Two is Not Better Than One

[G-Fafif]

How concerning to you that it was two positive tests at the same time rather than one, like the Reds? I'm more concerned than if I saw one because having two cases at the same time suggests either these guys were both infected in the same place away from the team or that there's transmission within the team. Either one of those is not great. At a minimum, that's two people who could have been spreading COVID-19 around the team instead of just one.

Tim Britton digs into what might be going on, with Zachary Binney, an epidemiologist at Oxford College of Emory University in Atlanta. Informative, if necessarily speculative.



https://theathletic.com/2015141/2020/08/22/whats-next-for-the-mets-a-conversation-with-epidemiologist-zachary-binney/https://theathletic.com/2015141/2020/08/22/whats-next-for-the-mets-a-conversation-with-epidemiologist-zachary-binney/

[Edgy MD]

The team flew from Miami to New York on Thursday night, leaving behind the tewo members of the organization who had tested positive and those that were deemed to have been in close contact with them.

Stipulating that this is — first, last, and primarily — a miserable turn of events for those personnel involved, this sounds like the Mets might also have to do some Marlins-type waiver-wire scrounging to be able to field a team over the next few weeks.



They are already pretty short on outfield depth, so we may either see Andres Gimenez roaming in center or Tim Tebow join the offsite player pool.



The Blue Jays just designated lefty-swinging centerfielder Anthony Alford. Look for him to be a CovidMet pretty soon.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm certainly curious to know just how many people were left behind in Miami.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, Left Behind in Miami sounds ominous. It's like a Christian young adult novel.

[bmfc1]

In case you're like me and cringe at the high-fives, from the same article:

[bLOCKQUOTE]There's a lot of focus on the high-fives, and I've got to tell you it doesn't bother me. It's so quick. That's not when I'm worried about the transmission happening. I'm worried about them sitting next to each other in the dugout not wearing masks. I'm worried about their time back in the hotel and in the clubhouse and if they're not wearing masks in there. Or even if they're wearing masks but not distancing and just sitting in the same room for hours at a stretch and breathing the same air. That worries me a lot more than a quick high-five. I would not have a dogpile at home plate, but I'll let high-fives slide if that's important to guys.[/bLOCKQUOTE]

[bmfc1]

There's a section in the article on the timing of the next game. While the Mets and the MFYs have Monday off, the timing might dictate that they wait until the next regularly scheduled game (Tuesday with MIA). Perhaps the Mets could practice late on Monday if testing allows. They'll have to make up last Thursday's game with MIA this week and then the 3 games with the MFYs (perhaps 2 DH's next weekend and another on a common off day).

[ashie62]

Bring up the taxi squad to play. Should've done that with St. Louis

[G-Fafif]

[G-Fafif]

Two different spellings for travelling/traveling, but otherwise an encouraging tweet.

[Edgy MD]

So, is there, like, a lite version of the testing?



Everyone I know who has been through it found it pretty invasive and annoying and was in no mood to do it again any time soon, much less daily.

[nymr83]

there are several different tests. one involved stick a huge stick wayyyy up your nose, the others dont

[Benjamin Grimm]

The NBA has been using something called SalivaDirect, developed by Yale University, which involves spitting in a vial. The hope is that SalivaDirect will be start rolling out to the general public within "weeks" according to Yale.

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The NBA has been using something called SalivaDirect, developed by Yale University, which involves spitting in a vial. The hope is that SalivaDirect will be start rolling out to the general public within "weeks" according to Yale.

I was at Yale New Haven Hospital this week and forgot to ask my doctor about the new test. He would have given me all the details.

But I see see signs in every building that said they were not doing testing. I guess a lot of people were asking.



Good news. Just heard on ABC TV that the Mets released a statement last night that there have been no new positive tests since the team returned from Florida.





Later

[nymr83]

Well, let's get going then! How about 8am/1pm/6pm triple header yankee spanking on monday?

[batmagadanleadoff]

I hope that when Mets baseball returns, deGrom gets the first start instead of the rotation picking up where it left off.

[G-Fafif]

Of the four who weren't with the team when the Mets restarted earlier this week, the two who are back as of today are Andres Gimenez and Hensley Meulens.



Gary DiSarcina and Tomas Nido are still at large (or on the IL/whatever the IL for coaches is).