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MLB - World Series winners LA Dodgers and Corona: Dangerous cheers

2020-10-28T18:03:10.599Z


The Dodgers have failed several times to win the title in the US baseball league - even under dubious circumstances. Now LA has achieved the goal. But the infection of a player leaves something to be desired.


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Justin Turner (the man with the red beard) celebrates with the team despite a known corona infection

Photo: 

Eric Gay / AP

The Los Angeles Dodgers players hugged, shouted their joy, finally done.

After 32 long years they have become Masters of Major League Baseball again.

But this decisive 3-1 win in the sixth game of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays will not only go down as a special moment in club history.

It could also have consequences - for the club and the league.

When players, coaches and team members posed on the lawn with the World Series trophy, Justin Turner was also sitting in the middle and sometimes without a mask.

The Dodgers' third baseman should have been far away and isolated from everyone.

Because the man with the striking red full beard had recently tested positive for the corona virus and was therefore taken out of the game after the seventh inning.

During the second inning, the result of his Covid test from the previous day became known: inconclusive.

When the result of the day was positive, Turner was taken out of the game and "immediately isolated to prevent the virus from spreading," said League Commissioner Rob Manfred on the US broadcaster Fox.

"Disappointing that he couldn't celebrate with us on the field"

But why he was then allowed to go back to his teammates, first hugging them with a mask, but then removing the blue mouth and nose protection for the championship photo, raises questions.

At ESPN there was talk of "unsettling news".

"All I know is that I had to take him out of the game in the seventh inning because he tested positive. That was crazy," said Dodgers coach Dave Roberts.

He had been sitting on the lawn right next to Turner when he took off his mouthguard, but later said, "I didn't touch him."

And: "It was really crazy and disappointing that he couldn't celebrate with us on the field."

He didn't seem to be aware that danger lurked in the midst of the cheering.

It looked like this virus didn't really fit the Dodgers' championships.

"Forget all that. He's part of the team, we don't exclude him from anything," said Dodgers professional Mookie Betts. The league's hygiene concept is clear: A member of a team that has tested positive must be isolated immediately. Turner would have for them Celebration is not allowed to return. "If there were people around him without a mask, that's not a good look," says Dodgers President Andrew Friedman.

Just a few days ago, the global daily high since the outbreak of the pandemic was reported in the USA with around 85,000 new infections.

The number of Covid cases is increasing almost everywhere in the country, schools are therefore being closed, and Halloween parades are being canceled in many places.

Failed by scammers

The Turner case overshadows a championship of the Dodgers that should have written a different story: that of the team that failed several times - even under dubious circumstances - shortly before the finish line, but has now finally won the title.

For the third time in the past four seasons, the Dodgers made it to the finals.

In 2017 they lost to the Houston Astros.

But it later emerged that the Astros had cheated.

They used a camera to spy on opposing throwers and illegally deciphered the signals where the balls were going to go.

In 2019 the "sign-stealing scandal" became public.

The MLB, however, did not revoke Houston the title.

In 2018 the Dodgers made it back into the World Series, this time the Boston Red Sox was their opponent.

But again LA failed.

An example of the defeat - despite great quality in the squad - was pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

Although he always had outstanding values ​​in the regular seasons (he was eight times Allstar, three times best thrower in the National League, in 2014 even the best player), but at the crucial moment in the playoffs he stumbled.

In 2018, Kershaw allowed the Red Sox three home runs in the fifth game.

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Clayton Kershaw was the preeminent pitcher with the Dodgers

Photo: Eric Gay / AP

Now, at the third attempt in 2020, the 32-year-old convinced.

He had the most throwout strikeouts ever in the playoffs (207).

The Dodgers victory, the first since 1988, would also be his great triumph after years of failure.

"I've been in the playoffs and I've lost every year. And now, oh, I have too many emotions, that's a very special feeling," Kershaw stammered after beating Tampa Bay.

No other pitcher has pitched so many playoff innings before he could win a title as he (189).

But Turner's positive corona test and the irritating handling of it at the victory celebration let all of this fade into the background.

LA invested a lot for this title.

The team was extremely expensive.

Kershaw earned more ($ 31 million) than final opponent Tampa Bay's total budget ($ 28.6 million).

But in the end there is still a bad aftertaste.

The Turner case is also a final punchline of a special 2020 MLB season. A season that will be remembered like no other, emphasized league boss Manfred.

The kick-off was three months late, the schedule was shortened from 162 games per team to 60.

In coordination with the players' union, the league decided against a season in a sealed-off bubble.

Although she had drawn up a comprehensive Covid protocol, when the first outbreak occurred after just three days at the Miami Marlins, she looked overwhelmed.

A total of 43 preliminary round games had to be postponed.

But the longer the season lasted, the better the MLB got the virus under control.

The playoffs were then played in bubbles - in contrast to the NBA or NHL even in front of spectators.

And it seemed to be working.

Justin Turner's positive test was the only one in the entire knockout round.

Icon: The mirror

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2020-10-28

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