July 13, 2022

Royals Will Play Four Games In Toronto With A 16-Man Roster
(10 Unvaccinated Players Cannot Cross US-Canada Border)

The Kansas City Royals were forced to place more than one-third of their roster on the restricted list before a four-game series in Toronto. That's 10 players out of 26 (38%). The Royals, owners of the second-worst record in the AL and fourth-worst in MLB (34-53), will carry on with a 16-man roster against the Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Outfielders Andrew Benintendi, Michael A. Taylor, Kyle Isbel, infielder Whit Merrifield, catchers M.J. Melendez and Cam Gallagher, DH Hunter Dozier, and pitchers Brad Keller, Brady Singer, and Dylan Coleman were left behind -- because they refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, which has killed well over one million Americans. Variants are currently infecting more than 100,000 Americans every day.

Benintendi currently has the 9th best OBP in MLB, and nine multi-hit games in his last 15 starts. Since June 27, he is batting .407 with an .939 OPS. But: "For me, it was a personal decision. And I'm going to leave it at that."

Ah, the cowardly response. Of course. If Benintendi is going to give the middle finger to his teammates  (and Royals fans) by refusing to help them win, he should at least have the guts to publicly say why and then accept responsbility for that decision like a mature adult.

2 comments:

Paul Hickman said...

Perhaps their new name should be "loyals" or "foils" or perhaps even "boils" as they are full of pusssss .......

The Ings said...

In Indonesia, those who are caught w/o masks can be compelled to bury dead Covid victims. Not a bad way to take ownership for one's "personal decision."

I'll leave it at that.

See the following:
https://www.cbs42.com/news/health/coronavirus/anti-maskers-in-indonesia-are-being-forced-to-dig-graves-for-covid-19-victims/