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My initial takes on the Texas idea and what it might mean to the Cardinals.
Could the #stlcards play their 2020 season in Texas?
A rumored MLB proposal to organize in three hubs suggests the Central Divisions of both the NL and AL could be logical candidates to shift. I consider the possibilities. (free) https://t.co/o05XtXOKvu pic.twitter.com/ujcsW1ZyC3
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) April 21, 2020
It seems as though a new plan is going to be leaked each week just to keep MLB in the news. Not a bad PR strategy I suppose.
As for the 3 state plan I agree that keeping the divisional alignments are a plus. Another plus is that games for each team could be televised in their normal time zones, which would help TV ratings.
I might also add that there is a AA ball park in Frisco that could host games.
I guess as Frisco in the Dallas area, they could commandeer Sugar Land in the Houston area. Though Sugar Land is independent, there were already rumors they would be given affiliation in 2021, anyway, as part of the minor league restructuring.
P.S. I question whether MLB is intentionally leaking these. You give their PR department far more credit than they deserve, unless they fired everyone after the Houston fiasco.
Realistically, the more people who are inside the discussions, the more likely someone tells someone in the media. Everyone is sniffing around and different people have broken each of the three plans. Remember that MLB swiftly issued a denial press release the morning after the Arizona Plan hit the news.
Personally I would just as soon wait until mid-May to make a decision. I think by then a lot of things will be open and people will be more likely to attend games starting in June. If necessary, play a few to empty stadiums and when fans are allowed then have the home opener with all the horses, HOFers etc. If an alternate plan has to be the only one that I would favor would be the Florida/Arizona one but I just do not think the players are ready to okay any of the no-fan, quarantine required plans
Now that I think about it there are actually two MLB size stadiums in Arlington, TX. There is the new Rangers stadium and the old Rangers stadium. The old Rangers stadium was used for some XFL games earlier this year. I wonder if it could still be configured for baseball and used for night games to avoid the Texas heat.
Another good point. Convert Arlington Stadium back. Not being used for the XFL now…
P.S. I looked it up, but the Astrodome is considered unsafe for occupancy. 😉
Boy there is sure a lot to think about on this issue. Playing baseball again is not going to be that easy. One thing a lot of folks don’t consider is the problem of births, deaths and marriages and how they affect players and staff. Leave the campus for one of those things and you go into a separate quarantine upon return which is not good. The idea of when fans can attend games is even stickier. Even IF they will WANT to attend games this season. And now they are talking about this virus becoming a seasonal thing like the flu. That may not be as bad if, like the flu, it mostly happens in the winter but no one knows yet. Anyway I will stick around until I hear those magic words again…………….PLAY BALL. BATTER UP.
Good article, Brian. My thoughts on things as they stand:
-Waino, Kershaw and Trout have a valid point that many players aren’t going to want to leave their families for that long. It’s understandable and even acceptable. To that, I would say that they should have every right to sit out the season if that’s their choice…and eschew their pay as well, or at least the big majority of it. None of the three mentioned are going to be hurting for money, anyway.
-On another point, the players have a chance to be seen as doing a great public service to a world that is going to be starved for anything to take their attention off this pandemic. I know that here in PA, hiking trails, fishing streams and otherwise empty spaces are being crowded with folks who want to get away. Ball players could be helping us all by playing games even if it’s not ideal circumstances.
-To that point, ratings will likely be huge even if all the star players aren’t there. TV ratings are up across the board from people being at home, and that doesn’t take into account that there’s been no sports at all lately, so people will be extra hungry. I know I’d be watching every live game I could be home for if I could.
-Testing is going to be the key for all of this. I’m sure the best and brightest are on it, but it doesn’t seem like we will have super widespread testing in the next month or two, so the view that MLB players would be getting special treatment just might be something they’re stuck dealing with if they want any season at all.
I promise that Brian had his article in this thread that I responded to before he pulled it away like Lucy with the football. Lol
Yes, that is on me. The article seemed like it could fit on about three different threads, but after thinking about it, I decided to put it in the COVID thread, rather than here. Sorry about that switcheroo. I hope you didn’t hit your head! 😉
Solid comments, all. The testing point is so huge, I felt like I needed to address it right up front, or the rest of the article would simply be ignoring the elephant in the room.
If it wasn’t for the regular TV contracts, I wonder if a pay-per-view situation with empty stadiums would make up lost revenues.
Jeff Passan of ESPN is very optimistic that MLB can still play in 2020. He blows right by the Trouts, Kershaws and Wainwrights, suggesting they are in the minority. The article reads like more of an MLB than a player-centric focus. I wonder if he even spoke with anyone from the Union. Still, many interesting points are raised, making it well worth reading.
Jeff Passan's 20 questions: There will be MLB in 2020. It's just a matter of when, where and how https://t.co/651O1Lv3RC
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) April 27, 2020
Well, they should. How many healthy 20 and 30-year-olds have died from this Virus? No reason why they can’t start spring training in Florida and Arizona…none.
GC asked:
How many healthy 20 and 30-year-olds have died from this Virus?
Well, it is not zero. The CDC isn’t showing age-related info yet, but this NYC data as of 4/14 indicates that 65 of the deaths there (1.0% of the total deaths) were people between the ages 18-44 with no known underlying conditions. (I cannot vouch for the data.)
What is unknown, however, is how many other older people were infected by younger people carrying the virus without showing any symptoms.
Are you going to play baseball with only players – no coaches or support personnel who are older than in their 30’s?
Sure seems to me that if safety is truly no. 1, there are more details to be worked out before games could be played.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/
Here is an optimistic take from Chicago.
.@chicagosmayor says she can envision baseball in Chicago this summer, but adds: "Is it likely to be without fans? Probably."
— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) April 27, 2020
NY’s governor wants MLB to figure it out…
Question to @NYGovCuomo at a presser today: Do you imagine Yankees games happening in an empty Yankee Stadium this summer?
Cuomo's full response:
(ht @darrenrovell, @NickReisman) pic.twitter.com/IoLzHA0U4M
— Mark J. Burns (@markjburns88) April 26, 2020
There are a lot of VERY good reasons why they shouldn’t be playing baseball right now and prob shouldn’t the rest of the season!
No good reason why we are not playing baseball now. This is over-exaggerated.
I think as of today there are probably 57,000+ reasons why it is not exaggerated but that number is still increasing slower than previous. I do see some hope of getting some games in this season but it will be dependent on what happens in this next month. In other word, the success or failure of the openings of general businesses will have a definite effect on baseball’s season, fans or not. I guess virtual baseball is not feasible like the NASCAR guys are doing it but I am one who wants to see full stadiums and I am just not sure that will be happening this season. I would be happy if it would. However, teams like those in the Northeast may not open at all with fans for sure.
As usual, it will come down to money. Cuomo is right…the players and owners will have to decide if a smaller pie can be sliced up to everyone’s liking still. If not, no amount of hoping will let games be played. If somehow they could have some appeal to heroism, games with no fans probably could be played and people would watch and enjoy. I’d still peg the chances as extremely low that it will happen, though.
Here is a follow up article out of Chicago…
Mayor Lightfoot says "we're obviously a ways away" from Chicago baseball's return but adds: "Can I envision a world where baseball might return to Chicago this summer? Yes." https://t.co/qlFztAbMpG
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) April 27, 2020
Notice the mayor is wearing Sox gear. Bet that went over well on the northside. But a Cubs game without fans is not really a Cubs game is it?
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