Yanks adjusting to new rules at Summer Camp

NEW YORK -- Gerrit Cole's high heater zipped past Mike Tauchman's bat and thudded into the glove of catcher Gary Sánchez, who rested his left knee in the dirt as he whipped the baseball down to third base, just as he has done thousands of times since signing his first professional contract more than a decade ago.

The toss entered the grips of third baseman Gio Urshela, second baseman Tyler Wade and shortstop Gleyber Torres, presenting an unforeseen dilemma. That baseball had touched too many hands in this new COVID-19 environment, and even though Cole wanted to keep using it, the safest call was to remove it from play.

"You strike somebody out, you throw to third base and you let the infielders kind of warm up," Sánchez said through a translator. "I thought because we were playing amongst ourselves that it was not going to be a problem. It's one of those things that we've got to get used to."

The replacement ball didn't curry nearly as much favor with Cole, as Miguel Andújar slugged it into the empty right-field seats seconds later. That minor blip serves as a preview of what could await during a 60-game Major League season unlike any other.

"I think there's going to be some added preparation in terms of really knowing the rules before we get out there," Cole said. "That's kind of all of our responsibilities. It falls under the job description of playing during a pandemic. We'll get it done and do it safely."

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So while fist bumps and bro hugs have been mostly deleted from the daily grind (how would Nick Swisher have handled that?), the rule change noted most frequently by Yankees players through the first week of Summer Camp has been the ban on spitting, which also covers the use of sunflower seeds and tobacco products.

"Spitting is just human nature," said first baseman Luke Voit. "Whenever I'm playing outside -- golf, baseball, whatever -- it's common. I always feel like I have seeds, too, which is weird not having that and not being able to pop bubbles. But we've got to abide by the rules, because I want to play."

Between the white lines, the surroundings seem relatively normal, save for the abundance of masks being sported by on-field personnel. Their surroundings have been altered behind the scenes; every other locker in the spacious home clubhouse is vacant, while stalls in the visiting and auxiliary clubhouses are being used for overflow.

"We're bringing our own stuff to the shower," said right-hander Adam Ottavino. "There's no communal soap or shampoo. The first two times I went to clean myself up, I forgot it and had to go back to my locker."

COVID-19 screening is conducted regularly, requiring players to submit to saliva tests every two days, plus temperature checks with contactless thermometers.

"It's gone pretty well," said outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. "This is all new territory for us, so there's uncertainty in all the sports. But we're here and we're doing it all by the protocols. If we keep with that and nothing crazy happens, I think we'll be all right."

The clubhouse lounges have been cleared of seating areas to discourage interaction between players and coaches, and even the simplest pleasures -- Brett Gardner mentioned being desperate to share a cup of coffee and catch up with his teammates -- now contain a level of risk.

That has silenced much of the pregame chatter that would have otherwise been heard, though manager Aaron Boone said that camaraderie is still evident when he passes through the clubhouse.

"It's certainly a little bit odd with the social distancing and the masks," Boone said. "It's not as tight as normal, but there's laughter, there's conversation. It's different, but in a lot of ways, I do feel like guys are able to enjoy being here and able to enjoy their teammates as well."

Ottavino remarked that there are still players on the 59-man camp roster he hasn't seen in person. That is due to the staggered arrival times and smaller workout groups, orchestrated so that some teammates may not cross paths for days at a time.

"I think the staff has done a really good job of getting guys out there in waves and making sure we're getting our work in but not hanging around," said right-hander Chad Green. "I think they've done a good job of moving guys in and out of the weight room, off the mound. I think it's been run pretty smoothly."

Prior to one recent workout, Boone and general manager Brian Cashman were among those to address the roster, urging players to make smart decisions when away from the field. Outfielder Aaron Judge has taken it upon himself to serve as one of the team's monitors, ensuring that players are held accountable for their actions.

"We're just hammering in watching out for each other," Judge said. "Making sure you wash your hands, making sure you're wearing your mask -- making sure you're doing the things so everybody stays healthy. … We've got four months involved here to win a championship and we want everyone on the field. You can spit, do sunflower seeds and go out to a restaurant once this is all over."