# New plan for all MLB games to be played in Arizona. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [April 7, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272 "2020-04-07T14:41:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/21 "2020-04-07T19:37:15Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > IPlus, Baseball as a sport has some of the least direct contact between players of any major sport. Does the catcher squat 2 m behind the batter? Does the ump stand 2 m behind the catcher? When a player hits a ball and runs for first base, and the first baseman catches a throw from the fielders and runs to first to tag the runner, do they stay 2 m apart? And are they not breathing heavily from all that running and catching, so that their breath is likely close to the other guy? One of the main vectors is the virus in your breath. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/22 "2020-04-07T20:55:44Z")
They might use robot umps to call balls and strikes so the regular ump can stand back. I read somewhere that a big chunk of NFL players go bankrupt after they retire. Maybe around 30%. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/23 "2020-04-07T21:14:58Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Does the catcher squat 2 m behind the batter? Does the ump stand 2 m behind the catcher? > > When a player hits a ball and runs for first base, and the first baseman catches a throw from the fielders and runs to first to tag the runner, do they stay 2 m apart? And are they not breathing heavily from all that running and catching, so that their breath is likely close to the other guy? > > One of the main vectors is the virus in your breath. You can’t be a vector for a virus you don’t have. It would only work if all were tested negative and quarantined. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/24 "2020-04-07T21:32:41Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Why do these baseball players and owners think they are so important that they have to start work soon? It isn’t like they are grocery clerks. I would love to see them play. It would help me emotionally. I suspect it would help a LOT of people emotionally. It would normalize wearing masks. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/25 "2020-04-07T23:13:59Z")
I immediately thought of a safe-distancing alternative, Donkey Baseball, based on Donkey Basketball, which might sustain the MBA later. Turns out the only Donkey Baseball reference I found was a film by John Waters. No, not the current one - the [early Hollywood era](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Waters_(director_born_1893)) one who got an Oscar for Viva Villa! But a Donkey Baseball film sounds like a good project for 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/26 "2020-04-07T23:18:38Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The games should go pretty quick with no national anthems, half time stretch, or promotions between innings. I read most games could be played in about 3 hours if it doesnt go into extra innings. They could do away with half time altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/27 "2020-04-07T23:48:34Z")
What about field crew, trainers, technicians, etc? There’s a lot more than just getting players and umps out there. I’m guessing it’s about 75 people per game in a skeleton crew. I think we’ll have to wait to see if this virus weakens rather than spreads slower to do all this. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/28 "2020-04-08T12:02:50Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > They could do away with half time altogether. Ok, I meant 7th inning stretch. I also find they tend to stretch out the time between innings to add for more tv commercials and on field promotions. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/29 "2020-04-08T12:25:18Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Ok, I meant 7th inning stretch. I also find they tend to stretch out the time between innings to add for more tv commercials and on field promotions. And they would need to replace lost revenue with more commercials and promotions, wouldn’t they? They can’t sell hotdogs in the empty stands, but the organist can play the [Oscar Mayer Wiener song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNddW2xmZp8) between hitters for the benefit of the TV audience. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/30 "2020-04-08T12:32:31Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > And they would need to replace lost revenue with more commercials and promotions, wouldn’t they? They can’t sell hotdogs in the empty stands, but the organist can play the [Oscar Mayer Wiener song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNddW2xmZp8) between hitters for the benefit of the TV audience. What businesses could afford them atm? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/31 "2020-04-08T13:08:21Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > What businesses could afford them atm? Watching TV the last few days, the airwaves are full of commercials about how “we care about our customers and employees in these trying times.” And there are commercials about “now is the perfect time to buy a new car. We will work with you to help with finances and deliver your new car to your front door.” And for some reason, there are non-stop commercials about bears who are scared to pick their underwear up off the floor using toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/32 "2020-04-08T13:34:50Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I read most games could be played in about 3 hours if it doesnt go into extra innings. The average last year was 3:05, so that wouldn’t be much of an achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/33 "2020-04-08T14:12:38Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You can’t be a vector for a virus you don’t have. It would only work if all were tested negative and quarantined. Sure, but teams and their support groups are big. Quarantining an entire team and support staff for the season, plus their families? That strikes me as difficult. Just takes one unanticipated contact and the team has to self-isolate. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272/34 "2020-04-08T15:32:18Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Sure, but teams and their support groups are big. Quarantining an entire team and support staff for the season, **plus their families?** That strikes me as difficult. Just takes one unanticipated contact and the team has to self-isolate. Well, that part isn’t actually necessary. Plus, this won’t be a game like we’re used to, it will be pared down to just the essentials, like everyone else. There won’t be a host of trainers, bat boys, 17 umpires and all that. We need to think outside the (batter’s) box. Sure, it will be a major undertaking, but so is every regular season game. Sure, it will require additional, unusual practices, but so does everything else we’re doing this year. The point is, it would be entirely possible, and possibly worth it. “Bread and circuses” is a cliche for a reason. Bored people with nothing to look forward to are far more likely to start acting out in ways that will prolong this crisis. It’s worth taking a serious look at anything that could help with this problem, and figuring out which ones are feasible, even if they are difficult and require some sacrifice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-plan-for-all-mlb-games-to-be-played-in-arizona/851272.md?page=1)