JUPITER, Fla. – Outdoor meetings, dugout boundaries, a small grape league schedule. Even after initiation for the protocol during an epidemic last season, introducing the spring training in 2021 posed challenges to the Mets.
Communication remains the biggest issue.
“It’s been tough,” manager Luis Rojas said Wednesday as the Mets played their first nine-inning Grapefruit League game of spring, a 14-9 loss to the Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. “For in-person meetings, there is plenty of room where the maximum capacity is low, even if we have space. There are a lot of challenges, but we are finding ways to make adjustments. “
The Mets started more and more camp with Zoom as the average Manhattan office worker was stranded at home, but recently Rosas and his coaches have tried to find a balance, which brings the person’s communication into play.
To that end, the Mets have begun socially distorted outdoor meetings, so as to break the monotony of having a screen on their faces.
“First 1. Week or so it was a 9 a.m. zoom call every morning and everyone logged on and did that,” said pitcher Jerrad Eikhoff, who is in camp on a minor league contract. Luis has clarified that he likes to see people’s faces and I think everyone would say the same.
He said, “We have a variety of shift meetings at the stadium, we’re all dispersed and we’re getting a speaker system, so it gives Louis a chance to see at least part of our faces. And get to know each other
The teams held a summer camp at their home ballpark after the resumption of last season, creating a more controlled environment, at least for the hassle of space limitations. The Mets held several workout sessions daily last summer at Citi Field.
After initially considering split workout sessions this spring, the Mets opted for their normal routine, extending 75 players into four or five fields.
“There are so many moving parts compared to the previous part [summer] At Citi Field, that one field, even though it changed in one day, was a day when we were able to connect with each other, “Lata said.” But being used with a facility makes it a bit tricky. Done, but we’re pulling it off I guess. “
During the exhibition games – the first two for the Mets were limited to seven innings as a safety measure – Rosas himself reminded players to wear masks in the dugout. The dugout location is cramped at the Mets’ home, Clover Park, so Rosa is asking players to stay in a room until their playing time arrives.
“The in-game that has become a challenge is to make sure people stay away and they wear their masks in the game,” Rosas said. “We’ve reminded some people to do it.”
The mini exhibition season brings another challenge. The most notable is the absence of division-squad games, which typically allow more players to join and form batters and innings that join a competitive setting. Also, in a typical Grape League season, the Mets will have two free days on the schedule. This season, there are five.
“I don’t want to say that we are worried, but you think of the position players, you think about the pitches that their reps go through and bring them to where we want the start of the season.” “With 21 games left now, you wonder if they are going to get the number of batsmen they need. Makes you wonder if the pitchers are going to advance their innings. We feel great about where we are right now, but we share that with friends, No Split-Squad, No Bee Games, we have some fake games, but at the same time we want them to be healthy. “
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