53 games in 44 days: St. Louis Cardinals hit the road (in 41 rental cars) – USA TODAY

You could not just not do anything and go play.” But if this group clicks, its going to be really great. Choosing today that just because its intimidating were going to wave the white flag, I believe that wouldnt be the ideal response.”.” Were going to approach this as if, openly, were getting a 2nd possibility.”.
” Everybody requires to be responsible for themselves and expectations of what that looks like,” Mozeliak stated, “are going to be extremely high and we will not endure mistakes.

The convoy of 41 rental cars and trucks made the trek Friday on I-55 North from St. Louis to Chicago to begin possibly the most treacherous schedule in the history of Major League Baseball.
The St. Louis Cardinals, who havent played considering that July 29, all of a sudden are arranged to play eight games in the next five days– consisting of three seven-inning doubleheaders– beginning with a doubleheader Saturday against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The modified schedule now requires the Cardinals, the defending NL Central champs, to play 53 games in the next 44 days– consisting of 10 doubleheaders and if needed, 55 video games in 45 days.
And if they endure that harsh stretch, they get to start the postseason the following day on Sept. 29.
Welcome to the 2020 baseball season, COVID-19 design.
” Its the hand were dealt,” Cardinals president John Mozeliak said. “No one is going to listen to us grumble. No one is going to hear us whimper. Come 1:15 on Saturday, were expected to play. Those are the rules.”
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The Cardinals, who had 18 gamers and personnel members contract coronavirus, will now start playing more games in a much shorter time period than any team prior to them.
The Cardinals, who will lack future Hall of Fame catcher Yadier Molina and All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong among the 10 players, are right away calling up five novices from their alternate camp, all whom will be making their major-league launching. And at some point while in Chicago, staff ace Jack Flaherty will pitch for the very first time in nearly three weeks.
When they lastly get together in the visiting clubhouse at Guaranteed Rate Field, these Cardinals may have to reintroduce themselves. Given that their last game in Minneapolis, they invested 6 days in seclusion at their downtown Milwaukee hotel, returned home for two workouts, had another break out, and after that invested another week of quarantine in St. Louis.
For those counting at house, they have actually now been on the field 2 days in the last 16 days.
You couldnt simply not do anything and go play. You run the risk of possible baseball injuries.
So here they go, having no concept how they will pull it off, however positive that the schedule wont break them.
” Obviously, when you take a look at our schedule its daunting,” Mozeliak stated.” Everyone would agree its not going to be easy.
Choosing today that simply due to the fact that its daunting were going to wave the white flag, I think that would not be the right response.”.” Were going to approach this as if, openly, were getting a 2nd opportunity.”.
The Cardinals were the only MLB team who had any players or employee test favorable for COVID-19 in the previous week and know that another break out could close down their season.
” Everybody requires to be liable on their own and expectations of what that looks like,” Mozeliak stated, “are going to be really high and we will not tolerate errors. I do not desire to make it look like we are disturbed with where we have come from, since once again, any person could get this. It can occur to any business, any business, any group.
” But there still needs to be a level of duty, and for us, our season now has been shrunk in the number of days, and therefore the commitment has to be that much more requiring and greater than where we were 3 weeks earlier.”.
They a minimum of are playing baseball once again, and how its going to look, well, were about to discover.
” Overall, I seem like the vibe of the group has actually been really good,” Mozeliak said. “Candidly, I believe that we might look a bit rusty.
” But were pleased to be back playing baseball.
” We are getting this 2nd chance, and we require to take advantage of it.”.