Rising White Sox star Moncada ready to launch 'different' season
As the White Sox prepare to get ramped back up Friday when training camp opens at Guaranteed Rate Field, there is already a highlight game to circle on the schedule.
Everything is subject to change in the age of COVID-19, but the "Field of Dreams" game is still on for Aug. 13.
The White Sox and New York Yankees were originally scheduled to play in Dyersville, Iowa, where the classic baseball movie was filmed.
The Sox are still in, but 670-AM's Bruce Levine was the first to report on Wednesday the St. Louis Cardinals will replace the Yankees.
Due to travel restrictions imposed to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Yankees are only going to play teams from the AL and NL East during the shortened 60-game season.
Third baseman Yoan Moncada, an emerging star for the White Sox, was asked about the "Field of Dreams" game Wednesday on a video call.
"I don't know much about that game," Moncada said through a translator. "People come from the corn maze. I thought we were playing that game against the Yankees. I don't know that we're playing against the Cardinals now."
There is plenty of time to process the probability of playing a game in Iowa for the first time in major-league history.
For now, Moncada is focusing on getting back on the field, staying healthy and adjusting to a new, strange environment.
"It's definitely going to be different," he said. "We're going to be training with two separate groups, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. That's something that's going to be interesting to see and to feel as a team. I think we have to wait until Friday to see how it goes."
Big-league players get used to facing adversity, be it slumps, injuries or the long grind of the season.
As Moncada said, this year is a completely different deal. He's as ready as possible.
"I wouldn't say it's going to be more difficult, I would just say it's going to be different," Moncada said. "I've been working out and I've been doing all the stuff that I usually do. But of course, it's going to be a shorter season and you ask about my energy and motivation, I've kept my energy inside me this whole time.
"A few times I was at home I was like 'OK, I need to get out of here. I need to play,' because it's just that excitement and energy that I have. I think the season's going to be good. I'm going to be able to display all the things that I usually do on the field."