Are Youth Sports Worth It Yet?

Ohio Governor Michael Dewine has done a fantastic job of guiding the State through this coronavirus problem.

There! I have said it. I did not vote for Dewine as Governor. I didn’t particularly care for him as a Senator and wasn’t upset when he lost in his bid for re-election. I questioned his ability to lead this Great State of Ohio. In this instance, I readily admit I was wrong.

Dewine was one of the first to shut down a state. He stopped the virus in it’s tracks. Keeping the amount of people affected and dying at a minimum. He stood up, took the heat, didn’t complain and stayed true to his beliefs. But in fact what Dewine did, he listened. Listened to the experts, the doctors and those he trusts. He contemplated their advice, then made his decisions.

Yes I am happy with what Dewine has done. Up until now.

DeWine tweeted on Wednesday, “Low-contact or non-contact sports can resume on May 26 if they can meet safety protocols. More details on safety protocols will be posted soon at http://coronavirus.ohio.gov.” Inclusive in those low-contact or non-contact sports are baseball and tennis.

A committee had been put together to discuss the viability of playing some sort of season. This committee put in place a 20-point plan, ranging from the viability of players wearing masks to temperature checks at the gate to social distancing to no players in the dugout to changing out the baseballs every half inning.

This is a committee that obviously knows nothing about playing the game of baseball. Most are parents suffering from delusions of grandeur, wanting their child to play in hopes they can become a star! This is simply placing kids in danger.

Several problems come to the forefront in trying to make this work. First, and most obvious, yet probably the most ignored, is home plate. Batter, catcher and umpire are all within 6 feet of each other if they are following the standards of positioning. The catcher has to be close to the batter, and the umpire needs to be close to the catcher to see the pitches correctly. All in close proximity of each other.

Secondly, MLB is finding one of their biggest problems, besides money, is distancing. They are talking about playing in front of crowd-less stadiums. Yet there is no talk of that at little league or traveling team games. That’s because you cannot guarantee social distancing in most areas. Fans will sit in the stands, if there are any. Kids will sit in dug outs. Players will touch each other after big hits, hug each other after big wins. It’s unavoidable.

Sure masks will be worn. This will help, no doubt. However as a person who has worn glasses for years and new to the “mask wearing” population, one hazard is your glasses fog up if the mask isn’t worn properly. And masks will fall, move, become dislodged. What if that happens while in the batters box? The glasses become fogged up as the batter breathes when the pitch is on the way?

Finally, cases of a mysterious, coronavirus-linked syndrome seen in children have spiked in New York City overnight, bringing the total to 100 children in the five boroughs who have been identified with the illness that has already killed three children statewide, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday. We don’t know enough about this yet. One thing we don’t need is a spike in children’s illnesses just because we want them to play 10-12 games in a month.

Getting back to Dewine, he is one of the top Governors in the country right now. That’s because of how he has handled this situation. It would be a shame for all the good work he has done, to all go away simply to placate a few that want to get in a few games for their kids in the summer months. Cancel everything right now and focus on the fall. That gives us a chance.

David Mitchell is the co-host of the Ohio Baseball Weekly show, resuming April 13 at 7. He also has been providing radio play by play for over 25 years of high school and collegiate sports. You can follow or message him on twitter at ohbbcohost