TAMPA, Fla. – Outside the chain link fences surrounding Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees spring training complex was ghostly quiet for a mid-March Saturday morning.
Of course, the gift shop was open.
But mostly away from public view, the Yankees approximated a normal workout day during very abnormal times.
“Pretty weird. It’s pretty strange,’’ said Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza. “A difficult situation but we’re trying our best to do what we can.’’
Just two days earlier, MLB halted its exhibition schedule and delayed the regular season by at least two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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On Friday, the Yankees players overwhelmingly agreed to remain in camp, rejecting for now the league’s option to return home until further notice.
“We’re going to support (the players) and obviously that’s our job,’’ Mendoza said. “We’ll see where this situation will take us because every day it looks like it changes.
“So, who knows what’s going to happen? But as of right now, we’re here for them.’’
On the fly
Mendoza was speaking Saturday from his car, having stopped just outside the players’ entrance at Steinbrenner Field.
A handful of unsuccessful autograph seekers also stood near the entrance, on a warm and bright late morning – perfect conditions for baseball activity.
On the Grapefruit League schedule, the Yankees would have been hosting manager Joe Girardi’s Philadelphia Phillies at 1:05 p.m. Saturday.
Instead, Yankees infielders worked out on a backfield, outfielders worked on the main field and the remaining baseball activity occurred indoors.
“It went well. A large group of players showed up,’’ Mendoza said.
D.J. LeMahieu, Brett Gardner, Gio Urshela, Mike Ford, Kyle Higashioka, Tyler Wade, Clint Frazier, Luis Cessa, Jonathan Holder and Zack Britton were among the players observed exiting the complex following morning workouts.
“Guys hit indoors, pitchers played catch,’’ Mendoza said. “We’ll continue to do that.’’
Uncertain times
The sight of big-league players still in camp – even a somewhat disjointed one – offered at least a level of reassurance about soon having a season.
Yet, a more-than-general consensus of people around the game is that opening day would be closer to Mother’s Day than Passover and Easter or delayed even until June.
“We’re just working because, obviously, we don’t have much information,’’ Mendoza said. “We’re just waiting to see what happens above us.’’
Story continues below the video.
About an hour before Mendoza exited Steinbrenner Field, a large television truck slowly negotiated its way out from the players’ lot and into the light morning traffic.
It was another sign that there are no games to televise at least for the next several weeks - not just baseball but all sports, professional and collegiate.
And how long is the band going to stay together at Steinbrenner Field?
Might they decide to shutter the spring sites in the coming days if the MLB season is further delayed or officially paused indefinitely?
That was thinking too far ahead of the game Saturday at Yankees camp.
“As of right now it’s like business as usual,’’ Mendoza said. “We’re just working out.’’
Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Yankees analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.
Email: caldera@northjersey.com Twitter: @pcaldera
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