Toronto Trip Is a Concern

Angel pitcher Kevin Appier suggested Wednesday that Major League Baseball consider moving next week’s Angel-Blue Jay series from Toronto to Anaheim in the wake of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in the Canadian city.

Concerns about the disease linked to the deaths of 16 people in Toronto have spread through the Angel clubhouse after the World Health Organization advised travelers to avoid the city. Several players said they are worried about contracting the mysterious illness even if precautions suggested by major league officials are taken.

“It’s something that’s very much unknown, and I think the unknown factor is what is scary about it,” shortstop David Eckstein said. “You might come in contact with someone who comes in the clubhouse and sneezes.”

Appier, who is on the disabled list, suggested switching series so that the Angels would play host to the Blue Jays on May 2-4 and then play in Toronto on Aug. 1-3, when the teams are scheduled to play a three-game series at Edison Field.

Why does Appier favor such a move?

“People dying,” he said.

Baseball has no plans to cancel games or switch series yet.

In an effort to alleviate fears, Dr. Elliot Pellman, Major League Baseball’s medical advisor, will speak with trainers of each of the 10 teams scheduled to visit Toronto through the All-Star break. By then, the threat of contracting the illness in the city is expected to have dissipated.

Ned Bergert, the Angels’ trainer, is expected to take part in a conference call with Pellman today.

Baseball officials have already advised teams to avoid crowds, hospitals and public transportation. Players signing autographs have been told to use their own pens.

The Kansas City Royals, who open a three-game series in Toronto on Friday, have organized a players’ dinner in the team hotel and have arranged for an activity and recreation room so that players stay indoors as much as possible.

Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman said he and his wife intend to make the trip to Toronto, home of his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. He said he would comment further after today’s conference call.

Scott Schoeneweis, the Angels’ player representative, said he anticipates hearing later this week from the players’ union, which is scheduled to meet Friday with medical consultants and representatives of the commissioner’s office.

Schoeneweis said his primary concern is not contracting SARS but passing the illness on to his daughter Kylie and son Hudson.

Right fielder Tim Salmon, who has four children, said he isn’t worried.

“Major league baseball isn’t just going to put us at risk of exposure to something,” he said. “If they say it’s OK to play, then it’s OK to play.”

The New York Yankees took special precautions three weeks ago during their season-opening series in Toronto, even though the SARS epidemic, which originated in China and has been attributed to 251 deaths worldwide, was not as widespread at the time.

Yankee trainer Gene Monahan said the club distributed pamphlets about the disease, and he spoke with each player before the trip. The team avoided public transportation “and used common sense,” Monahan said.

New York third baseman Todd Zeile said he was concerned that shortstop Derek Jeter might have been exposed to the illness when he dislocated his left shoulder and was taken to a hospital, but Monahan said the hospital staff took extra precautions such as requiring Jeter to wear a mask.

“If we thought anybody was going to get sick, I think it would be worth it to cancel it,” Angel first baseman Scott Spiezio said. “I’m sure people are looking into that, and they’ll figure out what the best way to go about it is.

“I’ll trust their judgment.”

Associated Press and the Washington Post contributed to this story.