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  6. article_body => "<p>Major League Baseball\u2019s owners have reportedly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/hurdles-remain-mlb-season-start-despite-owners-approving-2020-season-proposal-%3F\">approved a return-to-play proposal<\/a> that targets an early-July start to the 2020 season, just under two months after the coronavirus pandemic forced league officials to suspend spring training and subsequently push back Opening Day.<\/p>\n<p>While there are still many obstacles standing in the way of players taking the field again\u2014chief among them, securing the players union\u2019s approval of the proposal\u2014the biggest unknown surrounding the feasibility of such a plan.<\/p>\n<p>Over the next few weeks, MLB and the union will be tasked with determining how to protect those involved in every aspect of the sport&nbsp;from both contracting the novel coronavirus and spreading it further.<\/p>\n<p>Nationals closer Sean Doolittle weighed in Monday with a thread of tweets breaking down the areas he hopes MLB plans to address before starting the season.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Bear with me, but it feels like we&#39;ve zoomed past the most important aspect of any MLB restart plan: health protections for players, families, staff, stadium workers and the workforce it would require to resume a season. Here are some things I&#39;ll be looking for in the proposal...<\/p>&mdash; Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/whatwouldDOOdo\/status\/1259920490992410626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p>Among the topics Doolittle discussed were\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Health experts are still trying to understand what the <strong>long-term effects<\/strong> of contracting coronavirus might be. Some symptoms, such as permanent lung damage, are particularly concerning for professional athletes. Others, like fertility complications, are worrisome for anyone.<\/li>\n<li>Coronavirus spreads quickly among people who share indoor spaces. Will MLB consider <strong>modifying the layouts of clubhouses<\/strong> in order to ensure players are practicing proper social distancing?<\/li>\n<li>Those infected with coronavirus are contagious before they begin to show symptoms. <strong>How often will MLB test its players and employees<\/strong> in order to avoid spreading the disease as much as possible? Will everyone be tested daily even if they aren\u2019t showing symptoms?<\/li>\n<li><strong>How many tests will MLB need?<\/strong> Running a professional sport requires many more people than just players. As Doolittle points out, \u201ccoaches, clubhouse staff, security, grounds crews, umpires, gameday stadium staff, TV &amp; media\u201d would all need to be included in testing. And that doesn\u2019t even include those who don\u2019t work directly for MLB such as hotel workers, flight attendants, etc.<\/li>\n<li>What is the <strong>level of risk<\/strong> MLB is willing to assume? If a player or employee becomes infected and is seriously affected, will that be enough to shut the sport down?<\/li>\n<li>While most professional athletes have strong respiratory systems, <strong>there are many players with underlying health issues<\/strong>. Will those players be handled with greater caution? What will be done to protect them?<\/li>\n<li>If the players do agree to return to the field amid a global pandemic, will they receive the <strong>assurance of broader and lifelong health insurance<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<li>There is still the potential for a <strong>second wave of infections<\/strong>. What will MLB do if the number of cases begins to rise exponentially?<\/li>\n<li>Can the required number of tests needed to safely start the season be acquired <strong>ethically<\/strong>?<\/li>\n<li>If a player or employee does contract coronavirus, what will the <strong>protocol<\/strong> be?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Doolittle is far from the only player with these concerns, and the answers to many of those questions will likely determine whether or not baseball is played in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, and he wanted to make sure something was clear.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\">Oh, <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hjPeXJP4su\">pic.twitter.com\/hjPeXJP4su<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/whatwouldDOOdo\/status\/1259920514627383300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/racing-presidents\" target=\"_blank\">CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NATIONALS TALK PODCAST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/racing-presidents\/episodes\/885b44b0-0434-48cc-a5ee-718c8101d356\/embed?theme=light-custom\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p><em><strong>Stay connected to the Capitals and Wizards with the MyTeams app.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&amp;creative_id=nbcswash1200&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcswash1200\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download for comprehensive coverage of your teams.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>MORE NATIONALS NEWS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rizzo on Rodman:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/how-would-mike-rizzo-handle-dennis-rodman-party-request\">Handling Vegas party request<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Much respect:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/michael-jordans-biggest-fan-it-could-be-mike-rizzo\">Rizzo talks Jordan<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Well done:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/nationals-perfectly-execute-michael-jordan-meme-remind-everyone-19-31-start\">Nats execute Jordan meme<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Nationals

Nationals

Major League Baseball’s owners have reportedly approved a return-to-play proposal that targets an early-July start to the 2020 season, just under two months after the coronavirus pandemic forced league officials to suspend spring training and subsequently push back Opening Day.

While there are still many obstacles standing in the way of players taking the field again—chief among them, securing the players union’s approval of the proposal—the biggest unknown surrounding the feasibility of such a plan.

Over the next few weeks, MLB and the union will be tasked with determining how to protect those involved in every aspect of the sport from both contracting the novel coronavirus and spreading it further.

Nationals closer Sean Doolittle weighed in Monday with a thread of tweets breaking down the areas he hopes MLB plans to address before starting the season.

Among the topics Doolittle discussed were…

  • Health experts are still trying to understand what the long-term effects of contracting coronavirus might be. Some symptoms, such as permanent lung damage, are particularly concerning for professional athletes. Others, like fertility complications, are worrisome for anyone.
  • Coronavirus spreads quickly among people who share indoor spaces. Will MLB consider modifying the layouts of clubhouses in order to ensure players are practicing proper social distancing?
  • Those infected with coronavirus are contagious before they begin to show symptoms. How often will MLB test its players and employees in order to avoid spreading the disease as much as possible? Will everyone be tested daily even if they aren’t showing symptoms?
  • How many tests will MLB need? Running a professional sport requires many more people than just players. As Doolittle points out, “coaches, clubhouse staff, security, grounds crews, umpires, gameday stadium staff, TV & media” would all need to be included in testing. And that doesn’t even include those who don’t work directly for MLB such as hotel workers, flight attendants, etc.
  • What is the level of risk MLB is willing to assume? If a player or employee becomes infected and is seriously affected, will that be enough to shut the sport down?
  • While most professional athletes have strong respiratory systems, there are many players with underlying health issues. Will those players be handled with greater caution? What will be done to protect them?
  • If the players do agree to return to the field amid a global pandemic, will they receive the assurance of broader and lifelong health insurance?
  • There is still the potential for a second wave of infections. What will MLB do if the number of cases begins to rise exponentially?
  • Can the required number of tests needed to safely start the season be acquired ethically?
  • If a player or employee does contract coronavirus, what will the protocol be?

Doolittle is far from the only player with these concerns, and the answers to many of those questions will likely determine whether or not baseball is played in 2020.

Oh, and he wanted to make sure something was clear.

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