And now, added to all other Yankee concerns... it's the upcoming super-spreader celebration in Tampa

As of now, the Yankees plan to open Tampa spring camp on Feb. 17, ten days from now... almost simultaneously with the looming siege.

I'm referring to the inevitable explosion of Covid, stemming from the massive, joyful, unmasked Super Bowl street parties that began last night with less than five commercials left in the game. ("... on the Yankee Radio Network, driven by Jeep - now with The Boss!)

Listen: No judgments here. Let's not begrudge the good citizens of Tampa a full week of drinking themselves batty, even if street parties fall barely a notch below doorknob-licking. Their team won the frickin' Super Bowl. They might not see another in their lives. (The Detroit Lions are 60 years and counting.) But as cerebral Yank fans - who instinctively scorn the shoeless, inbred, unshirted dullards of Florida - we should face reality: 

Next week's parades and panty-raids will raise threat levels through the roof in Yankee camp. Can we hire crop dusters to do the city with Purell? 

At the least, that would compete with the cloud that hangs over all MLB camps. Last week, MLB's Jolly Owners proposed delaying the season by one month, scuttling the mid-February camp openings. MLB offered a 154-game season (at full pay), the universal DH and 14-team expanded playoffs. The union shot it down.

An article in the Hartford Courant offers this cogent summary from Mr. (or Ms) Unnamed Source:

"By starting spring training now with the pandemic still raging in Florida and Arizona, we’re jeopardizing not only the players, but umpires, managers, coaches, trainers, front office people and support people. But at the same time, (Commissioner Rob) Manfred comes up with this proposal as players are already starting to report and making housing plans. It’s a proposal with nothing in it for the players when the commissioner has the unilateral right to stop the season at any time. As for the universal DH vs. the expanded playoffs, the universal DH is probably worth about $20 million for the players as opposed to the expanded playoffs being worth $100 million for the owners.”

Adding to the conundrum: Rancid relations between management and labor, which had its pockets picked in the last contract. (Luxury taxes = salary cap in disguise.)  Current talks suggest a strike or lockout next winter. 

As of Friday, about 150 MLB free agents still remain unsigned. That's nutty. Soon, the music will stop, and everyone will scramble for the last empty chairs - not realizing that this is, after all, the deck of the Titanic. Mr. Smartypants - Trevor Bauer - better not start spending that $45 million he's supposed to get next year. He might be better off with Bitcoin. 

So... what do we know? Not much. But as Yankees return to camp - each in "the greatest condition of his life" - they ought to stay inside next week, or hope for gusty winds. Tampa is going to be a big, wild petrie dish. Hooray, Bucs!