In San Jose, Andrew Baggarly reported Giants players and officials were "taking precautions in preparation for their arrival" last night in Miami. It marks the first time an MLB team will travel to South Florida since the CDC "issued an unprecedented domestic travel warning for Miami in response to the spread of the Zika virus." Giants C Buster Posey said, "It’s a legitimate concern, especially for the guys who have wives who are pregnant or plan to be in the future." Baggarly noted Giants Travel Dir Bret Alexander was informed by the team's hotel in Miami that officials there are "spraying the grounds and using Shop-Vacs every morning to eliminate pooled water where mosquitoes can breed" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 8/6).
CANDID CAMERA: A's Dir of Corporate Communications Catherine Aker said that strength & conditioning coach Mike Henriques has been "suspended for hiding a camera in the Coliseum weight room so that he could monitor players working out and rehabbing." In S.F., John Shea, reported A's players "will be notified" today about the results of an investigation into the matter conducted by an independent law firm. A's P and union rep Sean Doolittle said, "It was shocking and surprising, to say the least. ... This is kind of our sanctuary. When something like that happens, it definitely raises some eyebrows." Shea noted one of the players on the DL "discovered the camera" on July 25 and told Doolittle, who informed the MLBPA (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/6).
KID STUFF: In Seattle, Kristen Gowdy reported Baseball HOFer Ken Griffey Jr. on Saturday "had his No. 24 uniform number retired" by the Mariners "in front of a capacity crowd at Safeco Field." Griffey is the "first player to have his number retired by the Mariners." The field was "decorated with his number as navy blue 24s were painted down both baselines and in center field." Each Mariners player and coach "wore the number on the back of his warmup jersey, and many players took their tributes a step further by wearing their hats backward during batting practice" (SEATTLE TIMES, 8/7). Also in Seattle, Matt Calkins noted no Mariners player on any level "can wear No. 24 again" (SEATTLE TIMES, 8/7).
