White Sox are back: 'Everybody wants to see some baseball'
More than any other sport, baseball is all about statistics.
Full disclosure, I still don't have a grasp on many of the numbers, including wRAA, BQR-S and wRC+.
On Friday, there was a number I completely understood.
98.7.
Before being allowed to enter Guaranteed Rate Field, a temperature check was required. I passed with the solid 98.7 and - deemed coronavirus clear - was able to check out Day 1 of the White Sox's summer training camp.
Like 99.9% of everything else during the pandemic, it was a surreal scene.
Instead of preparing to play game No. 89 on the original schedule, a split group of Sox went through their first workout since COVID-19 shut down the season on March 12.
In a normal spring training, the White Sox have plenty of room to maneuver at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.
The space is much more limited at their home stadium on the South Side, but at least there was some organized baseball activity Friday morning. There was more work in the afternoon, when a second group of Sox got back on the field.
"Everybody has been ready," shortstop Tim Anderson said. "Everybody wants to see some baseball. I want to play. I'm excited to get back on the field. I've been sitting in the house."
Anderson spoke on a Zoom call because reporters are able to watch practice during a two-hour window but not allowed to enter the White Sox's clubhouse or interview room.
On the field, Sox pitchers threw off the two mounds in the outfield bullpen and another two mounds next to the home dugout that were added by groundskeeper Roger Bossard.
There was some batting and infield practice that looked pretty normal, and plenty of stretching and running drills.
For now, that's a promising start as MLB works up to a 60-game season that is scheduled to open on July 23.
"We're obviously all living through interesting ... trying times right now," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "But boy, it was just fun this morning to be back out on the field and seeing guys playing catch. You're just hearing the sound of baseballs hitting leather.
"Today was a nice step forward for all of us. There are going to be challenges along the way, there's going to be a lot of uncertainty. But today has been a really nice day."
The nation needs some nice things these days, and baseball is looking to fill some of the void.
It's going to look a lot different, as all of the empty seats and concourses clearly indicated Friday, along with everyone in the stadium except Sox players wearing masks.
But as long as the coronavirus testing numbers stay low like they initially did on Friday, MLB just might be able to make it back later this month.
"I'm just glad we're getting out there and we can look at some of the things we're doing and maybe work out a few of the kinks," manager Rick Renteria said. "The process is what it is. We're going to try to work through these next three or four days before we start getting into our intrasquad games, and then we'll have to make another adjustment in terms of how we navigate the logistics of it.
"All in all, I think as these guys keep listening to us talk about a little bit of the spacing and things they have to do, it's more just to minimize chances of infection. Assuming everybody's healthy, we should be fine. I'm still thinking about baseball. This just has to be another thing I have to monitor, as well as our coaches, and we're doing the best we can."