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Coronavirus and Sports

Nolan Arenado Weighs In On Blake Snell's Comments, Health Risks

Arenado said he is not personally concerned about his health in a return to the diamondGETTY IMAGES

Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado "wants fans to understand the players' perspective" in regard to the compensation dispute with owners in a potential season restart, even though that "often can be difficult, considering how much money players make," according to Ken Rosenthal of THE ATHLETIC. Arenado is aware of the comments made Wednesday night by Rays P Blake Snell in response to a fan asking about the possibility of players accepting further pay reduction. Arenado said Snell "made a lot of good points." Arenado: "But he also made some points where it's just going to be too hard to get everyone on our side." Asked if he agreed with Snell that the risk for players is very high, Arenado said, "It's a risk, yeah, but I don't think MLB would approve of this if the government or whoever is in charge of making sure we're good to go didn't approve of it." Arenado said personally he is "not at all" concerned about playing. Arenado: "I would be worried if they had no plan. I feel like there's a plan" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/14). In N.Y., Ted Holmlund notes Snell also "received some support" from Phillies RF Bryce Harper. Harper during a live Twitch stream on Thursday said of Snell, "Somebody's gotta say it, at least he manned up and said it. Good for him" (N.Y. POST, 5/15).

NOT THE RIGHT MOVE? In Tampa, John Romano writes there are "legitimate arguments to be made" that MLB should cancel the '20 season, as Snell "seemed to suggest." One "could say it's not worth the risk or effort to direct so many resources toward baseball when so many are struggling with daily life." One "could also make an argument that baseball owners are taking advantage of the pandemic to institute the type of pay restrictions they have long favored and the players' union has forcefully resisted." Unfortunately, Snell "did not make any of those arguments" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 5/15). In N.Y., Ken Davidoff writes under the header, "Blake Snell Needed To Keep Virtuous MLB Rant To Himself." Snell "never should've said that publicly" and no one "should ever fault him for feeling this way." Both sides "own compelling arguments on their behalf." But to "air those arguments for mass consumption ... aids no one." Davidoff: "To the contrary, it hurts everyone" (N.Y. POST, 5/15).

HEALTH THE BIGGEST ISSUE: THE ATHLETIC's Marc Carig wrote if one distills Snell's message to its essence, what "remains is an explanation for why baseball remains a longshot this season." The issue here is "less about money and more about health." Carig: "To be clear, money is part of the equation." The money "gets worked out," but what is "far trickier ... is establishing an acceptable level of health risk." And that is "where any plans for baseball on American soil in 2020 look shaky" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/14).

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