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A Nolan Arenado-sized sacrifice

Rockies news and links for Wednesday, May 6, 2020

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Hi, friends, and welcome to Wednesday’s Rockcovid.

Sorry. I mean Wednesday’s Covidpile.

Wait. That’s not it either. Let me try again. Welcome to Wednesday’s Covidcovid.

You know what? Screw it. Welcome to the news. All COVID. All the time.

We Have to Bring Baseball Back by Scott Boras | The New York Times

Everyone shut up! A rich guy is talking!

Here’s a list of the things noted non-Arenado agent Scott Boras says we need and can easily get in order for baseball to start:

  • Masks
  • Latex gloves
  • Hand sanitizer
  • A testing provider who can test a couple thousand people a day
  • Players to want to be isolated from their families and society for an extended period of time

He assures us that the last one has already been secured.

Cool. But has he considered these one-word counterarguments?

  • Sweat
  • Allergies
  • Baseballs
  • Really?
  • Trout

I agree that things can’t be shut down forever, and I want baseball to come back too, but here’s what I keep coming back to:

How much risk are we willing to accept?

What if a player gets COVID and dies?

What if it’s Nolan?

No play, no pay: How the Rockies’ TV broadcast crew is getting by without games | The Athletic ($)

Speaking of people who aren’t getting paid, apparently the Rockies’ broadcast crew is largely made up of independent contractors, not employees, which means they’re not getting paid right now. They also don’t get health insurance benefits. So that’s cool.

For those of you who are wondering, this is apparently not the norm. Most teams have broadcasters who are employed either by the teams themselves or by their regional networks, although their crews often include some freelancers.

Nice job, AT&T.

Opening Day Is Almost Here, 5,000 Miles from Home | Bleacher Report

Did you know that the first COVID cases were confirmed in the US and South Korea on the same day?

This article is a few days old but seems relevant with the KBO starting Monday night/Tuesday morning. It addresses some of the precautions being taken, especially with foreign players, and how cultural differences between the US and Korea have affected the countries’ responses to the pandemic.

I feel like anything I say about this one could easily get political, and that sounds way too exhausting. So I’ll just reiterate:

What if it’s Nolan?

‘We want to play,’ but focus is on MLB players’ health and safety, union chief Tony Clark says | ESPN

Tony Clark says the players union hasn’t seen or discussed any formal plans for baseball’s return, and he wishes things that weren’t even real considerations would stop being leaked to the media.

Yeah. Me too.

How each National League team would fare with a universal DH for 2020 | The Athletic ($)

Hey, an article that’s not directly about COVID. That sounds like fun!

I know a lot of baseball purists despise the idea of a universal DH. But hear me out.

Imagine a world...

Where there is baseball, and people are playing it.

Where there is baseball, and Nolan Arenado is playing it.

Where there is baseball, and Nolan Arenado is playing it, and he has a real first baseman who is not Daniel Murphy because of a universal DH for the 2020 season.

Yeah.

I never thought I’d advocate for a universal DH, but then again, I never thought I’d have to suffer through three of the best infielders in baseball (yes, I’m including Ryan McMahon here) having to throw to Daniel Murphy at first base.

So I guess what I’m saying is...

#TeamDH

★ ★ ★

You know what has nothing to do with COVID? Photo polls.

Last week’s poll ended up with a very small sample size, so I’m making an executive decision.

Best Little League Photo: Nolan Arenado’s actual Little League photo

Photo courtesy of MLB

Best Glamour Shot

When you get that black background and the soft focus around the edges, you know it’s a serious photograph. Here a few of the best, most glamourous of the glamour shots.

1. Germán Márquez

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Look, this is a model/actor headshot. Germán is definitely auditioning to be the love interest in the movie version of a YA novel.

2. Sam Hilliard

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Players always sit around balancing their arms on a bat while staring longingly into the ether.

3. Nolan Arenado

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Nolan looks like he’s about to do a dramatic Ron Burgundy/Alex Bregman-style look.

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Oh.

4. David Dahl

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

You know what would be cool? If David was holding a lightsaber instead of a bat.

5. Antonio Senzatela

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

This is actually a very realistic wax figure.

6. Trevor Story

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

OK, you know what? I’m not going to riff this one. This is a really good picture.

Poll

Best Glamour Shot

This poll is closed

  • 28%
    Germán Márquez
    (30 votes)
  • 16%
    Sam Hilliard
    (17 votes)
  • 26%
    Nolan Arenado
    (28 votes)
  • 13%
    David Dahl
    (14 votes)
  • 2%
    Antonio Senzatela
    (3 votes)
  • 11%
    Trevor Story
    (12 votes)
104 votes total Vote Now

Most Likely To Be Phillip Diehl

Some of the Rockies’ glamour shots didn’t turn out so glamourous. I’m not sure what these guys did to piss off the glamour shots guy.

1. Ian Desmond

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

2. Phillip Diehl

Colorado Rockies Spring Training Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Poll

Most Likely To Be Phillip Diehl

This poll is closed

  • 40%
    Ian Desmond
    (31 votes)
  • 59%
    Phillip Diehl
    (46 votes)
77 votes total Vote Now