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Thanks Brian. I think MLB has a real challenge in front of them as to how to handle this situation moving forward. Equity, player safety and competitive balance become real concerns. MLB needs to develop a policy addressing existing and potential future disruptions to the remaining schedule.
Let’s face it, the likelihood of another team experiencing COVID exposure and infection still exists. There will be weather postponements at some point. Further, the league has to be concerned with potential for “opt outs” as the season moves forward. Some players will choose not to play out the remainder of the schedule should their family health status change and/or their club gets eliminated from the playoffs.
There are two potential issues I feel MLB needs to address quickly:
A. How many games can be played within a given number of dates? MLB needs to come up with a policy to address scheduling. You cannot continue to use the few open dates available and schedule doubleheaders as games get postponed. IMO, it becomes unfair to place unreasonable scheduling expectations upon a franchise and it’s players. The solution may be in terms of limiting number of games scheduled over a given number of dates or expanding rosters to address the challenge.
B. How many games must be played to qualify for the playoffs? Is it fair to compare winning percentages of a team who has played 60 games to a team that has played 40 games? Such a disparity in games played creates potential is disparity of opponents played. You may not be getting the best teams in the playoffs (I recognize that the unbalanced schedule used for several years has messed with the equity issue as well).
To me, it is very important that MLB quickly think this through and not mess things up like they did in 1981 (yes, I remember the 1981 season and it still hurts).
To your points, 1964…
A. Based on the schedule currently, here are the number of games per week already committed for the Cards:
Week starting Monday, 8/10: 7 games
8/17: 7 games
8/24: 6 games
8/31: 6 games
9/7: 8 games
9/14: 9 games
9/21: 8 gamesThree more games (Cubs series this weekend) must be added, as well as any Pirates games ahead to be lost (Monday + ??).
So, what is the right maximum of games per week? Has to be at least nine? Ten?
Expanding rosters further would mean more expense for all owners. May not be an easy sell.
B. Personally, I have no issue with percentage being used no matter how many or few games are played. It is not like anyone is not already doing the best they can to be fair and play as many games as possible, given reality.
What wouldn’t be fair is if we accuse them of screwing this up if we don’t come up with the best approach first! 😉
And for those that can’t give blood, you can get an antibody test through LapCorp and they’ll file the insurance claim. It’ll cost $10 if you are covered, or $52.13 if you aren’t covered.
The only good thing about the scheduling dilemma is that at least MLB had the foresight for teams to only play in their geographical region this year. If we had to make flights to NY, Miami, or LA this would be a much bigger problem. As it currently stands even if we have a lot of away games the flights are relatively quick.
Hopefully there are no more team outbreaks, but it is unlikely. We will see what MLB comes up with. I’d think that unless one team is playing 20-30 games, they will go by straight win %.
gscottar, agreed the flights are quicker in division, but my experience is that is less important. More time can burned in checking out of the hotel, traveling to the airport and getting onto the plane (and the same routine reversed at the other end) than on the actual flights themselves. With StL centrally located, they are relatively close to most MLB cities. But having to go to any three or more cities in any given week (if it gets to that) could be a killer.
The upcoming Pirates-Cardinals series has been canceled.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 9, 2020
Hear at least one more positive test is expected for cardinals in latest round
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 9, 2020
Indians pitcher Zach Plesac sent home to Cleveland after going out with friends in Chicago on Saturday night in violation of team rules and league’s health and safety protocols. With @ZackMeisel: https://t.co/46ov4QqfaV
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 9, 2020
Can’t argue with this, and we haven’t yet heard from Mo…
what a day
— Jack Flaherty (@jflare_) August 9, 2020
I think I may have to become a Yankee fan. ESPN shows them on whats seems like every day of the week. Boy that BawStun really stinks. Pittsburgh is celebrating tonight. Somebody told them the Cards forfeited 3 games.
The news release above mentions ongoing testing while in quarantine. To me it implies that if there are a certain number of days with no positives, the team may be cleared to play, regardless of the number of days since exposure to an infected person. Given that a variable incubation period is a known, that would be reckless. They should count 14 days from last exposure, and that is the day.
Man ‘o man. Our club is the current black eye on the face of baseball. Forget the Astros sign stealing, that’s old news – the Cardinals inability to stay away from COVID is creating havoc with the MLB season.
Most clubs have played around 15 games, already a quarter of the total scheduled. Miami has played 10, and the Cardinals have been stuck at five.
This may be the low point in Cardinal baseball since I started following them as a kid in grade school back in 1961. We have had some bad teams since then, but many good and great teams and moments. But to not be playing while everyone else is, well that is just humiliating.
I’m not normally a boo-bird, but if they go another 10 to 14 days in quarantine, the players will not be game ready. You just can’t be game ready by yourself, especially the hitters timing.
There’s no time for another ST, it’s get right back in the cage and compete. Then consider our then maxed out schedule…. it’s a recipe for injuries and a poor win%.
The weekend news recap at The Cardinal Nation includes a summary of this evening's remarks by #stlcards PBO John Mozeliak. (free) https://t.co/ZSGrMrBjKa pic.twitter.com/lx6owCIrtr
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) August 10, 2020
This is Schafer’s view of this season. Personal opinions, thoughts and emotions that may ring true for you. There is something for every Card fan.
VEB DAILY
The Year Without a Summer
By A.E. Schafer Aug 9, 2020, 12:42pm EDTHere is a small sample.
Even if the season marches on, it’s not a real season. It’s a cruel reminder of what we don’t have, a pale imitation, a zombie staggering through the streets, blasphemy masquerading as life. At no point will this season bring the kind of enjoyment, the kind of uncomplicated love, that we look for from baseball.
https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2020/8/9/21298576/the-year-without-a-summer
No, Thomas and Helsley share a residence in St. Louis. Why do you find that noteworthy? Baseball players or bricklayers, young single people often share a place. In the minors, as many as six or eight guys might live together.
That article by Red Baron summons up how I feel as well. Cardinal baseball is that companion that steadies the end of the days from the first stirrings of spring to the muggy summer nights and the crisp fall evenings. This season has been ruined and it can’t be changed now. I’ve only watched a few innings of the games so far and that will probably be all I watch going forward unless October really stirs me.
Does the fact that Lane Thomas is now a positive brighten up the chance of Dylan Carlson moving up?
I hope not. I would personally bring up Justin Williams, as the Cards haven’t lost any of their three starters so unless they’re willing to install Dylan as a permanent starter in CF or RF, it would be a waste.
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