Cardinals-Brewers game postponed due to Cardinals' players testing positive

[Wonderful Monds]

There's 60 players for a reason, but that reason isn't "play your #31-60 players all at the Major League level at the same time". That was never the point of having that many players.

The Cardinals showed a few days ago that there was still spread within their team. So more games got postponed. Until the spread seems to have stopped, they aren't going to play.

They could still use replacement players the way the Marlins did, though.

At this point they’ve missed so many games it would seem the only fair thing to do is either that or just have them forfeit the games they can’t play.

[dougdirt]

They could still use replacement players the way the Marlins did, though.

At this point they’ve missed so many games it would seem the only fair thing to do is either that or just have them forfeit the games they can’t play.

Not until the team spread has been shown to have stopped they can't. The Marlins spread stopped, then they added the new guys to the non-sick guys and resumed played. The Cardinals active roster had a guy test positive a few days ago. Until they get to where no one else is testing positive on their active roster they aren't going to start playing again.

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That said, I don't really know what you do with the Cardinals, because yeah, they've just missed so many games.

[Wonderful Monds]

Not until the team spread has been shown to have stopped they can't. The Marlins spread stopped, then they added the new guys to the non-sick guys and resumed played. The Cardinals active roster had a guy test positive a few days ago. Until they get to where no one else is testing positive on their active roster they aren't going to start playing again.

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That said, I don't really know what you do with the Cardinals, because yeah, they've just missed so many games.

I guess I just don’t really understand what the standard is supposed to be. We appeared to have 3 guys who had it at one point, and one of them had a positive test. But they didn’t shut us down when Davidson, Moustakas and Senzel all went on the covid IL simultaneously. Just seems like something is off.

I think they should have made them come up with an entirely separate roster while the other one was quarantining, just call up guys from their minor league system and fill in with temporary free agents and whatnot and have them play those games. It would’ve been a cluster, but it would’ve been preferable to how it’s played out so far.

[dougdirt]

I guess I just don’t really understand what the standard is supposed to be. We appeared to have 3 guys who had it at one point, and one of them had a positive test. But they didn’t shut us down when Davidson, Moustakas and Senzel all went on the covid IL simultaneously. Just seems like something is off.

I think they should have made them come up with an entirely separate roster while the other one was quarantining, just call up guys from their minor league system and fill in with temporary free agents and whatnot and have them play those games. It would’ve been a cluster, but it would’ve been preferable to how it’s played out so far.

There isn't a standard. But let me tell you what the big differences seem to be from where I sit:

The Reds had 1 positive test, and two guys who never tested positive. There was no confirmed spread at all on the team. That is drastically different from the other two situations.

But, and this might be even more important: The Reds thing happened before the Marlins lost 2/3rds of their team to it. Now that baseball has seen what could actually happen, they aren't messing around.

The Reds situation, it sucked. It was absolutely nothing at all like the other two situations.

[757690]

There's 60 players for a reason, but that reason isn't "play your #31-60 players all at the Major League level at the same time". That was never the point of having that many players.

The Cardinals showed a few days ago that there was still spread within their team. So more games got postponed. Until the spread seems to have stopped, they aren't going to play.

Then what was the point? Honestly, I can’t see any other.

[757690]

Not until the team spread has been shown to have stopped they can't. The Marlins spread stopped, then they added the new guys to the non-sick guys and resumed played. The Cardinals active roster had a guy test positive a few days ago. Until they get to where no one else is testing positive on their active roster they aren't going to start playing again.

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That said, I don't really know what you do with the Cardinals, because yeah, they've just missed so many games.

But if the second 30 isn’t at the same location as the first 30, you can use the second 30 while quarantining the first 30. That is the only reason to have the second 30.

[dougdirt]

But if the second 30 isn’t at the same location as the first 30, you can use the second 30 while quarantining the first 30. That is the only reason to have the second 30.

No. The second 30 exists as a supplemental roster for injuries, not for the entire roster. You need 30-ish players there because you need to have a reasonable number of fill ins for positions if a need arises. You need 30-ish players because they need to be able to hold some sort of actual practices that aren't pitching machines or bullpen sessions.

[757690]

No. The second 30 exists as a supplemental roster for injuries, not for the entire roster. You need 30-ish players there because you need to have a reasonable number of fill ins for positions if a need arises. You need 30-ish players because they need to be able to hold some sort of actual practices that aren't pitching machines or bullpen sessions.

I know this is MLB’s reasoning and not your’s but it makes no sense.

A team will only need that many players to fill the roster if there are multiple players testing positive at the same time. But when that happens, they shut the team down, so there is no need for the other 30 players.

[mth123]

But if the second 30 isn’t at the same location as the first 30, you can use the second 30 while quarantining the first 30. That is the only reason to have the second 30.

The point is to have a few guys available to fill in for injuries, Covid or otherwise. They have 30 so those guys can play scrimmage games to stay somewhat ready when needed. Since there is no minor leagues they need 30 to cover all the positions and have a couple of pitching staffs for those games. I don't think there was ever a plan to add 30 guys at once.

Think of the entire picture. There is only a 40 man roster, 28 of whom are currently in some quasi-quarantine and unavailable. That rule was never changed. That alone should show you that there was never an expectation that an entire team of replacement players would be used. Should the Cardinals cut 15 or 20 guys from the current roster to field a team for a week or two? That's what they would need to do. We knew coming in that this was going to be a screwy season. We were right.

[Roy Tucker]

I get a bunch of cardinals on my bird feeders. Let’s play them.

[mbgrayson]

I really wonder how the schedule can get evened out, given that the Cardinals have played 5 games, and the Reds have played 18.

August 13th: I see that again today, the Cardinals games are ppd due to Covid. They would have to play double headers every day for two weeks, with no more cancellations, just to get caught up. They aren't even working out.

"The Cardinals have had 17 individuals test positive for COVID-19 since July 29, the last time they played a game. Ten of those are players." St Louis Post Dispatch.

[Old school 1983]

I really wonder how the schedule can get evened out, given that the Cardinals have played 5 games, and the Reds have played 18.

August 13th: I see that again today, the Cardinals games are ppd due to Covid. They would have to play double headers every day for two weeks, with no more cancellations, just to get caught up. They aren't even working out.

"The Cardinals have had 17 individuals test positive for COVID-19 since July 29, the last time they played a game. Ten of those are players." St Louis Post Dispatch.

Make them play with a taxi squad or tell them their season is over.

[Griffey012]

There isn't a standard. But let me tell you what the big differences seem to be from where I sit:

The Reds had 1 positive test, and two guys who never tested positive. There was no confirmed spread at all on the team. That is drastically different from the other two situations.

But, and this might be even more important: The Reds thing happened before the Marlins lost 2/3rds of their team to it. Now that baseball has seen what could actually happen, they aren't messing around.

The Reds situation, it sucked. It was absolutely nothing at all like the other two situations.

On top of that I believe Davidson had a positive on the rapid test, which is a lot less accurate than the nasal swabs. He never tested positive based on a swab.

[Ron Madden]

Jon Heyman
@JonHeyman
Friday Cards game looks like it will be postponed. Hear a STL coach tested positive. Saturday not ruled out yet.
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Sports + Aviation
@SportsAviation
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St. Louis Cardinals' flight on Friday - DAL8884 / DL8884 - to O'hare for series vs. Chicago White Sox just showed canceled. Series is set to begin Friday night. We'll await more information. #STLCards #WhiteSox #ChangeTheGame

[Old school 1983]

If a team can’t finish the full schedule, the games missed need to be treated as assumed losses.