Last week, The Phillies announced that Alec Bohm, Connor Brogdon, Bailey Falter, and Aaron Nola were all heading to the COVID-19 injured list. The Phillies remain one of six teams in Major League Baseball that haven’t reached an 85 percent threshold of vaccinated personnel that triggers fewer health protocols.

The MLB told teams before the season that they can start to ease their league-mandated health and safety protocols once 85% of their traveling party is vaccinated, meaning teams won’t have to wear masks in the dugout or bullpen, they can ditch the contact tracing devices, and they can do more things in the clubhouse while going out to eat together on the road. 

Even with the guidelines that the MLB has given teams, it’s unlikely that the Phillies will reach that threshold this season. That also means issues like this could arise when they kick off the second half of the season on Friday. Of course, any conversation around the vaccine is met with high tension and the Phillies are in the headlines because of the amount of players that have come out in opposition against the vaccine. 

I’m not here to tell anyone to do anything. Take the vaccine. Don’t take the vaccine. Honestly, I don’t give a shit. That is totally up to you and how you want to live your life. While we’re here, let’s take a look at why some in the Phillies clubhouse remain skeptical about the vaccine.

ANTIBODIES

For those who have already contracted COVID-19, the thought is that anti-bodies are enough and they don’t need the vaccine which to me, seems like a fair reason to be skeptical about the vaccine. I’m no scientist but I can get behind the idea that if you have already contracted the virus at one point, then your immune system is familiar with it and will have antibodies to fight it if you get sick again. Does that make sense? I honestly have no idea but that’s essentially what a vaccine does. It puts a virus into your system so your body learns to fight it. Seems like a rational thought to have.

INJURIES

Brandon Kintzler got vaccinated the first week of the season. He then suffered a neck injury, which he says was caused by overcompensating for a sore arm due to the vaccine.

“I think everyone should recover for a week from that thing,” Kintzler said of the vaccine last month. “Archie strained his oblique after it. (Matt) Joyce had back problems. There has to be some science behind it.”

Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius told teammates that his pseudogout diagnosis was a result of the vaccine. Didi Gregorius had this to say: 

“I have no clue. So, I’m not sure. Let’s go with that. Because if I start saying things, it’s going to turn into a whole thing.”

Archie Bradley, also mentioned in April that the vaccine was the reason for his oblique injury. Hector Neris said the following in early April.

“I don’t want to get a shot. Not right now,” Neris said before Monday’s series opener against the Mets. “… I haven’t talked to the guys. It’s like different opinions. Everybody is different. Can a guy maybe have the shot? I don’t know. I haven’t asked the other guys any questions about that.”

Again, I don’t give a shit who gets a shot and who doesn’t. The entire conversation is stupid. People have the right to make their own choice. If they want to get it, fine. If not, that works for me too.  Without getting into the numbers, I’m pretty sure that world class athletes are pretty safe from anything serious when it comes to COVID, even more so when they play outside in front max capacity ball parks all over the United States.

CRITICISM DOES NOT HELP THE SITUATION

I won’t crucify you for not wanting to take the vaccine. The same can’t be said from local radio host and member of the radical left Mike Missenelli. Mikey Miss, who often goes on terrible rants on Twitter, criticizing anyone who disagrees with his nauseating tweets, got into a conversation today about the vaccine and literally wished death on someone who decided to not take it. That Tweet, which appears to have been deleted, was a reply on the following tweet from Mike Missanelli.

You’d think after years of brutal General Knowledge questions, he would have learned something useful like how to engage with people on social media but clearly, that hasn’t happened yet. When you attack people instead of answering their questions or trying to calm their skepticism, no one is going to listen to what you have to say. It’s not that hard to understand, Mike.

In my opinion, Mikey Miss needs to stick to his boring, bland radio show that clogs up the primetime hours on 97.5 and stay off Twitter. Talking about the vaccine is a pointless argument that isn’t going to change the opinion of either side, so do yourself a favor and just shut up about it online. You are not solving anything. Criticizing people for not wanting to take the vaccine is not going to convince someone to take it. Throwing out different labels about the person is definitely not a successful way in convincing someone to take the vaccine either.

The Phillies don’t seem overly concerned with it and will deal with any issues as they come. Sure, it sucks now, but they got lucky with the All-Star break. My opinion might completely change if the Phillies are in the playoff hunt come September and lose some guys due to COVID-19. Let’s just hope that isn’t the case.

Mandatory Credit: NBC Sports