Being among the lucky half of baseball that gets to travel at the start of this weird season, the Braves will get to experience early the new joys of life on the road in the age of the coronavirus.
When they jet to New York on Thursday to open against the Mets on Friday afternoon, the Braves expect to find in place a whole new set of – here’s that word again – protocols.
On Tuesday, as reliever Luke Jackson talked about the coming trip, it became quickly obvious that there is a new, slightly monastic code of behavior on the road.
“We have to get to the field at a certain time. Take a bunch of different buses, only a certain amount of guys can get there at a certain time,” he said.
“There is a select group of people you’re around all the time for contact tracing (as he explained you sit next to the same teammate on the bus and the plane and even play pregame catch with that same baseball buddy).
“They keep tabs on everyone. You’re quarantined in the hotel. Lucky for me I’m an avid video gamer and nerd, so this is kind of up my alley. I don’t leave to do anything.”
Jackson is a big coffee guy in the morning, it was part of his road routine to take an early stroll and enjoy a cup of Joe. No more of that, he said.
Snitker said a coffee run may be acceptable, while making it abundantly clear that his guys should expect a big shift in road norms.
Players can’t get to the park as early as they might like and begin the rhythm of game day as they normally would, he said.
Coaches will have to do a good deal of their game prep at the team hotel rather than the park.
There’ll be no family members on road trips as in the past. No sampling the restaurant/bar scene – which was especially rich in New York.
A compulsive walker, Snitker has scrapped his usual leisurely stroll around Central Park.
His conclusion: Suck it up.
“It’s going to be a boring existence because you’re not going to be able to walk a city where that’s fun to do and see the sights and things like that. But you know what, it’s 30 days is all, that’s all you’re being asked to do it,” he said. “I don’t think (playing at) home is going to be that challenging. It will be challenging going into a lot of these places anyway. You’re going to have to deal with it.”
Also notable Tuesday, the Braves took another flier on a familiar player, signing 32-year-old starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin to a one-year contract.
Chachin was briefly a Brave in 2016. The Braves were one of seven teams that Chacin has pitched for over 11 seasons. He opened this spring with Minnesota and was released Sunday.
Chacin, with a career record of 77-87 with a 4.03 ERA, made 24 starts with two teams last season, going 3-12 with a 6.01 ERA. In ’16, he made five starts for the Braves (1-2, 5.40 ERA) before he was traded in May to the Los Angeles Angels.
The deal with Chacin was the team’s second, second-chance signing in two days. On Monday they brought back first baseman Matt Adams, signing him to a minor league contract and immediately putting him in the lineup for Tuesday’s scrimmage with the Florida Marlins.
In 2017 Adams appeared in 100 games for the Braves, hitting .271 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs. His batting average dipped to .226 (with 20 home runs) last season with Washington.
Especially with the designated hitter in play in the National League this year, the Braves had renewed interest in Adams after he opted out from his minor league deal with the Mets this weekend.
Asked Adams’ possible impact, Snitker said Tuesday: “His presence and what he’s capable of now, especially with the DH situation. For me he fills that spot. We’ve seen him, we loved him when he was here before. He’s a guy who will lengthen your lineup. We’re glad to have him back.”
