MLB Hot Stove 2019-20

[Dish]

I don't think this is a surprise to anyone, but I have heard from a good source, that MLB is going to find some way (covid-19 be damned) to have some type of season. That's not breaking any news, but what I heard (reckless speculation) is there is a team that is in severe enough financial trouble that a lost season would potentially cause that franchise to collapse.

You can probably easily figure out which franchise that is.

[MUfan12]

I don't think this is a surprise to anyone, but I have heard from a good source, that MLB is going to find some way (covid-19 be damned) to have some type of season. That's not breaking any news, but what I heard (reckless speculation) is there is a team that is in severe enough financial trouble that a lost season would potentially cause that franchise to collapse.

You can probably easily figure out which franchise that is.

I'll miss you, Exrays.

[Dish]

I'll miss you, Exrays.

Right state, wrong sea creature.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Right state, wrong sea creature.

Poor Jeter.

Saw today, the marlins are the only franchise worth under $1b per forbes(?).

[cheebs09]

Poor Jeter.

Saw today, the marlins are the only franchise worth under $1b per forbes(?).

Hopefully he gets a gift bag on the way out.

[🏀]

Hopefully he gets a gift bag on the way out.

A Brockmire gift basket would be charming.

[The Sultan]

The next MLB thought.  Everyone plays at their spring training sites without fans and the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues will be divided into divisions.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/04/10/mlb-realignment-league-considers-radical-move-for-2020-season/5128935002/

[Dish]

The next MLB thought.  Everyone plays at their spring training sites without fans and the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues will be divided into divisions.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/04/10/mlb-realignment-league-considers-radical-move-for-2020-season/5128935002/

They are hell bent on having a season, absolutely hell bent, no matter what.

[BM1090]

I think it's a fun idea, plus expanded playoffs. I'm sure 50% of fans would say it doesn't count and whoever wins the World Series isn't a real champion, though.

Love the Brewers division!

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I think it's a fun idea, plus expanded playoffs. I'm sure 50% of fans would say it doesn't count and whoever wins the World Series isn't a real champion, though.

Love the Brewers division!

Summer day games in FL and AZ?  Oof.

Would still like to see some kind of season, this is better than no baseball, as long as they could stay quarantined amongst themselves.

[Dish]

Summer day games in FL and AZ?  Oof.

Would still like to see some kind of season, this is better than no baseball, as long as they could stay quarantined amongst themselves.

I believe the idea is to play most of the games in the Trop, Miami, and Chase Field. 7 innings, staggered times, from 11am local to night.

Almost like little league where you just have teams/games at one field all day.

[The Sultan]

I believe the idea is to play most of the games in the Trop, Miami, and Chase Field. 7 innings, staggered times, from 11am local to night.

Almost like little league where you just have teams/games at one field all day.

Sign up sheets for whose turn it is to bring the snacks?

[MUfan12]

I believe the idea is to play most of the games in the Trop, Miami, and Chase Field. 7 innings, staggered times, from 11am local to night.

If you can't even have a regulation game what is the point?

[GB Warrior]

If you can't even have a regulation game what is the point?

[Dish]

Whatever this MLB season is, it's going to be wacky.

7 inning games
Doubleheaders
Robo strike zone (good!)
DH for all (good!)
No traditional AL/NL leagues
35 (?) man rosters
Some type of extra inning mechanism (runner on 2nd or whatever)
No mound meetings (good!)
If a player gets traded from Florida to Arizona or vice versa, will he have to be quarantined for 14 days?

[The Sultan]

Hell, why not try all the whacky sh*t in one season!

[dgies9156]

The whole thing is wacky. What I wish MLB would do would be this:

1) Start the season with the All-Star Game and a celebration of baseball.

2) Reschedule the season with 16 games against a team's divisional opponents (16*4=64).

3) Schedule an additional 20 games against the corresponding division in the other league (20 games, five teams, two home and two road games against the corresponding league's divisional teams).

4) Means you play 84 games -- a short season for MLB but a chance for teams to test themselves across enough games to make the best teams rise to the top. Also means that the teams that come in to play you are the teams most likely to be a home team's rivals for fans and interest. That, in turn should make for more interesting baseball and make it possible for baseball fans to travel.

This scenario would leave the month of June to re-start Summer Training. Every team would go to their Florida or Arizona facilities and practice and get in playing shape. Whether spectators would be allowed depends on where we were in coronavirus. Teams  could arrange scrimmages against their neighbors. The Cardinals, for example, could scrimmage the Marlins, Astros and Nationals because these teams won't see each other in the regular season, making the results more reasonable for preparation.

This sure as heck beats playing MLB in empty stadiums. It also sure as heck beats summer without baseball. That would make summer intolerable.

The biggest downside to this is that about 37.5 percent of the season would be played in September, directly against the NFL and college football. But this needs to happen as a means of pulling America out of its Covid-19 induced funk and to create some excitement. I know Governor Toilets in Illinois is warning against it, but we need something like this. Even if it is the Cubs!!!!

[The Sultan]

You are making the assumption that crowds will be allowed later in the summer or in fall. Not sure that's a safe assumption.

[Dish]

All the ideas MLB is kicking around reminds me of the scene in Argo, where the CIA guys were all kicking around ideas to get the hostages out, and Bryan Cranston's character eventually remarks "this is the best worst idea we've got".

[GB Warrior]

Whatever this MLB season is, it's going to be wacky.

7 inning games
Doubleheaders
Robo strike zone (good!)
DH for all (good!)
No traditional AL/NL leagues
35 (?) man rosters
Some type of extra inning mechanism (runner on 2nd or whatever)
No mound meetings (good!)
If a player gets traded from Florida to Arizona or vice versa, will he have to be quarantined for 14 days?

Thinks of what Craig Counsell would do with 7 inning games and expanded rosters

[cheebs09]

Thinks of what Craig Counsell would do with 7 inning games and expanded rosters

Haha this was my thought. If no 3 batter to rule, games might take longer being only 7 innings.

[Coleman]

The next MLB thought.  Everyone plays at their spring training sites without fans and the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues will be divided into divisions.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/04/10/mlb-realignment-league-considers-radical-move-for-2020-season/5128935002/

Its admittedly better than the all-Arizona idea. But not much.

[Coleman]

You are making the assumption that crowds will be allowed later in the summer or in fall. Not sure that's a safe assumption.

I'd say its actually quite unlikely.

By late summer people may be returning to work or going out to eat, but we won't get crowds in pro sports stadiums until there is a widely-available vaccine. It is as simple as that.

[dgies9156]

Its admittedly better than the all-Arizona idea. But not much.

It sucks. At some point, we need baseball. We need a warm summer afternoon (OK, blazing hot summer evening if you're in St. Louis), below average food, plenty of ice cold Budweiser, great baseball by guys with a birds on bat logo on their shirts and a great seat that I copped a bargain for.

As much as I love baseball (and I truly do), television baseball is like video porn. It's a whole lot more fun to be there than it is to watch it on TV. 

[Lennys Tap]

I'd say its actually quite unlikely.

By late summer people may be returning to work or going out to eat, but we won't get crowds in pro sports stadiums until there is a widely-available vaccine. It is as simple as that.

What about spacing 15 or 20 thousands fans in a 45-50 thousand seat stadium? Is that apossibility?