There have been several proposals by people involved with Major League Baseball on what to do this season. Some are recommending an influx of scheduled seven inning doubleheaders. Others are encouraging more spring training time for players to prepare for the season. Meanwhile others are arguing for rosters be extended, reduced games to the regular season or even playing in empty stadiums. According to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred no options at this time are off the table.
However, there is one option put out there yesterday by agent Scott Boras that simply does not make all that much sense. Boras is proposing that the Major League Baseball postseason go into December with the World Series to be played around Christmas time according to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports.
This is a fine proposal if all 30 Major League Baseball teams played in dome stadiums or warmer climates, but we know that they do not. Having a Major League Baseball postseason game or World Series battle being played at Target Field in Minneapolis, MN or at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH could see players play meaningful contests in frigid conditions. Furthermore it is not fair for Twins and Indians fans to not have the opportunity to see their respective teams play the World Series up close rather than a neutral site. (I would include games at Comerica Park in Detroit here too, but we all know the Tigers have no chance of going to the World Series in 2020).
It is perfectly understandable where Boras is coming from. He wants all of his players to have a chance to play a complete season, so they do not have any loss of income. However according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, there are already negotiations under way between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players’ Association that players will get the same amount of service time in 2020 compared to 2019 when it comes to distributing wages.
As an outsider who does not know much about labor negotiations, my immediate question is in this scenario what happens to players who were injured in 2019? Would players who were injured have lower service time and be ineligible for more payment in 2020 than 2019?
These are difficult times for Major League Baseball. The regular season was supposed to start today. Let’s hope all Americans take Coronavirus extremely seriously so Major League Baseball can be up and running again in 2020 when the time is appropriate.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
