366 days ago in the ninth inning of Opening Day 2019, Lorenzo Cain told the St. Louis Cardinals “Not today!”
Today, he can only say “not today” to the cookies & cream flavor of ice cream he might badly want, but chooses not to eat.
The stay-at-home measures adopted almost worldwide to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic have led Lorenzo Cain to be with his family and roam his 200-acre Oklahoma ranch instead of Miller Park’s center field.
“I can definitely get the opportunity to get in my run,” Cain told WTMJ’s Wisconsin’s Afternoon News with John Mercure Thursday, a short time before the airing of that 2019 Opening Day win over the St. Louis Cardinals (6 p.m. on WTMJ).
But he admits he doesn’t have all the workout gear he would have at his disposal at Miller Park to get ready for whenever the 2020 season begins.
“Not having the workout equipment needed to get in tip top shape, definitely tough.”
It’s not like he’s sitting on his couch, though.
“I’ve got three kids. They don’t allow me to sit down much.”
But like all baseball fans, Cain himself is hoping for the day the pandemic is under control enough to return to action on the field. He has heard numerous scenarios of when the game will return and how long they will play.
He does not expect a full season to happen, however.
“I don’t think we’ll play 162. From what I’m hearing, best case scenario (is) 81,” said Cain.
“It’s tough. For those guys who are just starting out or just made the big-league squad or counting on that big league service…it’s tough to put everything on hold. Everybody’s in the same boat right now. Talk and communicate the best you can…hopefully we’ll get things going. If we do get going, just be ready. I try to stay on top of that…don’t sit on the couch and eat cake and ice cream.”