KC Royals and the MLB are doing things the right way

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

As much as we want to watch KC Royals baseball, both the team and the MLB are putting safety first and taking the proper precautions.

While we await the eventual return of both the KC Royals and the MLB in general, we should put things into perspective and be grateful for what the league has done thus far.

Suspending play was not an easy decision for any sports league. Revenue is lost, players can’t earn a living and fans are left in the dark. Heck, the 2020 MLB regular season was shut down before it even started. It was definitely for the best, though, and looking at how some other countries are handling the situation should reinforce that.

Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) announced it would be delaying the start of its regular season, but would conduct games without fans present. A week after those games began, it was revealed that three players had tested positive for coronavirus. NPB Commissioner Atsushi Saito isn’t sure when play will resume or when the regular season will start.

In the article, May was listed as a potential start date for the NPB’s 2020 campaign but with no complete end in sight for the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s probably optimistic. At the very least, it’s good that the league has stopped games altogether.

The MLB doesn’t have to learn from this, but it can rest assured that it did the right thing by suspending play. Regardless of whether fans watch in-person or at home, someone is still being put at risk. Players, coaches, event staff, broadcast teams and everyone in between could’ve been exposed to the virus if games were still being played.

Who knows when the regular season will begin. Who knows how many contests will be played once it does. A shortened season will impact the entire MLB, but also a few specific members of the KC Royals organization. Despite that, it’s in the best interests of everyone involved that nothing resumes until safety can be ensured.

You’re not alone. We all want baseball to be back. Be patient, though, and keep in mind what the bigger goal is here. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

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