Alex Verdugo Just Admitted He'd Get Bored Playing Games Without Fans and That's Pathetic
By Adam Weinrib
Checkered past? Eyewash king? Showmanship over substance? Yup, Alex Verdugo's a perfect Boston Red Sox.
So it's no wonder that on Monday, Verdugo became the first baseball player I can find...anywhere to express this particular doubt about the 2020 MLB season.
Many players have expressed concerns about the safety of the game and of the many potential solutions that have been put forth so far, but they all agree that, if possible, they want to play. Need to play. Verdugo, though? Nah. Without fans, he'd be bored.
Verdugo: Idea of quarantining players/separating them from families "isn't logical."
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) May 4, 2020
Says Arizona Fall Leagues, scrimmages have prepared guys to play with no fans. But:
"What happens when all the players are a little bit sore and it gets repetitive? The fans bring that energy."
Fans are amazing! They're the lifeblood of sports, for sure! But right now, it's just not safe to import them into the stands. And if you can't find a way to get motivated to do your job without them, then it's possible you need to find another line of work. If you don't live to play baseball, then what do you live for?
Verdugo's quote proves that he's not motivated enough (yet) to overcome a significant set of challenges in his first season in Boston. Some teams are on a mission in 2020. The contending Yankees didn't even want to leave Spring camp when the coronavirus first struck. Others, it seems, would be lost without fans to let them know they're supposed to push through the pain.
Get excited, because Alex Verdugo is now 100 percent healthy pic.twitter.com/4OCyyTOxOA
— Boston Sports (@bahstonspahts) May 4, 2020
It's OK, Alex. You can sit this season out. Your call.