Cubs pitching coach wants MLB season despite his own scary coronavirus illness

Chicago Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy knows all too well that the coronavirus can flatten somebody, but the soon-to-be 39-year-old Hottovy nevertheless is keen on MLB providing fans with entertainment and a 60-game regular season amid the pandemic.

As ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported, Hottovy spoke with reporters about his desire to return to play and his battle with the virus during a Wednesday video conference.

"I do believe having sports is important," Hottovy said. "At the same token, one little misstep, one little contact situation by one person, can derail an entire industry.

"I want to do everything we can to bring baseball back to the fans. We have to take care of ourselves and each other and hold each other accountable or it could easily get derailed."

According to Rogers, Hottovy became emotional while speaking about his COVID-19 illness that involved a day-long hospital stay to aid his breathing and a 30-day stint in isolation.

"I went through some really weird stages throughout the whole process," he said. "Depression. Thinking that I did do something wrong. How could I put my family in that situation?"

Hottovy, who doesn't know how he became infected, added he's at about 80 percent as spring training 2.0 sessions get underway.

Patch's J. Ryne Danielson noted that two Cubs staff members who aren't players or coaches recently tested positive for the coronavirus.