Professional athletes everywhere have had to find unique ways to stay in shape and in form during the Coronavirus pandemic.
For Drew Storen, that involves constructing a makeshift training center in his garage and playing catch “Sandlot style” with former teammate, Tucker Barnhart. The Philadelphia Phillies reliever joined The Ride with JMV to discuss what it’s like to have the MLB season put on hold.
“I was in a great groove. It disrupted everybody’s life, but from a baseball standpoint I had to try to keep that going so that’s why I wanted to make sure I have the mound and everything here at the house. I didn’t want to have any doubt as to whether I was getting my work in and staying ready. It’s actually been fun training because you have to be a little creative with the circumstances.”
The focal point of Storen’s setup is a self-built plyo wall perfect for deadening the weighted baseballs he hurls at it. Nothing, however, can take the place of a good old-fashioned game of catch.
“Oh, it was so nice. Hearing the pop of the glove sounds so much better than throwing into a net. It was music to my ears to be able to hear that. Plus I feel like [Tucker] puts those firecrackers or whatever in there when he catches me. He’s got that solid leather, so it sounds really good. It was just so therapeutic all around.”
Storen, Barnhart, and countless others around the league are eagerly awaiting a return to action. MLB is in preliminary discussions regarding a contingency plan that would see league games take place without fans in stadiums around Arizona, perhaps as early as late May.
“I think that’s really about the only chance you’ve got. You would essentially have to treat it like a race weekend with the Spring Training sites being almost military bases where everybody would have to have RV’s. We’d be camped out like the drivers are and you would have a secure place where nobody would be able to leave. It’s not ideal, but that’s about the only thing I think you can do.”
Whatever Major League Baseball decides, it’s clear that things won’t be able to return to normal for quite some time. When they do, Drew Storen will be ready.
