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Less than a month before the players showed up for spring training, the Arizona Cactus League made a formal request to Commissioner Rob Manfred asking that the start of spring training be delayed due to the Covid-19 infection rate in Maricopa County (Twitter link via Brahm Resnick of 12 News in Arizona). The Cactus League itself does not have the power to delay the start of spring training, but its formal request is to get a response from the commissioner’s office.
“Amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Cactus League has formed a task force to ensure our 10 spring training facilities are ready to host the 2021 spring training season from a safe for all parties involved, ”wrote executive director Bridget Binsbacher in a letter co-signed by nine other key members of the Cactus League. “We are ready to work with you on the final preparation and the result to start the season. … But given the current state of the pandemic in Maricopa County – with one of the highest infection rates in the country – we believe it is wise to delay the onset of spring training to allow the Covid-19 situation to improve here.
The county’s call, however, does not appear to have any effect on policy unless the players change positions – and on that matter, they have been clear. In response to the Cactus League letter, the MLBPA released his own statement, reiterating their desire (and insistence) to start on time. “Although we have not received any communication directly, MLBPA is aware of a letter that was distributed today by the Cactus League Association,” the letter begins. He goes on to say, “The letter rightly states that MLB does not have the capacity to make a unilateral decision.”
In negotiating the rules and conditions for the 2021 season, MLBPA has been true to its desire to play a full season, which logistically requires a regularly scheduled spring session in most if not all of the scenarios envisioned. For there to be movement on the part of the players, the owners and the league would have to account for the money players would lose by delaying and truncating the season. This may be the players’ biggest leverage, and not the one they seem willing to compromise without significant concessions from the league. For what it’s worth, the NHL is currently active at Glendale with fans in the stands, notes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Glendale was one of the cities to sign the letter sent to the league.
There are basically two scenarios that could cause a delay in spring formation. The first would be the local health crisis which is worsening enough for health officials to impose restrictions that conflict with the league’s ability to open camps. Given the already dire nature of the crisis at this time, this is not seen as a particularly likely outcome. The other possibility is that the MLB and MLBPA together decide that a camp delay is the right course of action.
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