Dodgers: Enrique Hernandez Describes Texas Bubble Setup
The bubble in Arlington, Texas has come under some intense scrutiny since the Dodgers won the World Series and, more importantly, Justin Turner tested positive for the coronavirus. The bubble that was hardly even a bubble at all.
Internally, MLB referred to it as the “secure zone,” as LA reliever Joe Kelly revealed while slamming Rob Manfred and the league over its failures. Ahead of game 6, Enrique Hernandez paused for a second perplexed by a question from a reporter that made the bubble/secure zone sound like a prison to him. This week to the LA Times, Hernandez explained the bubble setup in more detail.
The bubble had two tents, one for each team, with a pool table, and a lounge area to watch television with drinks and snacks. Inside, there was a conference room where we did our coronavirus tests every day. Everyone in the bubble had to take the tests, except for children.
We saw the other team every day. It was impossible not to. They had to go through our tents to get to theirs. We had to go to the same place to get to the buses, the same place to get food, and the same place for the tests.
There was a lot of security, but the most security was stationed where the bubble ended at the entrances to the golf course. We weren’t allowed there. The buses would leave for the stadium every half-hour. After games, only 14 people could go on each bus back to the hotel.
Definitely far from a glamourous big league lifestyle. Or a Hollywood lifestyle for that matter. But the teams made it work. Particularly the Dodgers who were there just short one full month. I guess if you get to be the last team standing at the end of the season, it’s worth it.
But ultimately, the bubble failed. We’ve heard the stories and we saw the result with Justin Turner.
NEXT: Blake Treinen Blasts MLB For Handling of Justin Turner Situation
That’s the best MLB could do? A couple of tents?. I envisioned more like a hotel would be chartered for each team. Hotel and stadium employees would be part of the bubble. Everyone involved tested everyday. A community eithin a community. But tents? And apparently other people staying in the same hotel coming and going? That’s the best MLB could do?!
They should have given the players their own trailers like the actors get on a movie shoot. That way they could act like DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood when they had a bad game.