Official *MLB Season Delayed* Thread

[revo]

I really doubt any of this matters at this point. We don't have the testing and control of Covid to have any realistic attempt to play this year. Places opening up now will mean they will try, but cases will spike (the virus don't care) and everything will have to be shut down. I agree with your point about the veterans versus the young ones---add to that the fact that older people (even 30's versus 21) have more danger from Covid, yeah; I just don't see it happening.

I would agree with you if everything else wasn't opening back up. But they are, for better or (most likely) worse. Sports like the NHL have already said if there's a case, it would not preclude the sport from continuing onward.

If shopping malls in Georgia are already open......why can't 50 people get together and play baseball?

[revo]

Ken Rosenthal says MLB will have an owner's conference call on Monday to agree on their plan, and if and when it goes through, will present it to the players on Tuesday. Key points:
- the season will be between 78-82 games
- early July start
- each team will play in empty home stadiums
- teams will only play their division and rival division (i.e. NL & AL East). 12 games vs. your division, 6 games vs. the other league's division.
- no mention of a DH for NL teams
- expanded post-season to include 7 teams from each league
- all subject to change, of course

[chancellor]

The money battle will be all in this one. It's going to be an interesting week.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I would agree with you if everything else wasn't opening back up. But they are, for better or (most likely) worse. Sports like the NHL have already said if there's a case, it would not preclude the sport from continuing onward.

If shopping malls in Georgia are already open......why can't 50 people get together and play baseball?

because Georgia and their malls are filled with idiots who have a death wish or don't give a shit about other people's health?

[revo]

Joel Sherman reports the Universal DH is a part of the MLB lplan

[chancellor]

Joel Sherman reports the Universal DH is a part of the MLB lplan

Brewers and Dodgers are gonna be two teams that love that. From a fantasy standpoint, Ryan Braun's value will go up a lot.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Brewers and Dodgers are gonna be two teams that love that. From a fantasy standpoint, Ryan Braun's value will go up a lot.

Padres too, Naylor and Cordero get a boost.

[cavebird]

I would agree with you if everything else wasn't opening back up. But they are, for better or (most likely) worse. Sports like the NHL have already said if there's a case, it would not preclude the sport from continuing onward.

If shopping malls in Georgia are already open......why can't 50 people get together and play baseball?

Because if someone does something stupid, everyone else shouldn't follow? The veterans who have made tons of money already and have families, for the most part, run the MLBPA. I don't see them signing up for this any time soon.

[chancellor]

Because if someone does something stupid, everyone else shouldn't follow? The veterans who have made tons of money already and have families, for the most part, run the MLBPA. I don't see them signing up for this any time soon.

We'll see. I'm surprised at the very few who have brought up issues - now, if the league backs off the pro-rata pay agreement, then it'll likely blow up. But if they hold to that pay agreement, I believe there's pretty solid support in the ranks, including most of the veterans, who'll vote to play.

Right now, the main question to me is will the owners screw this up by backing off on the pro-rata pay agreement? That'll not only endanger this season, but poison the well for the upcoming labor negotiations, too.

[revo]

Because if someone does something stupid, everyone else shouldn't follow? The veterans who have made tons of money already and have families, for the most part, run the MLBPA. I don't see them signing up for this any time soon.

It's not just "someone." It's many. 44 states, in fact. Again, for better or worse.

Today's the day of the owner's call, followed by the presentation to the players tomorrow.


BTW, according to Joel Sherman, only about 40% of overall team revenue is gate-related:
"The owners feel it wrong to ignore that 40 percent of revenue comes from attendance and all that comes with it (concessions, parking, luxury suites, etc.) and that they are facing real financial hardships."

https://nypost.com/2020/05/10/mlb-2020-season-threatened-by-compensation-dh-rule-possible/

[cavebird]

It's not just "someone." It's many. 44 states, in fact. Again, for better or worse.

Today's the day of the owner's call, followed by the presentation to the players tomorrow.


BTW, according to Joel Sherman, only about 40% of overall team revenue is gate-related:
"The owners feel it wrong to ignore that 40 percent of revenue comes from attendance and all that comes with it (concessions, parking, luxury suites, etc.) and that they are facing real financial hardships."
https://nypost.com/2020/05/10/mlb-20...rule-possible/

But when cases spike again in June due to the reopening, won't everything just shut down again and put the kibosh on everything? Or is the assumption that people will just carry on while the bodies pile up?

[revo]

But when cases spike again in June due to the reopening, won't everything just shut down again and put the kibosh on everything? Or is the assumption that people will just carry on while the bodies pile up?

Certainly possible, and the leagues are using federal and local guidance before they do anything. In fact, MLB is believed to have wanted a shorter regular season so if and when the second spike occurs in the fall, the season would likely be over by then.

[cavebird]

Certainly possible, and the leagues are using federal and local guidance before they do anything. In fact, MLB is believed to have wanted a shorter regular season so if and when the second spike occurs in the fall, the season would likely be over by then.

I am beginning to doubt the existence of a "second wave" in the fall despite what the experts say. I don't think the expert guidance includes the idea that almost everything opens up now, allowing the first wave to continue unabated right through fall.

[revo]

I am beginning to doubt the existence of a "second wave" in the fall despite what the experts say. I don't think the expert guidance includes the idea that almost everything opens up now, allowing the first wave to continue unabated right through fall.

Yes, again, certainly possible. But I cannot foresee how MLB & the NFL in particular shut down without even giving it a shot. At least the NBA & NHL made some money, but baseball stands to be the biggest loser if they don't try. At least the NFL has time on its side. But if both get shut down after they gave it a shot, so be it. Just shutting down now would be disastrous, less disastrous than if they started and aborted.

[Judge Jude]

But when cases spike again in June due to the reopening, won't everything just shut down again and put the kibosh on everything? Or is the assumption that people will just carry on while the bodies pile up?

what is your perception of the likely death toll for MLB players who test positive? if there are 20 cases, how many "bodies?" and of those 20, how many are likely visiting great-grandma while not even wearing masks between games?