PEORIA, Ariz. — On a sunny but somewhat cool Thursday, less than 10 hours after a day’s worth of pounding rain had seemingly washed the Phoenix Valley clean of everything but the coronavirus pandemic, the last remnants of Mariners spring training were being removed.
The once-bustling complex lay dormant with inactivity. Only a few clubhouse personnel lingered, carefully storing luggage and boxes dropped off by the last remaining staff and players in the area, and attending to the final aspects of a closure that was ordered Sunday by club ownership.
There wasn’t sign on the building that read: “CLOSED.