. I have enough stuff that I won’t take a step back,” Love said Thursday. “I’ll make sure that I’m maintaining and hopefully keep my wind up and stay strong and just keep that constant tension on my body because it’s tough right now. I haven’t really left the house much.”

The league also reminded teams Thursday that it recommends players remain in their team markets and avoid all non-essential travel, though players — in concert with their team — can choose to go to another city and stay there instead. But players still cannot travel outside of North America; one of the reasons for that is logistical, since it is unclear if players who hypothetically want to return to homes in Europe would be allowed to fly back to the U.S.

Thursday was the eighth full day of the NBA’s shutdown because of the virus. That brings the total of games missed to 57, including the two called off on March 11 — the night that the positive test of Utah Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert was revealed and the league announced that it was suspending the season.

“We will navigate these uncharted waters together,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder wrote in an open letter to Utah fans on Thursday, thanking them for their support. “Right now, we are all sacrificing in our own unique ways — for our health and for the greater good — and that is critical.”

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MLS extends match postponement — Toronto Sun

Major League Soccer has extended the postponement of its matches. Read More
MLS extends match postponement another two months — Toronto Sun

Major League Soccer has extended the postponement of its matches.

The league last week announced a 30-day suspension of the season, but in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance to postpone events involving more than 50 people over the next eight weeks, MLS has extended that timeline.

In a statement Thursday morning, MLS said it is focused on playing the entire 2020 season and is evaluating all options, including pushing back the end of the season and playing the MLS Cup in December, as the league did prior to the 2019 season. The league is also identifying other available dates.

Throughout this process, MLS says it will continue to prioritize the safety of fans, players, employees and partners and to coordinate with federal and local public health authorities as well as other sporting organizations.

Adam Silver Says NBA Plays Big Role In Getting COVID-19 Message Out To Young People — NESN.com

The NBA has been proactive in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, and it wants it to stay that way. Eight NBA teams have been tested for COVID-19 since March 11, according to commissioner Adam Silver, with seven having tested positive as of Wednesday afternoon. Silver says most players are asymptomatic, though some are experiencing “relatively…
Adam Silver Says NBA Plays Big Role In Getting COVID-19 Message Out To Young People — NESN.com