2020 MLB Season Thread

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Not sure if this necessarily belongs here, but Detroit Tigers hall of famer, "Mr. Tiger" Al Kaline, has passed away.

[JGibson]

MLB may be doing the three regions plan to start the season up: Arizona, Florida, and Texas.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2020/05/10/national-league-expected-to-add-designated-hitter-this-year/

It appears the last professional American baseball game ever has been played. Game 5 of the 2019 World Series. The President was in attendance and stole the show, but no one knew that it would be the last game ever. Breaks my heart. 💔💔💔

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2020/05/10/national-league-expected-to-add-designated-hitter-this-year/

It appears the last professional American baseball game ever has been played. Game 5 of the 2019 World Series. The President was in attendance and stole the show, but no one knew that it would be the last game ever. Breaks my heart. 💔💔💔

Oh, come on. The only thing bad about the DH is that it takes away the comedy of seeing pitchers strike out all the time.

However there are plenty of good things about it. For one, it's an extra roster spot for someone who otherwise never be on a major league roster (like Albert Pujols after this season, or to use a New York area example, Clint Frazier, whose path to playing time is being blocked by five other players). Pitchers are a lot safer now that they don't have to bat, as getting hit by thrown balls, and hurting oneself swinging the bat is common, and it'll help with roster construction.

Besides...nothing is stopping a team from using a pitcher as the DH, for example, the Mets could do that with half their starting rotation right now. Or as another example Shohei Ohtani is probably guaranteed a roster spot with pretty much any team (since he can be both a pitcher and a DH...just not on the same day), and you could sign another pitcher or bench player and use an extra spot that way.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2020/05/10/national-league-expected-to-add-designated-hitter-this-year/

It appears the last professional American baseball game ever has been played. Game 5 of the 2019 World Series. The President was in attendance and stole the show, but no one knew that it would be the last game ever. Breaks my heart. 💔💔💔

Look, if it brings baseball back sooner, I'm in favor of it. I've always leaned towards wanting the Universal DH but have always been compelled by pitchers hitting bombs. I'm not going to whine about it when it happens though.

[JGibson]

MLB owners approve a proposal that has the season starting around the 4th of July weekend. The proposal includes making the DH universal, expanding the playoffs by 2 teams per league to make it 14 total/7 per league, active rosters increased from 26 to 30-- with a 20-man reserve roster due to the likelihood of no minor league games, most stadiums will host their team's games without fans, Spring Training 2.0 likely won't have games being played, and an 82-game schedule meaning that teams will only play their own division and their corresponding division in the other league (NL Central teams will play other teams in that division and AL Central teams only).


Jeff Passan at ESPN.com:

Major League Baseball owners approved a proposal that commissioner Rob Manfred plans to present to players Tuesday on a return-to-play scenario that aims to have baseball back in home stadiums by early July, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

The meeting between MLB and the MLB Players Association on Tuesday will set the stage for what both parties expect to be a contentious negotiation. While MLB could benefit long term from being the first American team sport to return amid the coronavirus pandemic, the logistics of starting the season remain convoluted and require player support.



[...]



The season could start on Fourth of July weekend with games around the country in home stadiums. The intradivision-heavy schedule would be to limit travel -- with teams possibly traveling by bus to nearby cities.

Spring training likely would not include any games, as teams could get ready for the season at their home stadiums. The 50 players available would be a mixture of major leaguers and top minor league players, with the minor league season in jeopardy.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つGIB BEISBOL PLS༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Too bad Beer sales and merchandising, if fans dont attend games will be down. MLB makes money off of those things


Who will buy jersey and beer if they cant attend games, no one, so the pros will still suffer

[100% pro-life no matter what]

MLB owners approve a proposal that has the season starting around the 4th of July weekend. The proposal includes making the DH universal, expanding the playoffs by 2 teams per league to make it 14 total/7 per league, active rosters increased from 26 to 30-- with a 20-man reserve roster due to the likelihood of no minor league games, most stadiums will host their team's games without fans, Spring Training 2.0 likely won't have games being played, and an 82-game schedule meaning that teams will only play their own division and their corresponding division in the other league (NL Central teams will play other teams in that division and AL Central teams only).


Jeff Passan at ESPN.com:

Major League Baseball owners approved a proposal that commissioner Rob Manfred plans to present to players Tuesday on a return-to-play scenario that aims to have baseball back in home stadiums by early July, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

The meeting between MLB and the MLB Players Association on Tuesday will set the stage for what both parties expect to be a contentious negotiation. While MLB could benefit long term from being the first American team sport to return amid the coronavirus pandemic, the logistics of starting the season remain convoluted and require player support.



[...]



The season could start on Fourth of July weekend with games around the country in home stadiums. The intradivision-heavy schedule would be to limit travel -- with teams possibly traveling by bus to nearby cities.

Spring training likely would not include any games, as teams could get ready for the season at their home stadiums. The 50 players available would be a mixture of major leaguers and top minor league players, with the minor league season in jeopardy.

They also said that the Blue Jays might have to play at their Spring Training facility in Bradenton, Florida, due to quarantine-related issues in crossing the US-Canada border.

I also wonder if part of the reason for going with the home stadiums, rather than 1-3 hubs is out of a hope that a limited number of fans will be allowed at some point in the season (I think some Asian leagues are currently talking about that model).

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Much better than watching wrestling, Vince McMahon really flipped by creating an eye injury to Rey Mysterio by Seth Rollins. Both wonder why people are craving professional sports again.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The eye injury was fake, he didnt take off mask, Rey Mysterio is alright

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The owners' proposal is a real laugher. You want these men to put their bodies on the line for peanuts? Ownership has no sense of patriotic duty and no sense to do anything to expand the audience for most easily playable sport during an airborne pandemic. Then no season it is! The players don't look like the bad guys at all!

[Orwell]

https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2020/05/10/national-league-expected-to-add-designated-hitter-this-year/

It appears the last professional American baseball game ever has been played. Game 5 of the 2019 World Series. The President was in attendance and stole the show, but no one knew that it would be the last game ever. Breaks my heart. 💔💔💔

Look, if it brings baseball back sooner, I'm in favor of it. I've always leaned towards wanting the Universal DH but have always been compelled by pitchers hitting bombs. I'm not going to whine about it when it happens though.

Bartolo is talking about a comeback, so Im happy he hit his bomb before the Universal DH became a thing.

[brucejoel99]

The owners' proposal is a real laugher. You want these men to put their bodies on the line for peanuts? Ownership has no sense of patriotic duty and no sense to do anything to expand the audience for most easily playable sport during an airborne pandemic. Then no season it is! The players don't look like the bad guys at all!

Yeah, the offer that the owners submitted to the players is a slap in the face, not least since it's the players & managers who are taking on the extra risk. The owners trying to screw the players over while simultaneously painting them as greedy is beyond shameless. If there isn't a season, then the owners will only have themselves to blame.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

The players are gonna take a pay cut, since merchandising on Jerseys and concession stand prices are dimished value now. No one is spending 300 for an autograph Jersey or sneakers or a jacket

[JGibson]

The 2020 MLB Draft will be held over two nights and 5 rounds. The 1st Round and Competitive Balance Round A will be on 06.10.2020 and the rest of the rounds will be on 06.11.2020.

[brucejoel99]

The 2020 MLB Draft will be held over two nights and 5 rounds. The 1st Round and Competitive Balance Round A will be on 06.10.2020 and the rest of the rounds will be on 06.11.2020.

Can't wait to watch all 5 rounds & the 3 free agents that'll be signed for $20K.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/jeffpassan/status/1267277338468810755?s=21
"Welcome to the 2020 World Series between the Minnesota Twins & the Chicago Cubs. It's December 4th & the temperature is currently minus 10 here at Wrigley Field. Now let's play ball!"

[Orwell]

I wanna see Aroldis give Altuve 105 to the ribs

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/jeffpassan/status/1267277338468810755?s=21
"Welcome to the 2020 World Series between the Minnesota Twins & the Chicago Cubs. It's December 4th & the temperature is currently minus 10 here at Wrigley Field. Now let's play ball!"

Honestly, If I were the Union, I wouldn't have made another offer. I would have just started the proceedings for a strike.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Its gonna be rejected by the owners ESPN is reporting

[brucejoel99]

Its gonna be rejected by the owners ESPN is reporting

Yeah, at this point, I feel like we're either gonna see A) the players agree to something similar to what's been tossed around, wherein they'd play like 100 games for 50% of their normal salary (though the owners don't seem inclined to agree to it); or B) them playing a significantly-shortened season (~60 games) with expanded playoffs. Hell, the playoffs will probably end up being the only profitable part of this season anyway.

[brucejoel99]

The MLB & the MLBPA have reached an agreement on the 2020 season, so you know what that means: baseball is BACK!

Players will get their full pro-rated salaries for the 60-game regular season: a 60-game season is 37% of a normal 162-game season, so a player making $25 million per year will make about $9.4 million, & a player making $10 million will make $3.7 million. Additionally, all players (high-risk or not) will be allowed to opt out for the season, but those players who aren't high-risk or who aren't living with a high-risk person &/or a pregnant spouse won't be paid.

Players are reporting to 'spring' training camps by July 1st so they can undergo COVID-19 testing, with 'spring' training officially beginning on July 3rd. Rosters will expand to 30 active players to begin the season, though that number will drop to 28 after 2 weeks & to 26 after 4 weeks. Aug. 31st will mark the delayed season's trade deadline.

The regular season will start on July 24th & end on Sept. 27th, so that's 60 games crammed into 66 days. Teams will stay in their geographic regions to limit travel, with teams playing 40 games in-division & 20 games interleague with their geographic counterpart (so, for example, the Marlins will play 40 games - 10 apiece - vs. their NL East opponents, & 20 games - 5 apiece - vs. the AL East teams). The playoffs will proceed as normal, with 3 division-winners & 2 wild-cards per league.

As for changes to the game itself, the designated hitter will be universal this season as an added protective measure to help prevent pitcher injury, but the DH will NOT be universal in 2021, the final year of the current collective bargaining agreement (beyond that CBA, however, we could end up seeing the universal DH stick for good) & extra innings will begin with a runner on 2nd base (if the MiLB rules are adopted, then it'll be the batter in the order prior to that inning's leadoff hitter) so as to prevent marathon games.

[Illiniwek]

Like with all sports, I am keeping my expectations low, and I will believe we have a season when it actually starts. But it would be phenomenal if it does kick off.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

LETS F**KING GO SOX