UPDATE 6:43 PM– Oakland is also suspending 1k+ events.

UPDATE 2:20 PM – Alameda County is going the same way as SF.

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A recent San Francisco directive to ban assemblies of 1,000 or more persons pushed the Giants to cancel the planned Bay Bridge Series game featuring the Giants and A’s on Monday, March 23. As the game is technically an exhibition, it won’t have any effect on standings, unlike the Warriors decision to play tomorrow’s home game vs. the Brooklyn Nets in a Chase Center devoid of fans. The A’s, who also have a planned Bay Bridge Series game and a weeklong opening homestead starting March 26, produced their own wait-and-see statement:

Those familiar with the normal Spring Training operations schedule know that there’s a big media meet-and-greet in the Bay Area prior to the start of the Cactus League schedule, followed by pitchers and catchers reporting in mid-February. After that is the start of games, then the split into major and minor league camps. Throughout the month of play fans of all stripes travel to Arizona to watch their teams and soak in the sun (not so much this week, unfortunately). Cactus League play ends a week before the regular season starts. That week usually includes one or two tune-up games like the Bay Bridge Series. At the same time, rehabbing players start extended spring training back in Arizona, while the major league players and staff moves to their regular season homes. It’s a fairly well-orchestrated set of logistics that, thanks to a growing pandemic, has been thrown into chaos.

As Opening Day rapidly approaches, the A’s will have to make key decisions on how to operate. Do they play their Bay Bridge Series game in Oakland? In front of a crowd? If Oakland adopts similar assembly restrictions as SF, there’s no telling what will happen. As the Bay Bridge provides that tune-up function, it’s worth asking if the A’s should host one or both games in Oakland sans a crowd.

In trying to figure this out I put together a quick poll with a focus on Opening Week, which the A’s traditionally play at the Coliseum:

It gets complicated, even more for visiting teams. The Twins were supposed to open the season in Oakland, the fly up to Seattle for a series. But the State of Washington is restricting events as well, which puts the Twins in a pickle. The Twins spring in Florida’s Grapefruit League. They don’t have a West Coast base on which to fall back. And they can’t realistically plan to play games in Minneapolis for the first week due to weather. So the A’s and Mariners have to adjust their plans to accommodate the Twins as well. Same goes for other California teams.

Here in Arizona, there are nine reported cases of coronavirus, including three this week. There isn’t the same widespread work-from-home strategy deployed in AZ as elsewhere, although there are exceptions. The coronavirus outbreak is relatively mild here compared to California or Washington. Normal seasonal warming here and in Florida may help limit cases of COVID-19. It may also come back with a vengeance after summer ends, who knows? For now, people here are still attending Cactus League games. As the virus spreads and more cases are reported, everyone from teams and players to fans and families have to plan and prepare for the worst. This is so much more than a game.