Elephant Rumblings: MLB proposes safety protocols regarding coronavirus

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

As Major League Baseball and the Players Union continue to discuss how to appropriately start a 2020 season, the next step on Friday involved the health and safety of players and personnel. Per Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic (see link below), the league sent a 67-page document to the MLBPA for approval by the players, detailing a long list of protocols meant to promote social distancing and reduce the risk of an outbreak.

The protocols cover a wide range of topics. The plan calls for frequent testing, both in terms of actual tests for the virus and also constant temperature checks to look for fevers. In includes discouragements and/or outright bans on some unsanitary behaviors such as spitting, high-fives, and pitchers licking their fingers while on the mound. There will also be avoidance of crowded situations, such as indoor team meetings, indoor batting cages, and traditional dugout and clubhouse setups, plus team facilities like communal showers and saunas.

The league’s proposal still must be signed off by the players, so the details could yet change, but at least this part of the conversation has begun.

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Meanwhile, the Oakland A’s family got some good news on the coronavirus front over the weekend. Former manager Art Howe, who was hospitalized last Tuesday after a positive test and severe symptoms, showed enough improvement that he was released from the ICU on Sunday and is back home continuing his recovery. Athletics Nation is thrilled to hear this positive news and we continue to wish the best to Howe and his family.

A’s Coverage:

• Hickey: Health Protocols Suggested By MLB Raise Some Questions
• Hickey: Can Using Raiders’ Locker Room Help Athletics Achieve Social Distancing at Coliseum?
• Hickey: Ex-Athletics’ manager Tony La Russa Recalls Bob Watson as `the Kind of Guy You’d Want as a Friend’
• Hickey: Remembering the Day the Athletics Met the Queen of England
• Hickey: The Best of the Second-Best; Rating Ballparks Not With Us Anymore
• Thanawalla: How MLB sees players’ prorated 2020 salaries affecting Giants, A’s
• Brazil: Chris Bassitt sends strong message to hitters facing A’s tough defense
• Brazil: How Austin Allen is embracing A’s three-headed catching competition
• Brazil: Tony Kemp knew he belonged on A’s one week before trade from Cubs
• Hall: Former A’s manager Art Howe released from hospital amid coronavirus recovery
• Hall: What if the A’s hadn’t traded Josh Donaldson before 2015?
• A’s trivia: Opening Day lineups from 1970-79

MLB News & Interest:

• Rosenthal and Drellich: MLB proposes medical and safety protocols to players in 67-page document ($$$)
• Rosenthal and Drellich: With no fans, revenue sharing among rich and poor teams will be unlikely in 2020 ($$$)
• AP: MLB projects loss of $640,000 per game without fans
• Cooper: MLB Announces Official Dates For Shortened 2020 Draft
• McTaggart: Battling COVID-19, Howe released from hospital
• Ringolsby: Updated with Quotes: Art Howe Has Rounded Third and is Back at Home in Houston
• Byrne: The Last 10 First Overall Picks
• Polishuk: Remembering The Best Minor League Signing In Rays History
• Polishuk: The Astros Made A Precedent-Setting $10MM Investment…That Didn’t Pay Off
• MLB Quiz of the Day: WAR leaders by position (I finally got 100% on one of these!)
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

Also no peeing on your hands instead of using batting gloves, Moises.

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Art Howe is doing better, but let’s remember A’s minor league manager Webster Garrison is still out there recovering too.