MESA, Ariz. _ Baseball is on hiatus. Teams, including the Oakland A's, are awaiting official word that spring training games (Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues) will be cancelled for the 10 days that remain in camp in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reports indicate that the season's suspension will also leak into the regular season.
"I think the regular season has a better chance if you do something now," manager Bob Melvin said. "When in the regular season? I don't know. The longer you let this go, the more the regular season becomes in jeopardy. From what I'm hearing, it sounds like most people are thinking the same."
Other professional leagues and college conferences have acted quick. The NBA suspended its season on Wednesday after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for Coronavirus. This morning, every Power 5 conference suspended its championship tournament.
Reality set in for the baseball world, and the A's, after the NBA hastily suspended its season on Wednesday night.
"I think what hit home was what happened last night in the NBA. When clubhouses are in jeopardy...I think they handled it beautifully," he said. "It becomes real, not that it wasn't before, but more so when you hear stuff like that. Especially within the sports community."
Immediately, spring training suspension could be paramount. The state of the first few weeks of the regular season is in peril, too. The City of Oakland officially issued an order, effective immediately, prohibiting large events with 1,000-plus guests scheduled between March 12 and March 31. The A's host the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros from March 26 through April 1.
