Play Ball! 60 game season on the way?

MLB owners and players haven’t been able to agree on how to start the season over the past few months, but alas – we now have a season. We think. After yet another proposal rejections, Commissioner Rob Manfred met with owners and the owner decides – unanimously – to hold a season.

The catch? The Players Union needs to respond to two questions by 5PM ET on June 23rd.

  1. If players will be able to report to camp within 7 days (July 1st)
  2. If the players will agree on the operating manual that contains the health and safety guidelines

Other items of note that were not included in this deal:

  1. Universal DH for the 2020 and 2021 seasons
  2. $25 million in playoff pools for the 2020 post season
  3. $33 million in forgiven salary advances
  4. Players earnings will be 104% of prorated salaries
  5. No expanded post season

The deal defaults back to the March 26th agreement which can be found here.

And now we wait for the response which I assume will be a yes. The MLB season could start in late July after a shorted “spring training” starting on July 1st.

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2002heaven
Super Member
4 years ago

Not enuff arms in the draft again.……..no excuse either, because this draft was supposedly loaded with collegiate pitching. This is as much Eppler’s ridiculous MO as it is Arte’s.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

So we will be playing the NL West and AL west. 40 in division and 20 out of division.

There are going to be Rockies/Angels games and I can’t even attend. Sad.

It’s happening. Hope it works.

I don’t think we will see much of Trout due to his upcoming fatherhood. 🙁

red floyd
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

40 in division and 20 out of division.

OK. That makes sense. I’d been trying to figure this. 5 home and 5 away against each team in division. 4 each vs. NL. West. Whether it’s split 2-2 each series is TBD I guess.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

There was talk last night that teams hadn’t even seen a draft of the actual schedule yet, so i’m sure the exact details will be released soon.

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

They need to clear it with the venues, and travel, first.

It will be in the middle of July at the earliest

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

That makes sense.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

We could get 45 games of Trout. That is what 3.5 WAR?

2002heaven
Super Member
4 years ago

just because there will only be 60 games doesn’t mean Dylan Bundy can’t lose 14 games again.

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago

Layout for the Angels Stadium entertainmentLand

https://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/story/2020-06-23/angel-stadium-parking-lot-development-plan-ducks-honda-center

Looks like the old stadium stays. Guess Arte will be selling as soon as the complex is completed.. Can’t wait to “Move. That. Bus.”

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

Arte’s gonna make some serious dough off those 5000 housing units.

Now that he’s got the stadium relatively squared away, he can use the money that’s being invested in the stadium to avoid revenue sharing payments. He also no longer needs support from the owners to move the team as leverage against the city, so he can blow through the cap and start spending like a drunken sailor to win in all.

Would be an amazing feat to send Pujols off as a world champion after the 2021 season.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  losangel

Some empty park milestones coming up for Pujols, attainable in a shortened season (with a lot of rest on those feet). Just four HRs to 660 (Mays) and 11 RBIs to take over 3rd place all time (displacing ARod).

tanana40
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

I wonder how they will renovate the stadium during a season? I actually prefer the existing stadium be renovated because I am someone who likes continuity and history.

Jim Atkins
Super Member
4 years ago

Good rundown of how we got here by Craig Calcaterra detailing the legal points in easy to read form-
https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/06/23/mlb-60-game-season/

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago

Is it just me? I feel like this is another example of an action that the never-maskers and other selfish folks who are spreading this virus will point to as ‘life is getting back to normal’ and further justifying their inane behavior. For those of us very concerned about this virus and public health, baseball can wait. It’s not that important (although I very much miss it).

What happened to a populous willing to sacrifice for the greater good? Have we really become that self-centered/narcissistic as a nation?

Charles Sutton
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Yes, we have. To go deeper would violate the no politics rule, though.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Honestly I feel that crew was going to behave the same way whether sports came back or not. And without fans in the stands, hopefully any virus spread is minimal and largely confined to the young, healthy athletes who should withstand it with little risk.

But this is a chance for those of us who are spending more time at home to have some entertainment on TV. And this is also an opportunity for guys like Victor to support their families.

JackFrost
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Agree. The health/life risks seem to be over stated, and interestingly some medical professionals have pointed out that the economic consequences of quarantine also cost lives. Yes, there actually is a calculus for lives cost by the societal/economic shutdown. It is complex, but the economic consequences DO cost lives. This has been pointed out by Dr. Jay Battacharya of Stanford.

Another Stanford alum, the former Chief of neuroradiology there, Dr. Scott Atlas, has said that the isolating is actually hurting, by blocking the development of herd immunity. He says that infected people without serious illness are “the immediately available vehicle for establishing widespread immunity.”

Alot of people are prone to fear and panic without understanding certain facts regarding risk etc. We need to protect the high-risk community, but all these people walking around with masks is not really helping to resolve this thing.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Look – I’m not going to get into a debate on this subject because it would likely violate the no-politics rule. Suffice it to say that the ‘Stanford’ article has been taken out of context by ‘news’ sources such as Breitbart. The bottom line is that the science says wear masks to protect others and prevent the spread of the disease. Now many in this country feel that scientists are just a bunch of ivory tower elitists – these are the same people issuing death threats over wear-mask orders. I would strongly disagree with these people but I won’t use this forum to do so.

My main point was that I hope people don’t equate baseball’s return with some sort of mandate or indication that Covid need not be taken as seriously.

Jeff – in response to your point – if even one of these athletes die or suffer permanent lung damage – is it worth it? Note that the players union is being asked to waive any claims related to Covid spread as part of the deal.

I tried to avoid politics as much as possible. I apologize if I crossed the line.

Charles Sutton
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I have an advanced degree in biology. Masks are not foolproof but they do help delay the spread. That’s a health issue rather than a political issue.

Lung damage is demonstrably bad for baseball players. Christy Mathewson got his lungs damaged in WWI by chemical agents, contracted tuberculosis because of it, and never played again. He died from the tuberculosis.

JackFrost
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Charles Sutton

What about the concept of herd immunity? You did not address that.

Rahul Setty
Admin
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

For herd immunity, you’ll need over 90% of the population to be infected, if not higher. Heck, in Southern California there was a measles outbreak not too long ago, despite >90% of people having had the measles vaccine already. To get to that point, we’d be looking at millions of Americans dead. Very sobering.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Rahul Setty

Correct Rahul. And measles outbreak (after the disease was all but eliminated in the US) was caused by anti-vaccers – more geniuses who have decided science doesn’t matter and their own perceived interests outweigh those of society.

JackFrost
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Rahul Setty

Hmmm. Interesting that you say 90%. The number I heard was around 76 %.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Even at your 76% number it likely costs more than 1 million Americans dead or medically affected for their whole life. Globally it’s likely over 20 million.

Is that worth not wearing a mask and social distancing until there is a vaccine?

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

To gain herd immunity approximately 350 million people in America (not to mention the 7 billion in the World) would have to get the disease. This will result in millions dead or with long term illness.

Even at 1/2 of 1% (and the rate is arguably higher) – that’s still almost 2 million Americans and 35 million worldwide either dead or affected medically for their life.

In other words there is a dire price to pay for herd immunity. By comparison people could take this seriously, wear masks, social distance and make other minor sacrifices (like no baseball) to support the greater good.

And then when there is a vaccine we can all celebrate our willingness to delay gratification.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Charles Sutton

CharlesSutton – I completely agree that mask wearing is a health issue. Unfortunately, it, like almost everything in this highly charged political environment, has become a political issue. It certainly shouldn’t be. But forces and individuals have made it so.

When science no longer matters, society is lost as well.

One player having his lungs forever limited by Covid makes a 60 game season seem very trivial by comparison. It’s not worth the risk in my opinion.

JackFrost
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

You say “when science no longer matters, society is lost..” as if there is a scientific consensus on this. There is not. Like most issues in science there is alot of disagreement. The expert most frequently quoted by the MSM does not have the information and numbers to back up his proclamations. He can’t possibly have it. The data is not available because the broad testing has not been done. The point is, we don’t really know how many people are infected, and yet Fauci is making proclamations that would imply that we do.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

you might want to stop right here.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

One scientific thing that is indisputable- wearing a mask and social distancing greatly slows the spread of the virus. And yet approximately half the population seems unwilling to make those small sacrifices. More than that they make threats to public health officials (who have dedicated their lives and career to science and disease control for the greater public good) and those making these threats call thenselves ‘Patriots’ for doing so.

To me, those people have made it clear that they put their own personal thought process ahead of science- thereby needlessly and recklessly endangering others while calling themselves patriotic. That, to me, is a sign that society and our social fabric is coming unraveled.

JackFrost
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Well, I will agree with you about the idiots who are threatening public health officials. There is no place for that and it is just ridiculous. We can have a discussion/debate about the relative risk of mortality (which seems to be pretty low) once infected, but the hardworking men and women in the public health field/s should not be subject to that abuse. No argument there.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Glad to see you voice that. Unfortunately the reason public health officials are being threatened is related to people publishing on the social media that science (and scientific thought) is oppressing them. That concept (and the related banter that they are patriots for not wearing masks and threatening others) has them lighting torched and has become part of the current political, extreme environment.

losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Must
resist
talking about CV-19 on Angels blog, but soooo hard.

Need to step away from the keyboard!

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I have a big anti authority streak but gladly wear a mask because I have a larger capacity for being a decent human being. It would suck to pass this thing along to somebody in the compromised community.

I’m all for young athletes being given the choice to continue their careers. I’m all for practical measures in day to day life.

Not being bound to either political party/bent I think we’re looking at a tightrope act trying to avoid both Great Depression 2.0 and Black Death 2.0. There’s no perfect course and the data will continue to change. If ever there was a time for cooler heads and less partisan media/leaders it is now. Unfortunately the opposite is happening.

JackFrost
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I don’t have any political affiliation either. I’ve got no horse in that race. There is surely no perfect course, but it is important to look at the situation from different angles and perspectives and to be open to new ideas, such as the human cost of a societal/economic shutdown. Just saying people are being “selfish” by wanting to go back to work or resume their lives is an oversimplification, particularly when those people have taken some time to educate themselves at least a little bit on the situation.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Just to be clear, I’m not saying people are selfish for wanting to go back to work. I’m saying they are selfish if they are not wearing masks and social distancing. There is a major difference between the two – people can go to work and still comply with the CDC recommendations and the Governor’s orders.

I’m talking about the folks who equate no masks and no social distancing with patriotism.

rspencer
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Fansince1971, with all due respect, we get it. As for my experience, I have friends all over the political spectrum, and I don’t know anybody who even remotely equates wearing masks and social distancing with lack of patriotism. You are talking about the lunatic fringe on one side of the spectrum.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

As for your direct question, the players are taking a risk based on the best known information at the time. If they feel comfortable taking that risk, great. If they choose to sit out a year, great.

Keep in mind I’m a huge boxing fan and people die in that sport every year. I’ve grappled with my fanhood many times, knowing I’m providing the dollars fighters are chasing.

Personally, if I was a ballplayer I’d take that risk.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  JackFrost

I prefer to let my feelings determine which facts are the most facty. I have found the best method is to determine who has the best pep rallies while balancing that with careful research into what my favorite movie and recording stars are saying and THAT tells me how I feel and which scientists to believe when I pick my facts.

Thus I take a lot of malaria drugs with a healthy dose of apple cider vinegar and cannabis gummies then cruise out to various protests with no mask but travel in a giant hamster ball when I visit my local liquor store or abortion clinic while avoiding even the slightest eye contact with any church building or statue of Father Junipero Serra.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Plus, though I only wear a mask in places that ask me to wear a mask if I am going to be on their turf, which is their right, I also invested heavily in companies that are making money off the virus fears….. so please, if you care at all about humans dying, stay afraid, make more rules and don’t get rid of the rules we have until we have a corona virus vaccine for the first time ever. Think of the poor people like me who failed to buy Facebook stock when it was cheap and do what’s right.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago

Nice to see you in mid-season form Gitcho. Classic!

2002heaven
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

still no pitching BTW since 2009.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2002heaven

And waffles also. So good, but not with soy sauce, ewww gross!

WallyChuckChili
Legend
4 years ago

Who would have thought we would be a .500 team at the all star break not trailing anyone. Ohtani and Canning ready to go and fresh legs on all our guys.

I like our chances!

ryanfea
Super Member
4 years ago

As I understand it, because of them going back to the March 26 deal, Universal DH is only happening for 2020 and items 2-4 are not happening.

2020 season is a sham… unless we win, in which it is an overwhelming success.

Designerguy
Super Member
4 years ago

While they may play baseball, it’s not a real season. The stats will be aggregated and tweaked. Some crappy team will get hot and make the playoffs. It’s 1981 all over again. Color my excitement beige.

opiejeanne
Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Also, didn’t a team just have some trainers and players test positive? Will that team be allowed to play?

Charles Sutton
Editor
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  opiejeanne

The Phillies are scum ridden with coronavirus. The Astros have at least one case. The Angels have two, plus Mike Trout with a very pregnant wife. The plague remains a serious concern.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Charles Sutton

Trout is ready to go.

Trout: Tell us when and where!!

ryanfea
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  opiejeanne

Angels even had 2 test positive. I believe 40 people associated with MLB teams tested positive late last week.

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  ryanfea

And that is before games even start. Unless you can isolate the teams like NBA is going to do in Orlando, there will be positive cases popping up everywhere. And even Orlando is not a foolproof plan.

I find it hard to see a future where even 60 games can be completed. Especially now that so many people want to just act like the pandemic is over and not wear masks or maintain social distancing.

OMAHALOFAN
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Ivan Djokovic tested positive after playing in a charity tournament in Serbia and we all know what a contact sport tennis is…..

Are the dugouts going to have social distancing? Soccer players are sitting in the stands during their matches. This “season” is going to be reeeeeally interesting…

OMAHALOFAN
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  OMAHALOFAN

Novak, not Ivan…………….that’s what I get for posting before my 1st cuppa coffee.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  OMAHALOFAN

If by “interesting” you means kinda suck…. then yup. That’s why I’m getting into cock fighting, a sport that’s about as old and just as classy as baseball at this point only now I AM THE OWNER!
comment image

eyespy
Super Member
4 years ago

Tell Johnny Football I said “Hi”.

Rallymanatee
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Like Kenny F***ing Powers

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  OMAHALOFAN

Yeah, exactly. Who is going to slide into second and make contact with the guy covering the bag and just hope he didn’t pick it up sometime in the last two weeks?

I just can’t get over this feeling that it’s not worth it…these are just games. I don’t want people to risk their long term health for my entertainment.

LanaBanana
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Ditto. In the past week the virus has surged not declined.

tanana40
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Yeah, not sure what to think either. It might be exciting or the whole might end up being cancelled after 30 games because of COVID. In some ways, I think all of us need a year off and then hope for better times in the future. Then again, I will be on the game thread opening day and hoping for the best. I have missed the rhythm of baseball through a year like no other in my life time.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  tanana40

Do you or anybody else know if it’s true that people who have the virus but don’t have symptoms don’t spread it? I have heard that, but I don’t know if it was Dr Trumpfriend saying it or some other doctor. It would matter a lot as regards having a season.

I guess the WHO is saying that, though they have been about as on the ball with this crap as Dr Trumpfriend.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
4 years ago

Seems there is confusion between asymptomatic patients (those that have virus but do not have (and never have had) symptoms (quite rare), mildly symptomatic patients (who people think were asymptomatic, but had mild symptoms determined in investigation) and presymptomatic mild patients (those that do have it and who are contagious before it being detectable). It is the last category that is where the virus spreads fastest, from people who are unaware they have contracted the disease.

It seems that WHO was trying to suggest that truly asymptomatic patients are rarer than modelled, because most of those people did have very mild symptoms.

From what I understand, there is still an open question about whether one can become reinfected, or if having contracted the virus affords some immunity. Part of that seems to be linked to people who have had mild cases having reoccurring (more severe) symptoms weeks or months later (as reported in April from South Korea). Whether that is lingering ‘original’ infection, or a second infection (meaning no clear immunity for those who have had the virus) is still an open question, as far as I understand.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago

There has been massive confusion on the asymptomatic transmission. The WHO announced one day that it was extremely rare. People rejoiced, I shared the link on my FB account. By the following morning they backtracked, said it wasn’t the primary mode of transmission but they weren’t sure exactly how common or rare it was. I was given a notice for posting possibly fake news ha ha.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

If it happens, what I’ll be rooting for is for Trout to accumulate more career WAR, adding to his case to be the best player of all time.

ryanfea
Super Member
4 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

Trout is still gonna put up a 7 WAR season for a team that goes 25-35

red floyd
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Beige Alert

tell_my_wife_hello_neutral_futurama[1].gif
losangel
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

I’m optimistic that the crappy team that will get hot and make the playoffs will be the Angels. With our pitching staff, a shortened season seems like a blessing.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago

oh yeah, was gonna say…Crochet, the 11th pick, signed by the White Sox today for full slot value. Detmers would get less since we overslotted on Blakely.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago

The dirtbag took $250k under. Eppler can give full slot to Detmers without incurring draft penalties if Arte will pay a little overage tax.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

This is likely the case. If they wanted to go cheap they would have taken a guy who was projected lower in the draft. There were plenty of pitchers available in the 20s-30s rank range. There are still a ton of first picks not signed though that will likely speed up if ST is about to start.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
4 years ago

Detmers seemed pretty excited about playing for the Angels (and with Trout), also considering the possibility of moving up into the rotation quickly (a trend with recently signed pitchers from just anywhere I really hope we buck soon).

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago

ok! Tied for first! 3.5 WAR, here we come! (for Fat Boy)

Mia
Legend
Mia
4 years ago

At least we will all be dead by 20201.

If they can actually complete this season without shutting down due to an outbreak, it will be a miracle.

I didn’t think it could happen, but i’m happy baseball looks like it’s gonna be back.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 years ago

Do we really think the players are going to agree upon a season being forced upon them. I believe all they have to say is ‘no’ to the health and safety issues and there is no season. Am I wrong about that?

I mean – I want baseball as much as the next person but forcing the Owner’s proposal down the player’s throats is a bad idea in my opinion.

Rahul Setty
Admin
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Well, the consensus is that the players want to play, they just want a fair deal. Fair to say that most of them know the risks to themselves and their family at this point.

Rahul Setty
Admin
Trusted Member
4 years ago

Man, heck of a time to start a baseball blog, huh? Thanks everyone for sticking around and play ball!!

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Rahul Setty

it’ll get crowded here in about a month

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
4 years ago
Reply to  Rahul Setty

A sincere thanks. And to those on the masthead who have kicked out quality content over this time.

deadpullpaulie
Newbie
4 years ago
Reply to  Rahul Setty

Hang in there. I’m looking forward to good times when the season starts.

h27kim
Trusted Member
4 years ago
Reply to  Rahul Setty

Not posting much, but definitely checking in daily and continuing the support. Y’all are def worth it.