Nolan Arenado in his new Cardinal red, Mookie Betts back in Dodger blue. October breakout star Randy Arozarena with a hit in his first February at-bat, Buster Posey returning from an opt-out year.
And a socially distanced standing ovation for Trey Mancini. All over spring training, baseball enjoyed a bevy of reassuring signs Sunday on the opening day of Grapefruit and Cactus league play.
Including people in the seats, albeit in numbers limited by COVID-19 protocols. The Toronto-Yankees game at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, drew 2,637, close to its permitted maximum of 2,800 in a park that holds over 10,000.
A little farther south in Bradenton, the Baltimore-Pittsburgh opener crowd of 1,705 was officially listed as a sellout. “I’m