Phillies Players, Staff Members At Spring Training Facility Test Positive For Coronavirus

Dan Koob reports.

♪♪GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE,I'M UKEE WASHINGTON.WE START WITH STUN, NEWS OUTOF CLEARWATER FLORIDA.EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE PHILLIESORGANIZATION INCLUDING FIVEMEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKINGOUT AT THE FACILITY HAVETESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.Reporter: NONE OF THOSEPLAYERS HAVE REQUIRED ANY SORTOF HOSPITALIZATION BUT THETEAM ANNOUNCED EIGHT MEMBERSOF THE ORGANIZATION TESTEDNEGATIVE FOR COVID-19 BUT 32MORE ARE AWAITING THEIR OWNTEST RESULTS, THAT'S 12 STAFFMEMBERS AND 20 PLAYERS AMIXTURE OF MAJOR LEAGUERS ANDMINOR LEAGUERS.DOWN IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA THEFIELD HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN ANDIT WAS REPORTEDLY THOROUGHLYCLEANED.IT HAD BEEN SLOWLY OPENINGBACK UP ALONG WITH THE REST OFFLORIDA ALLOWING MORE STAFFERSAND REHABBING PLAYERS INSIDE.THE PHILLIES WOULD NOT CONFIRMIF ANY OF THOSE FIVE POSITIVETESTS ARE FROM ITS MAJORLEAGUE ROSTER BUT THIS IS THEFIRST REPORTED OUTBREAK OFCORONAVIRUS AT A BASEBALLFACILITY.MANAGING PARTNER JOHNMIDDLETON SAYS THE PHILLIESARE COMMITTED TO THE HEALTHAND WELFARE OF OUR PLAYERSCOACHES AND STAFF AS OURHIGHEST PRIORITY AND AS ARESULT OF THESE CONFIRMEDTESTS, ALL FACILITIES INCLEARWATER HAVE BEEN CLOSEDINDEFINITELY TO ALL PLAYERS,COACHES AND STAFF AND WILLREMAIN CLOSED UNTIL MEDICALAUTHORITIES ARE CONFIDENT THATTHE VIRUS IS UNDER CONTROL ANDOUR FACILITIES AREDISINFECTED.HOW THIS MIGHT AFFECTNEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE MLBPLAYERS ASSOCIATION AND THEOWNERS UNFORESEEN AT THISPOINT.THE PHILLIES WOULD NOT ADDRESSTHAT POINT BECAUSE FRANKLY NO