By Michael Marcantonini As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic harrasses the entire globe, almost every aspect of everyday life is on hold, including arguably the world’s and undoubtedly the United States’ biggest outlet from the real world: Sports. At the professional level, the start of baseball season is delayed without a true timetable for how long the postponement will last. At the collegiate level, student-athletes essentially had their entire season ripped away from them on the diamond. There are much bigger problems facing the world right now than baseball, but baseball is what I know best. As a sports media professional, I value any opportunity to tell ballplayers’ stories and, despite the unfortunate scenario, there are stories to be told right now. That’s why I turned to Instagram to find interview subjects. I called out to players in Minor League Baseball, Independent baseball and college baseball, who were interested in sharing their reactions to the virus crisis and how the pandemic has impacted their lives and careers during a time of unprecedented uncertainty. Here’s who answered: Zach Wilson - Infielder, Lincoln Saltdogs (American Association); Chris Sharpe - Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates org.; Ryan Fitzgerald - Infielder, Boston Red Sox org.; Rio Gomez - Left-handed pitcher, Boston Red Sox org.; Dylan Nolan - Sr. Catcher, Wells College (Div. III); Andrew Carber - Right-handed pitcher, Utica Unicorns (USPBL); Anonymous NL minor-league player Through a combination of friends in the game and people I’ve never even met, the responses came in and led to this story. What was your initial reaction to the Coronavirus? How has your opinion changed with more info? “I didn’t have much of an initial reaction back in January. All the news about it was in China and it seemed so far away, and at the time like it wasn’t going to be an issue here state-side. Quickly after that, I realized how serious this was at a worldwide level and I began following the news constantly. Obviously, at this point everyone must realize how important this is and why all these levels of precaution are taking place globally.” - Rio Gomez “It never really crossed my mind that it could spread to the United States so fast and have the impact it has had so far. Once word got out of guys on other sports teams saying they have the virus, and NBA games were getting canceled, my opinion [of the situation] changed. Living down at Pirate City, we have hundreds of guys that live together, eat together and train with each other that are constantly touching the same things. Being in an environment like that is what got me to realize how real this is because if one person got the virus, it would spread through the place in no time. A lot of us players were on the same page that it was only a matter of time before we all had it if we stayed [at Spring Training].” - Chris Sharpe “I first heard about the Coronavirus through an investment group chat that I’m in with my college friends from Clemson University. After seeing a tweet of leaked footage from a security camera in China of pedestrians falling on their faces in broad daylight, I knew this virus was more serious than China was making it out to be during the virus's early stages. However, I never in a million years would have thought it would find its way to the East Coast, or even greater, shut down the state of Pennsylvania (where I live) due to a global outbreak.” - Andrew Carber “I’m not extremely worried about it for myself, but I understand that I have to be conscious of others and their health as well.” - Ryan Fitzgerald How is the virus directly affecting you as a baseball player and/or coach? “Personally, this was my first professional Spring Training. This is not how I envisioned it, but it is the card we are all dealt at the moment.” - Anonymous NL minor-leaguer “As a player, it’s made it very hard to keep on a schedule for training in the gym and on the field since all baseball facilities and gyms have closed down for the time being. I have been doing some workouts at the park and beach along with hitting and throwing into a net. It’s very limited. On the coaching side, it’s tough because that’s my source of income for the offseason and now giving lessons is pretty much out of the question with nothing open and having to pretty much stay away from people.” - Zach Wilson “It is now up to me to prepare myself for the season. However, I feel that I have great resources at home if not better than what I had at Spring Training. Sleeping in my own bed, having access to more nutritious foods, more focused baseball training with smaller groups instead of large teams, and a personal trainer to continue building my strength. The only downside is not being able to compete in a game setting. I am trying to get together a group of guys in the Chicago area to play some pickup games.” - RF “Being from Massachusetts, I spend the majority of my offseason indoors hitting and throwing into a net or with a friend at 90 feet maximum. This is why Spring Training is so valuable...It takes me a week or two to trust my baseball instincts after being inside all winter. I was at spring training for a month and at a point where the season could have started that day and I would have been ready to go, but instead I’m back at square one hitting and throwing into a net.” - CS “I never would have imagined that my senior season would’ve been stripped away in a blink of an eye due to a pandemic. I have shed countless tears over this because my team and I were just getting started...I am worried about the opportunities I could’ve had, and the summer season I am supposed to play in.” - Dylan Nolan What is your current situation: where are you staying/were you forced to leave where you were to go home/what are you doing throughout the day to train for the season/etc.? “I’m lucky enough to have my neighbors’ basement gym to get as much of my lifting in as I can. I say I’m lucky enough because I’ve talked to plenty of guys that went home to no gym at all. For baseball workouts, we haven’t been able to do much, as our usual places are closed. Without knowing when we may return for our season, it puts us in a tough spot.” - CS “We were forced to leave [Spring Training], provided we were unwilling to pay for a living situation near the complex. The club was unbelievable in the way they were able to quickly schedule flights for all players within the organization, as we had flights the following morning. Since then, I have moved back in with my parents. Throughout the days, I have the ability to go to a local baseball facility. I only have this opportunity because I worked there over the 2019-20 offseason.” - Anonymous “I’m currently back home in Long Beach, CA. Long Beach isn’t completely locked down so I can still get out and do things I need to do, but the days have gotten pretty boring really. Just finding ways to keep busy and in shape.” - ZW “My team traveled down to Florida to play in the Russmatt tournament where we were able to play five out of seven games before our trip was canceled and [we were] ordered to head back home. Upon the 26-hour bus ride back to school, we got an email saying that we had to leave campus immediately. When I got home, I started helping my family out around the house, doing chores and getting in workouts in the backyard. It’s bittersweet being back home but I at least can have a catch and continue to throw with my younger brother, who’s a freshman in high school.” - DN "I was forced to go to my home in Chicago with my family. My day looks pretty much the same as it did in the offseason. Baseball training in the morning, lifting in afternoon, and just hanging out with my brothers at night." - RF “I am currently living at home, quarantining with my family during the times I am not at the training facility. I’ve enjoyed passing the time with some good, old-fashioned family bonding in these extreme circumstances…Lots of reading, board games, dancing and food. Going to pick up take-out food has never seemed more enjoyable given the simple pleasure of just getting out of the house for a bit and escaping quarantine.” - AC “Every minor leaguer was told to leave the facility and not come back until told to. Currently, I am home in Phoenix. As of now, the gym I work out at in the offseason is open for us to use and I have plenty of people to throw and keep my arm in shape. Other than that I’ve been getting creative on how to train in the meantime. Since there is time until we go back and there are bigger and more pressing issues in this country, I’m not terribly stressed about my body in the immediate.” - RG What info have you been given from your team/organization/league/school/the NCAA about your situation? (Pro: salaries; college: eligibility) “As an independent ballplayer, we are not getting paid by our employer at this time. I day-trade stocks and run an e-commerce website that sells apparel and sneakers online, which has helped provide a source of income for me, but most of my teammates have either been furloughed or fired by their offseason jobs, given the challenging economic environment brought on by the virus. This has left them quarantined in their homes with no income for the foreseeable future. That’s one of the biggest hardships of them all for us Minor League Grinders.” - AC “I did see in a report that the Red Sox will continue to pay their minor leaguers the normal Spring Training stipend, which could be anywhere from $20/day if you lived in the team hotel to $80/day if you lived outside of the team hotel. I paid for a lease until the end of March, so I lost out on that.” - RF “The info I received is that the NCAA will grant another year of eligibility to all [spring] athletes, but as a senior who is on track to graduate in May, my concerns about returning to a school with no graduate program for a fifth year of school is frustrating and costly.” - DN “We have not been told anything since we departed [Spring Training]. However, the night before leaving, they did compensate each player with the following week's per diem.” - Anonymous “It’s funny how it only takes the whole world to shut down before we fully appreciate our jobs and having a stable source of income to live off of as humans. I think we’ve gained a whole new perspective on a lot of everyday things just from these bizarre times.” - AC As a result of the virus, what should be done to improve the situation of people in your position? (Pro: financially; college: eligibility/financially) “Indy ball teams don’t have the financial support and budget that MLB affiliates do. So in my situation I don’t think there is much to do for us. Maybe raise our pay in season to make up for a shortened season. That’s really the only thing I can think of for Indy ball guys. Affiliated guys should be compensated though for sure. They are in Spring Training for a month with no pay, so they are pretty much there on their own dime, minus meal money, which doesn’t go far. And with Spring Training being canceled and not knowing when the season is starting, those guys are pretty much screwed. They were told to just go home and we will let you know when we need you back. Those guys are expected to stay in shape, eat well and be ready to ship back out at any point in time, but until then they are not getting paid, aren’t getting those meals they were getting during the day at camp, or housing.” - ZW “I think it is a no-brainer that we should get some sort of pay during this time. Obviously, it is not our teams’ fault that we are going through this, but guys have to return home now paying for rent, gas and groceries. Even if it’s not a lot of money, there are guys that have budgeted their lives around these upcoming pay checks and are left with nothing. On top of that, without a time frame for our return, it makes it hard to find a job. I saw recently [MLB] teams are donating $1 million [each] to help employees left without work, but why does that exclude us players? Players sacrifice so much for their organizations and deserve better.” - CS “I think the normal stipend that we have been receiving in Spring Training should continue to be given to the minor leaguers and coaches until the season starts.” - RF “I think MLB should give [minor leaguers] something to hold them over. Doesn’t have to be anything crazy, but at least something...MLB has plenty of money to help out their players at this time. If they can take care of the employees at the stadiums, then they can help their players.” - ZW “Schools [should] refund students’ room and board money who are interested in returning to play another season. And that everyone continues to keep their head up high and have each other’s back, because we are all in this together.” - DN For pros: What info have you been given from your team/organization/league about when the season might start? “I have not been given any info on when the season might start. I’ve heard rumors that it would be mid-May at the earliest, possibly even pushed back until July.” - RF “At this time, there hasn’t been much info about what’s happening baseball-wise moving forward. We are getting paid our Spring Training stipends through April 8th. They have told us they are discussing in season compensation from that date on.” - RG “As of now, we are still scheduled to start [the USPBL] season the first week of May, with Spring Training beginning the third week of April in Utica, Michigan. However, that is certainly subject to change. Only time will tell how long this epidemic lasts, and that will dictate our start date moving forward.” - AC “We have not been told anything. I have been extremely reliant on friends from other organizations to piece together some information on when we may resume baseball activities.” - Anonymous “The team I’m going to in the American Association has been pretty good about keeping me updated on what’s going on...Our manager calls me and fills me in just about every week. There’s talks about the season being pushed back, but since our season starts May 19th, they haven’t really made a decision. I think our season will start on time, but I’m just doing what I can to stay positive with all this...” - ZW For senior student-athletes: If you are granted another year of eligibility, will you take it? If certain circumstances won’t let you return (Ex: money, family, job, etc.), explain why. “I am going to weigh out my options. I have the opportunity to play in the [independent professional] Pecos League this summer, if the league isn’t suspended or canceled, but on the other hand, I would love to return to my [college] program to finish what I started. I would be the first four-year class to graduate from Wells baseball. My freshman year we were a start-up program. I would love to take the opportunity to play again if the money was there, but in the meantime I have to continue online class and find a job somewhere.” - DN **Thank you to all the players who took the time to answer questions for this story, as well as everyone who spread the word about my story idea that led to these interviews**
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