Jeter: Marlins will be ready when season starts
MIAMI -- During these uncertain times, Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter continues to work remotely while preparing the organization for whenever baseball activities are clear to begin.
"We continue to plan for the 2020 season, and we're going to be ready for when MLB decides it's going to be safe for us to return to the field," Jeter said in the latest Beyond the Bases Podcast that can be accessed on Marlins.com.
During a 16-minute interview with Marlins Radio host Kyle Sielaff, Jeter updated where the organization stands since MLB suspended Spring Training and postponed the start of the regular season on March 12.
"The situation continues to evolve rapidly," Jeter said. "We had to make some adjustments."
Marlins officials and employees are working remotely, and Marlins Park currently is one of the COVID-19 testing locations.
No Marlins players have either tested positive for coronavirus or informed the organization that they are experiencing any symptoms, said Jeter.
"We have been fortunate up to this point," Jeter said, "but we have not heard any reports of that."
In mid-March, days after MLB suspended Spring Training and delayed the start of Opening Day, Jeter made the call to close down the Marlins' Spring Training complex in Jupiter, Fla., and send the players home.
"I knew immediately that we needed to take the initiative and close our Spring Training facility and send our players home the way we did," Jeter said. "We all have to do our part. Hopefully everyone else can do the same thing and put this beyond us as quickly as possible and return to some sense of normalcy, and eventually get back to playing baseball."
Jeter says he has been in constant communication with MLB's executive team, as well as all departments within the organization, including manager Don Mattingly, the coaches and training staff.
"It's better to overcommunicate," Jeter said.
Jeter also notes that it's tough to speculate on when the players may return to the field and baseball activities resume.
"It's tough to say," he said. "It's all speculation. I think most importantly we need to make sure our community is safe and you get through this. Then you concern yourself and worry about getting back on the field and playing baseball."
Even when cleared to play, it's anyone's guess as to how much time the players will need to get ready for the season.
"You don't know how long this delay is going to be," Jeter said. "Are we playing in a month? Are we playing in two months? Are we playing in three? No one really knows. Once again, that would be just me speculating."
There have been reports about possible neutral-site games.
Jeter said he has not heard anything about Marlins Park being one such location.
"Once again, it's all speculation," Jeter said. "I think there's a lot of rumors out there. People think they know what's going to happen in the future. No one has answers to that question.”
Marlins Park, which opened in 2012, hosted the All-Star Game in '17. In the offseason, new synthetic turf was installed, and the outfield walls in center field and right-center field were moved in.
"Our ultimate goal is to be playing in a World Series, but we'll help out in any fashion that we can, but that's all speculation," Jeter said of Marlins Park being used as a neutral site.