State won't allow Jays to play at Pirates' park

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: AP, via Lockport, NY, Journal

State won't allow Jays to play at Pirates' park
MLB: Team still focused on finding big league home for 2020.
By ROB GILLIES, MARC LEVY and WILL GRAVES The Associated Press 8 hrs ago

TORONTO — The state of Pennsylvania won’t allow the Toronto Blue Jays to play at PNC Park in Pittsburgh amid the coronavirus pandemic, health officials announced Wednesday, becoming the latest jurisdiction to say no to the team as the baseball season begins this week.

Canada already had denied the Blue Jays’ request to play in Toronto because the regular-season schedule would require frequent travel back and forth from the United States, where COVID-19 cases are surging.

The Blue Jays and Pirates had been waiting to see if they got permission from Pennsylvania officials to proceed with the plan to have PNC Park fill in for the Rogers Centre.

“In recent weeks, we have seen a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in southwestern Pennsylvania,” Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s secretary of health, said in a statement. “To add travelers to this region for any reason, including for professional sports events, risks residents, visitors and members of both teams. We know that this virus does not discriminate, and can even make professional athletes very sick. We are committed to protecting the health and well-being of all Pennsylvanians.”

Canada has flattened the epidemic curve. But the number of new confirmed cases of the coronavirus reported daily by Allegheny County — which includes Pittsburgh and 1.2 million residents — has increased tenfold in the last two weeks, compared with the two weeks in June before what officials there called an alarming spike in cases.

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Read more: https://www.lockportjournal.com/sports/national_sports/state-wont-allow-jays-to-play-at-pirates-park/article_3c6e7459-683a-5b39-b1e8-a7295d81a086.html

[brooklynite]

1. What happened to Buffalo?

[not_the_one]

5. They were shuffled off to....

[Marcuse]

17. Sahlen Field lacks MLB infrastructure (inadequate lighting, bullpens in foul territory etc.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. I was wondering about that given that Allegheny County (where Pittsburgh is) has had a spike

of COVID-19 cases (and also in the surrounding counties) - and has been reporting more than here in Philly (where we have 5 times the population of the city of Pittsburgh and about 300,000 more residents than the entirety of Allegheny County).

Am guessing some repukes were trying to work that deal.

[CanonRay]

4. But aren't other teams going to play the Pirates at PNC this season?

Like the Phillies and Mets etc? What's the difference? This one makes no sense to me, if you're going to have games there anyway.

[brooklynite]

6. Twice the number of games twice the risk.

[CanonRay]

9. Nobody's there except the teams

So there should be no additional risk for Pittsburgh. I guess I'm not seeing something

[brooklynite]

10. Teams, coaches, umpires, announcers, groundskeepers, operating crews, security...

It adds up.

[rurallib]

7. logic and sense have been suspended until 01/20/2021

[Baclava]

8. What happens if your starting pitchers turn up positive? I don't see how they can do this, really

Same for the NFL too, your starting QB gets quarantined for 2 weeks for a positive test? Disaster

[Jimbo S]

19. 60-player pool

That's way each team has a pool of 60 players to fill the 30-man roster. If a player tests positive, then he is placed on the COVID list another fills in.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. I'm at a little bit of a loss of understanding here. Why do they need a major league stadium?

There aren't going to be any fans to watch them.

They could literally play anywhere that has the proper dimensions, lighting and locker facilities. That's literally all they need right now.

Beyond the stadiums for the 29 other major league teams, there are hundreds of minor league and college facilities they could also use. And those are currently unoccupied at the moment.

So why not just use one of them? Why insist on using the park of another major league team?

[George II]

13. This morning the mayor of Hartford offered their minor league team's stadium to the Toronto team.

[Yeehah]

14. Great question!

Maybe for the TV infrastructure.

[Jimbo S]

20. Playing standards

I believe lighting is a concern. Minor league parks don't meet MLB standards.

Dressing rooms as well. Adequate for social distancing?

[DeminPennswoods]

12. Cases look to be on the way back down in Allegheny county

They're doing actual contact tracing so the county exec and county health dept expected a couple of weeks of high cases. Positive test percent is also now around 6%.

I don't really think having Tor play at PNC is that risky. The teams will fly in/out on charters and be housed in one place. There won't be fans either. I think this was more of a "safe than sorry" denial rather than based on any real facts.

AFAIK, Buffalo, which is Toronto's AAA affiliate, is the back up plan if they can't find an MLB stadium to host them.

[Steelrolled]

15. Why would any city want another city's team playing in their stadium?

Pittsburgh has enough dealing with its own sports teams.

[Initech]

16. Couldn't the Blue Jays use an MLS Stadium or a football staidum?

[Jimbo S]

21. Dimensions

Football/Soccer stadiums too rectangular.

[Throckmorton]

18. Connecticut' s governor extended an offer

To play at a minor league park in Hartford. Visiting teams will isolate in a hotel in Windsor Locks, and fly charter from their home parks.

What's not to love, play ball at Dunkin Donuts stadium, home of the Yard Goats.