MLB encouraging players to go home after canceling spring

Major League Baseball is encouraging players to go home, a day after canceling rest of spring training schedule and postponing opening day by at least two weeks amid vel coronavirus outbreak. Ballparks in Florida and Arizona were locked down Friday as sport considered how to proceed following an outbreak that has brought U.S. sports schedule to a standstill.

Teams speculated season might t start until sometime in May, necessitating a reduced schedule.

Many teams said in morning y planned to close for weekend and re-open camps Monday. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred met Friday with players' association leadership, and a decision was made to encour players to leave camp in afteron.

“We don't have a playbook for this," Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti said in morning. "We are learning on fly. We are taking approach that we will continue to prioritize health and wellness of our players, our staff, ir families, everyone at complex, everyone throughout organization. That is evolving day to day.”

dispersal is t mandatory. In particular, many mir league players — especially from or countries — have been hoping to remain in camps, where y have usually access to housing, food and training facilities.

MLB has recommended scouts should t make n-essential travel, according to a person familiar with discussions. person spoke to Associated Press on condition of anymity because league has t anunced those plans.

“re's obviously re's games to be played right w, so our amateur scouts are in a holding pattern at this point,” Kansas City general manr Dayton Moore said.

NBA suspended its season Wednesday night after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert was diagsed with virus, and it wasn’t a surprise to players when MLB followed with a similar move Thursday.

t that players weren’t stunned by disruption -- Jon Lester was long-tossing in Cubs camp in moments before anuncement was made, and Mariners’ coaches pulled pitchers off bullpen mounds mid-session to break news.

"Yesterday was one of craziest days I've ever had in baseball,” Seattle manr Scott Servais said. “I went through (1994-95) strike as player, and I can only compare it to that.”

A day after finishing a week-long drive from Chicago, diehard fan Elaine Maddox stood outside Cubs spring training complex Friday morning, gazing through locked gates at an empty, sun-soaked field.

“It's kind of sad,” she said. “Spent all that money and everything, coming all way out here. But I guess it's better than being sick.”

She said she supported MLB's decision to suspend play — disappointed though she was to have driven across country with her husband, Loren, only to be locked out of Sloan Park in Mesa.

“Wasn’t exactly memory we were hoping for,” Loren said. “But it will definitely be a memory.”

Tampa Bay mir league pitcher Peter Bayer tweeted Thursday night that he had taken a food-delivery job, given uncertainty around his next baseball paycheck.

“Who kws what’s going to happen with MILB/pay,” he wrote. “So I decided to start driving with Door Dash tonight. $62 in 3 hours... t too bad.”