‘We’re just all thankful to have some baseball’ Goldeyes skipper embarking on the strangest of American Association seasons By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2020

Opinion

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This article was published 23/06/2020 (1648 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Driving more than 2,000 kilometres in less than a day might seem like the equivalent of getting a root canal to many. But it’s a journey Winnipeg Goldeyes manager Rick Forney was happy to make this week, one that started from his residence in Maryland and ended in his most unusual temporary baseball home of Fargo, N.D.

Unable to play games at Shaw Park this summer owing to COVID-19 restrictions banning large gatherings for sporting events until at least September, the Fish will instead fly in enemy territory. An abbreviated spring training gets underway Thursday followed by an abbreviated 60-game American Association baseball season starting July 3.

Forney’s 24th season with the Goldeyes, including the past 15 as skipper, is going to be unlike any other.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s not a reason to not work. If the Goldeyes are going to operate in any fashion, then I want to be a part of it,” Forney said by telephone as he passed the midway point of his solo trek just outside Chicago.

Prior to hitting Newman Outdoor Field for the first time to shake off cobwebs, Forney and his players will have to undergo mandatory testing for coronavirus. There will be additional nasal swabs taken over the next couple of months, along with daily temperature checks.

Unlike the NHL or NBA, there is no protective bubble being established in the American Association. The Goldeyes will be living out of a hotel this summer, playing 42 of their games in Fargo and 18 in the other three hub cities of Milwaukee, Chicago (which announced Wednesday they’ve been cleared to open) and Sioux Falls, which will also house the St. Paul Saints.

On the bright side, it means the lengthy bus trips that are a staple of playing in Winnipeg against 11 American rivals are in the rear-view mirror, for now. It also means Forney will have to include some additional lessons in his talks with players that go well beyond the fundamentals on the field.

“We’re going to have a conversation as a team about making good choices, trying to avoid crowded places and socially distancing ourselves from everybody else,” he said.

Another big difference from other pro sports in North America is that there’s a plan for fans in the stands, which was the key to getting a modified 2020 campaign underway. With no lucrative television contract bringing in big bucks, the league needs people passing through the turnstiles in order to function.

“I think people will be anxious to come out, watch baseball, enjoy some sunshine, maybe visit the beer garden, maybe heckle Rick Forney,” said Forney.

“Every day is going to be a new story. We’ll just have to see how it’s going to unfold.” – Rick Forney, Winnipeg Goldeyes manager

The idea may seem foolhardy to many, especially with the curve rapidly growing in many markets south of the border. You get the feeling this could all go sideways in a hurry. In reality, Winnipeg would have been among the safest places to play, and the fact it’s not being allowed tells you plenty.

Forney, 48, admits health and safety are on his mind as he tries to put together a team that can compete for a championship.

“Obviously it’s a factor, but I’m not consumed by it. You try to make sure you’re not putting yourself into a situation where the odds increase of you getting it. But we’ve got to live our lives and do the best we can to keep ourselves safe. I try not to focus on it too much,” he said.

Doing what he loves and being back in his natural element took on an added importance this year following the tragic sudden death of his oldest son, David, in February, due to cardiac arrest. The 22-year-old was found unresponsive in his dorm at the Naval Academy, where he was a midshipman and key member of the football team. More than 3,000 people attended the funeral, which included full military honours.

The Goldeyes will honour David this season by wearing a patch on their uniforms bearing his initials and football number.

“It’s touching. I didn’t know anything about it until (general manager Andrew Collier) mentioned it. I’m touched. I’m glad people still remember David and are thinking about our family,” said Forney, who is looking forward to visits later this season from his wife, Erika, and children, Chris, Rebekah and Erik.

As for the task at hand, Forney believes this could be the most talented Goldeyes roster assembled in some time. With six other league teams pausing operations this summer, the other clubs were able to pick through their rosters in last week’s dispersal draft. There are also plenty of prospects looking for jobs following a slew of minor-league releases from MLB clubs.

The league has also got rid of its usual restrictions capping the number of veterans and requiring multiple rookies on the roster, and teams can carry 25 players instead of 23. However, some Latin American athletes, including veteran Goldeyes slugger Willy Garcia, will have to sit this season out due to currently being in the Dominican Republic and unable to travel to the U.S.

“We still have a salary cap we have to work with, so it’s not a gigantic free-for-all where you can go sign whatever you want. But you do have the ability to potentially sign guys with a little bit better resumé and a little bit more experience than in years past,” said Forney.

“We have a real good roster right now, but so does everybody. Truth be told we don’t know what we’re walking into. We don’t know what kind of shape these guys are in. But we’re going to find out.”

With only two months of play and the top two teams advancing to the playoffs, this season is more like a sprint than a marathon. Forney has a week to assess what he has before the real fun begins.

“Every day is going to be a new story. We’ll just have to see how it’s going to unfold,” he said. “It’s going to be a bit strange. But I like Fargo, I like the ballpark, I like the fan base. It could lead to a great experience. I’m sure we’re just all thankful to have some baseball.”

 

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg