The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Jake Kaplan On Astros And Other Teams Shutting Down Camp For Testing Delays

Episode Date: July 6, 2020

Jake Kaplan On Astros And Other Teams Shutting Down Camp For Testing Delays

Yes is the Matt Thomas show. We appreciate our next guest joining us here on a relatively short notice, but news of the day, very important over at Minute Maid Park. Today's summer camp workout canceled because of the lack of testing, not lack of testing, but the lack of results. Jake Kaplan from the Athletic on Twitter. Jake M. Kaplan is there. Jake, did you go to the ballpark today and find out there?

Take us through your day as you were following the baseball team. No, I found out from home. It was been a weird few days in MLB land. There were some complaints around the game yesterday from you saw online, I'm sure. And, you know, they're supposed to get tested every two days. And so Friday was the last test, and then they weren't tested. Some things were tested yesterday. the Astros were not tested yesterday.

Other teams in the same boat as the Astros. And then all of a sudden it turned into, well, we don't have the last result. We haven't, you know, we're getting our next test before we've gotten our last results in. So, like, it's not safe to practice, right? So, yeah, so work came down. When was that that I tweeted at 830 or so? Yeah. That today's workout was canceled.

So is this a blip on the radar, or are you pausing for some serious concern, right? now. I mean, I don't think I've always had serious concern about this whole plan. It's definitely an ominous start to the whole process that MLB and the union have set out. And personally, I think they should be testing every day. And so they're already at sort of a disadvantage by doing every other day. And then when you don't have the results between tests, that's not exactly safe, you know, to prevent an outbreak or spread at all. So, yeah, I think it remains to be seen whether it's just a one-off or something more serious that is going to continue. But MLB doesn't have long to make sure they fix it.

Do you know where these tests are going? I mean, are they staying in Houston? They go somewhere else? So where do you think the delay took place? Yeah, I don't know where exactly the delay took place. It could have been with the mail service because of the holiday. That's certainly possible. But the tests from every team are going to a lab in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Yeah. That logistically seems like a lot of time to be wasted there, Jake. I mean, every one of these cities from Major League Baseball has teams. You would assume they've got terrific medical practices. clearly Houston does, but I'm assuming every city does. Why there? Do you have any idea why? I don't.

I don't know why they haven't done instead of one centralized testing lab that they can't do several around the country. But even the rhyme of reasons of who's having delays and who isn't doesn't even seem to be

necessarily based on proximity to Utah because the A's has been the team that's seemingly lost the most time, they haven't even had a position player workout yet because their intake testing for their position players hasn't come through yet. So, you know, you would think San Francisco to Salt Lake City would be a pretty easy flight to get those tests over, but for some reason they've had the most trouble. So in your mind, what is Rob Manfred doing with results today that the nationals canceled,

the Astros have canceled, other teams have, the A's don't have a full work yet. What's going through his mind right now? I don't know. I don't know. But certainly MLB has to fix the process. And, you know, it is, you know, like they did start on a holiday weekend, which is probably not ideal for all of it. And I think it would be easy to chalk it up to just that. But I think it remains to be seen as to whether it was just that or some flaw in the process. because if you take a test on Friday, you should know the results, you know, before Monday, at the least. So it's an ongoing thing that we're all monitoring. And, you know, they took more tests or are in the process of taking their next batch of tests today in Houston. So we'll see how long it takes for them to get those results. Jake M. Kaplan on the Athletic Astros beat with us on Sports Talk 790.

The argument I made to begin the show today was if they can't get this done during summer camp and the proper testing and the results and making sure by it's clear, how they're going to send teams from one end of the country to the other. And I'm talking about Toronto down to Florida, Houston to Seattle. I mean, this is just not set up to be a particularly good sign for what is about to come up. And that's going to be some more intense testing and guys jumping on planes and guys playing in different ballparks and guys staying in hotels. Yeah, it's almost like they should have played in the bubble somewhere, right?

Right. I mean, that's... How frequently are they testing in the NBA? It's every day, right? Yeah, every other day, every other day, and they'll take tests before they leave. A lot of the teams are leaving in the next three days, and then they'll quarantine for anywhere between five and seven days, and then they'll be taking more tests there.

The thing I can't get... I mean, you don't have the answer to is I don't understand the Salt Lake City portion of this thing. if you want rapid test and you want results right away and you are willing to pay that kind of money to get that, it should be done in Houston, Texas, should be done in a laboratory, should be done at the medical center or anywhere else, so these guys can leave the ballpark that day knowing what exactly their health status is. Yeah, I agree. If that's viable, I agree. Yeah, it's definitely an ominous, ominous beginning. You know, it's what they started Friday.

We're speaking on Monday. This would have been their fourth workout day, and they're already losing time that they don't really have already because it's such a short spring training 2.0 here, opening days in less than three weeks. So, yeah, it's not great times in Major League Baseball right now. Your eyes did see a few workouts over the weekend. Anything noticeable except for the fact that Yorda Nalvarez and Joe Smith were not there?

Personally, I was not at Minutemay Park. I've chosen to work remotely. Good. More comfortable that way for safety reasons. So I haven't seen the batting practice rounds that have been open in the media, but I'm not sure after having watched years of batting practice, I would have been able to tell much from watching batting practice. Oh, I understand. Yeah, for sure.

So, yeah, it's tough to really get a read if anything's changed among specific players, but certainly like the monitoring who's there and who's not there is probably the most valuable part of reporters who are going to the park and watching. So we ought to presume that, you shouldn't presume, but it feels like that when Dusty Baker kind of clams up and says, I can't really tell you why these guys aren't here, that it's probably COVID-related of some sort? Yeah, I don't know.

We are, at our company, the athletic, we're operating, under a policy of like unless the team or the player announces it, we're not presuming anything. You know, we're not, you know, so that they need to announce that they have it for us to report it. And that hasn't happened. You know, you have seen that with other teams. The Rangers, for example, today just announced that Joey Gallo has had it,

had COVID. So, you know, the asteros haven't announced any specific names. But, yeah, it's a weird, it's a weird dance for these GMs and managers to kind of explain why guys aren't there without, you know, while adhering to, like, the privacy part of it. And it's a non-baseball-related injuries. So, like, managers can't say one way or the other. Yeah.

Nick Marcakechis, David Price, Zimmerman, Desmond, among those. King Felix, not going to partake. Any of those surprises to you? Any of them, do you think they're all health-related? Do you think there's some guys worried about next year's and kind? contracts? Is there anything you can take from that kind of list of guys I just mentioned? Well, I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it is interesting and noteworthy and telling that I think all of these guys are pretty accomplished and have made a lot of money in their careers, right? I think that's interesting.

You know, I think there's still a few weeks where we're going to see more opt-outs, and you might see opt-outs during the season if they have a season. You know, there's been a lot of players who seem like they're iffy on it and aren't certain, you know, whether it's out of fear for their safety, their family safety, or just don't feel it's right. I mean, you've seen really every possible reason for it. So, you know, I lost track of how many players it's up to now. It seems like 9 or 10 at this point, but I would be surprised if there weren't more in the coming weeks. I think we're all kind of waiting, Jake, on what? what a certain outfielder for Los Angeles Angels is thinking about.

Because Mike Trout has not hidden the fact that he is very, very apprehensive about returning. And I think a guy like that, if he says thanks but no things could really, really shake the baseball world up a little bit. Yeah, I agree with you. I think if he opted out, you would see even more follow. And, you know, I think the development of today and yesterday with the testing issues have to give some guys. some pause too. So definitely an ongoing story that we're all following here. Well, I appreciate you jumping in on short notice, my friend. I'll let you get back

to writing. The podcast is great. Listen to you and Mike on that all the time. And again, on Twitter at Jake M. Kaplan. And do not be afraid to get an athletic membership because it's money, money, well spent. Jake, thanks for time this afternoon. Thank you, Matt. Take care. I will see you later. Jake M. Kaplan on Twitter with the Athletic here at 12 minutes past the hour of 1 o'clock. Mori spoke with the media last hour. We're going to let you hear a lot of what he had to say next as the Matt Thomas show continues. If you would like to chime in anything on the Astros front, Major League Baseball front,

as again the Astros today had to shut down their workouts because they were unable to get test results that were taken this past Friday. 713-213-212-790 with a message for Big City Wings. Monday night means. Are you ready for this? $1 chicken tenders in any of the eight Big City Wing locations. Dine in, sure, social distancing, of course. Carry out. You can do the delivery service if you so choose.

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