Well…MLB players are expected to report July 1 to their home fields for COVID-19 testing and to initiate ST 2.0. Camp is due to begin July 3. As is usually the case with “normal” ST, pitchers and catchers will report first, with position players due to follow. It is expected that the players will report to ST on a staggered basis, and that they would be on the field at different times.
We already know that there will be multiple players, including Charlie Blackmon, who will not be participating due to positive COVID-19 tests. Those players are expected to follow quarantine protocols, and will not be allowed to report (or return) to the team until it is considered safe. Those protocols will be transparent once they are fully published. As a minimum, the requirement will be two negative tests 24 hours apart, no fever for 72 continuous hours, and a completed antibody test.
While MLB is due to begin regular season games either July 23 or July 24, it will not be the same game as we have experienced. There are a multitude of rule changes to consider as we embark on what is sure to be an adventurous 60 game schedule.
Teams will consist of a 60-man player pool. That player pool will be submitted no later than Sunday, June 28, at 12:00 Noon (PT). The transaction freeze will cease Friday, June 26 at 9:00 AM (PT). So where will Yasiel Puig be reporting? Consensus pick is San Francisco. I would not expect the Dodgers to pick up any unsigned FA before the season starts. I have no doubt that the LAD 60 man team will be superior to any other 60 man team, or at the very least, significantly deeper.
Only the players on the 40 man roster will be required to report to ST camp (if invited), while the remaining 20 players can be sent to an alternate site. Does this open up the possibility Bobby Miller and the other LAD 2020 draft signees will be sent to an alternate site to begin their development, and potentially be called on in an emergency? How about Robbie Peto? Does this give a carrot for AF to put in front of Landon Knack, Clayton Beeter, and Jared Vogel?
It will be interesting to see how teams view their 40-man rosters, because not all members of the 40-man roster need be invited to ST. But if they are not, they still need to be paid. I would expect a flurry of changes to the 40-man roster before the 60-man squad is submitted.
The season will start with 30-man rosters. The roster is due to be pared to 28 after two weeks, and to 26 after two additional weeks. The 26 man roster will stay intact through the end of the year. Players must be on the 26-man roster by September 15 to be eligible for the playoffs. Teams will be allowed to take up to three taxi squad members on road trips, but if they take three, one must be a catcher. Sure seems like a good way for Keibert Ruiz’s MLB career to begin. Or because of the short season do they go with a safer backup like Jose Lobaton or Rocky Gale?
The trade deadline will be August 31 for this year. That will give teams a little more than 30 games to determine their needs to go into the playoffs.
The injured list will be 10 days for pitchers and position players. The 60 day IL will be reduced to 45 days. There will be a COVID-19 inactive list that will have no stipulated time that a player must sit out.
The universal DH will be intact for 2020, with 2021 still undecided.
In game scouting will be allowed.
MLB can choose to move a team and playoffs to a neutral city, if it is deemed necessary for health concerns.
There is another COVID-19 change that is being considered. MLB is talking with Nashville about adopting two teams of unsigned players that will comprise an emergency pool. The players will make $400/week, and a team will need to pay a fee to Nashville if they sign any of the pool players.
Players who have underlying health concerns can opt out with full pay and service time. It has also been agreed on that the health concern is considered for a family member. This gives AJ Pollock reason to opt out because of his daughter, Maddie Mae, who is in a NICU bed in an Arizona hospital because she was born three months premature. I do not know him, but it cannot be easy to plan to play a game and put himself in a situation that could possibly hurt his daughter. My heart breaks for AJ, his wife, and daughter, and they are in my prayers every day. The last I have heard; he has not made a final decision. As it should be, that decision will be between the parents and the doctors.
What will Kenley Jansen and Scott Alexander decide. Doc has already stated that he will be in the dugout as manager.
The 60 game schedule will be comprised of 10 games against each of the other four teams in their division (40 games) and 20 games against the five teams in the opposing league’s same geographical division. Six of those 20 games will be against the team’s interleague rival, with the other 14 games to be determined. The best guess is that a team will play two interleague opponents three games, and two interleague opponents with four games.
Extra inning games will be played as they have been in MiLB. The player who made the last out the prior inning will start at 2B, and play will begin. As in any other case, that player could be a pinch runner. If that runner does score, it will be considered an unearned run for the pitcher. Does this give consideration for Terrence Gore to be on the roster?
There will be no limits on position players pitching, as has been discussed. The pitcher will be allowed to have a wet rag in his back pocket in lieu of licking fingers. The previously agreed on three-batter minimum rule per pitcher will be followed throughout the season.
Consideration is being given to suspending games that do not reach 5 innings due to inclement weather, and will be completed at a later date (if needed).
A very recent rule adoption is if a player, manager, or coach comes within six feet of an umpire to dispute a call, that player, manager, or coach is subject to suspension.
There is no change in the playoff structure. Three Division winners and two wild cards for each league. One game WC playoff. A best of five game LDS, a best of seven game LCS, and a best of seven game WS.
Some of the previously published COVID-19 related measures are:
- Players, coaches and support staff will be tested for COVID-19 every other day during Spring Training, the regular season and postseason.
- Players will receive temperature/symptom checks twice per day.
- Antibody testing will be conducted once per month.
- Social distancing will be encouraged as much as possible both on the field and off. Players and other team personnel not participating in the game will be sitting in the stands, at least six feet apart.
- Non-playing personnel must wear masks in the dugout and bullpen at all times.
- No pregame exchange of lineup cards.
- No celebratory contact (high-fives, fist bumps, hugs, etc.).
- No spitting or chewing of tobacco and/or sunflower seeds. Chewing gum is allowed.
- A ball will be thrown out once it has been touched by multiple players.
- Fights are strictly prohibited.
This is a historic and fluid scenario. It is entirely plausible that the season will not get out of ST, and it is also plausible that the season will continue uninterrupted as are the seasons in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. There could be some adjustments along the way depending on how the situation unfolds. There will undoubtedly be additional COVID-19 positive tests and probably higher than usual roster changes. But even though I have admitted my “coolness” to accepting a 50-60 game season as legit, I will nevertheless be watching and rooting for my Dodgers no less than I have ever done previously.
GO BLUE
“ Does this give a carrot for AF to put in front of Landon Knack, Clayton Beeter, and Jared Vogel? ”
Hadn’t thought of that angle. Yes, that should be a bargaining chip. You sign, we put you on the 60.
Good report Jeff. Thanks for your work on it.
“This is a historic and fluid scenario.” You can say that again.
Sure hope it works.
So do I!!!
Knack and Beeter maybe. Vogel, no way he’s ready for MLB competition and I can’t imagine any scenario under which he’s added to the 60-man this year. In my opinion, throwing him in with major leaguers at this point would just destroy his confidence.
Sorry SCG, looks like I’m the real Grinch here, not you.
Concur with you on Vogel, was thinking of Knack and Beeter. Although for those two, the leverage might work both ways.
Aren’t fights already prohibited?
But now they are reaaaaallly prohibited.
Double secret probation?
Betting will be legal.
Pete Rose will be so happy!
Ok I made that up!
Pete Rose was never happy. That man was born pissed off.
In Indiana COVID-19 cases are rapidly declining and deaths just hit single digits. Pretty encouraging.
Stop letting guys from Texas in will help.
Some good news:
DEXAMETHASONE has become the first drug shown to lower the death rate from COVID-19. The discovery of the benefits of this widely available steroid, which damps down an overactive immune system, was seen as a much-needed piece of good news. Many of the coronavirus drug trials so far have looked at antiviral medicines that may stop the virus from replicating. This is different.
“A recent study conducted in the UK found that dexamethasone reduced mortality for patients on ventilators by one third, and by one fifth for patients requiring oxygen support. There was no benefit in patients with milder disease who did not require oxygen support.“
I think if you mix it with 2 parts hydroxychloroquine and 1 part bleach and inject it I.V. your problems will be over.
DEXAMETHASONE has been around for a long time, it will reduce swelling down in tumors (brain tumors in particular). I have known of brain cancer patients that get put on this stuff and actually think they have been healed of cancer, when in reality it controlled the swelling so much that they felt cured. Now what it will do for COVID is just starting to be discovered, and at a very quick pace, so what will we know in another 60 days should be very interesting. Many vaccines are about to enter the 3rd stage of testing, meaning 30,000 humanoids will actually start entering advanced trials, even the ever the pessimist Dr. Fauci concedes that a true vaccine is available before 2021 or in the first quarter of 2021.
Sorry to bring encouraging words to some that feed on bad news. We should all be united in embracing positive steps being rapidly made, alas I know there will be some that will be rolling out their wet blanket to throw on this news.
Baseball is working in Korea and Japan, under basically the same conditions, why shouldn’t it work here? Well it should actually.
I would like to think I feed on the truth, but the bottom has fallen out of the truth market.
Yup, Truth Hurts, so truth is masked, diverted, manipulated and mangled.
Yes indeed the truth hurts! My sister passed a week ago, my best friend died last night. Neither from COVID-19. Those two things I only wish were lies. I forgot who it was that stated their mother worked at the May Co. on Hawthorn Blvd. some time back during the early 60’s. My sister Sandy worked at that store all those years. My family was living on Talisman in Torrance. Which was what I’ve always called as Hawthorn and 190th area. Larry Reed Sports Cars behind the Shell gas station. My sister’s name was Sandra Kaye Line but probably used my father’s last name (Dohrman) till she married and then her last name became ‘German’. If your mother is still with us she probably knew my sister. I’m certain you’re familiar with Torrdondo Little League Park. Been thinking a lot about so many events of the past. Mostly good. Geez! I shouldn’t be posting things right now.
Sorry to hear that Quas. Tough to lose family members. My thoughts go out to you.
Below is an article on the Nashville Sounds plans for hosting a “league” for unsigned FA.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/06/nashville-sounds-league-mlb-free-agents.html
It appears that Nashville will be entering Phase 4 on July 20, and is expected to opening stadiums to crowds up to 25% capacity. It is also suggested that other MiLB organizations are considering similar plans.
In reading over a list of unsigned FA, one name that automatically caught my attention was Russell Martin. Martin could be a perfect taxi squad catcher if LAD decides to have three taxi squad members travel on the road,
Did Vogel sign?
I have not seen anywhere that he has. I generally follow all of the top baseball journalists twitter feed, and I have not seen any announcement yet. But that is just me, and others may have more timely sources.
I count on you, so, get some people on that and report back.
According to ZIPS projections at FanGraphs have LAD with the fourth easiest schedule. Their expected opponent winning percentage is .484. Only the Twins, Indians, and Yankees have projected easier schedules than LAD.
Well, I guess I should be excited, but the way the negotiations ended left a sour taste. And the new rules and regulations are a bit surreal. I wonder how the players are feeling right now? It’s a lot to take in. Just hope everyone can stay safe and we can enjoy this game again!
Totally agree with you David. It will be weird to say the least. I love baseball, but it is no longer the game I played as a child and in my younger years. Been a Dodger fan as long as I can remember. But a 60 game dash to the finish? Will be different that is for sure. Dodgers are built for the long haul, that is true, but they also have a loaded system if someone goes down for whatever reason. And just look how fresh Kersh and all the pitchers will be going into the playoffs if they get there. I think 15 homers would be the high side, I think 11 or less will lead the team unless someone goes nuts. 7 wins by a pitcher would be pretty amazing under these condition, 6 will lead the team.
Just read where the Astros owner wants to allow fans into their stadium so he can get revenue. This will end well.
Yoiks.
Texans. They breed them differently down there.
Fans would also make it harder to pick out the guy in the stands with the digital camera live feeding the opponents signs to the dugout.
One tug on the mask for fastball, two tugs for curve.
Good point Dave.
I didn’t see anything in the new baseball rules pertaining to plastic trashcans in the dugout.
Does the no fight rule have an astros exception?
Make it so.
Need a drum give away night when Astros visit dodgers stadium.
Only 60 games?
Really?
It would be better to cancel the season and wait until the next season
Also in 60 games ANY team can win
What importance will the champion have?
If Dodgers are champions, do you feel happy and proud?
I don’t know if 60 is better than nothing, but hey, I guess there will be thousands of people
who will be happy that baseball is back
With this new modality, Washington would not have been champion last year…
Jorge, you could read a book instead. There is one titled Antigravity. You’ll find you can’t put it down.
If the Dodgers are champions, yes, I will be very happy and proud, and I’ll be buying drinks for this entire group!
As the late owner of the silver and trash would say, “just win baby!”
I read that book Bum. It doesn’t suck.
If Dodgers are champions…. I’ll take it.
Dodgers are champions of the shortened seasons! I’ll take it
Vegas has the Dodgers and Yankees both at +350 to win the World Series.
With the freeze expiring on Friday I wonder if some lower revenue teams will already attempt to unload higher salary players? I would think everyone should at least wait until 20-25 games have been played since even a bad/low payroll team (read Marlins/Royals/O’s) might get lucky this year, but you never know how any particular front office will deal with the drastic reduction in 2020 revenue.
We might actually see some trades this weekend, not to mention Puig signing with the Giants. I think Farhan won’t be able to resist and Gabe might just be the kind of manager to help YP realize some of that potential. I only hope it won’t be at our expense.
I can see it going either way with Gabe and Yasie. Kapler is a disciplined guy. Puig is an enormous talent, but discipline is not part of his game. I can’t help it, I hope it blows up on them.
Still a long way to go with this thing. Arizona does not look like a good place to be traveling to right now.
Just read an analysis on Fivethirtyeight, Nate Silver’s website. Neil Paine ran 10,000 simulated regular seasons of 60 games plus playoffs .versus 162 games plus playoffs. Found that the “best team” (the one they engineered to actually be the best) won the WS only 15 percent of the time in the short season plus playoffs, but only 22 percent of the time in the regular season plus playoffs. I find this fascinating, because it shows the role of luck in baseball. Moreover, the “tipping point” at which skill became a bigger factor than luck was 67 games. Put another way, after 67 games, with each additional game, you knew with more and more certainty that the best team would win. Bottom line is that a 60 game season plus playoffs will do a pretty good job of allowing one of the best teams to actually win the WS. The biggest difference is that does increase the chance a little bit that the best team will not make it into the playoffs at all. That explains the difference between the 15 and 22 percent chance that the best team wins the WS. Once the best team (e.g., the Dodgers!) is in the playoffs, it’s the usual crap-shoot to win the WS, because of the small number of playoff games. And this model did not take into account cheating!
One final note: there is concern that dexamethasone is actually harmful for milder cases. It did seem to help severe cases, which is indeed good news.
I subscribe to the Lasorda theory. You are going to win one third, lose one third, what happens in the other one third makes you a loser or a champion. And most of that is luck.
Funny how protests and rioting is not getting any play in explaining why some states are seeing some spikes. Out in CA they point the finger at family gatherings are causing the spikes in hospitalizations rather than even considering that protests might have something to do with it. Family gatherings of 10 people obviously are to blame and protests of thousands yelling and screaming in tightly gathered settings has absolutely nothing to do with it. Yet again, the truth is being manipulated. Come on in sheep, the water is fine.
I don’t think we will see any sports this year, it will get blown up, somehow, someway, good or bad, it ain’t gonna happen.
I like watching baseball and other pro sports, but this agreement seems like an aberration to me. A whole season of 60 games? What kind of a competition is this? Why bother? This doesn’t excite me in the least and I could care less if the Dodgers win it or not. It’s not the same as winning a real WS no matter how you rationalize it. I won’t be celebrating the World Series in this kind of atmosphere.
It seems the pursuit of pleasure in the face of a pandemic doesn’t make a lot of sense. Is it just an escape for many? Some bucks in the pockets of the already rich? The virus is still raging in places and many pro athletes in all sports have been getting sick. Isn’t there a message somewhere in all of this? If there is, I’m sure that most fans won’t get it!
That’s not true Truth. The LA Times talked about it. The SF Chronicle talked about it. The Mercury News mentioned it. So did Stanford University. It was even mentioned in the Yreka Gazette. Ok, I made that up, but California isn’t stupid, they are well aware that social gatherings are risky.
I agree with you about your sports comment. The virus is raging again, as many knew it would. I still doubt sports will be risked. If I was a young rich player I wouldn’t do it. I’d take the year off and revisit it next Spring, which I also think might be too soon.
Very impressive sources, geez, really quoting liberal rags as your backup, YOIKS!
You said “Out in CA they point the finger at family gatherings are causing the spikes in hospitalizations rather than even considering that protests might have something to do with it.” I’m just telling you that many voices are NOT saying that. You obviously don’t listen to voices who do not agree with you, but those voices are out there and they are quite loud.
Angels going with a 6 man rotation. A couple of things, the guys nursing injuries when training shut down, Pederson and May, and Nelson, are all healthy now. Report says training will consist of workouts, intrasquad games, and maybe some games vs teams in the area towards the end of training. Report from the Red Sox says Verdugo will be at full speed for the resumption of training He had a fracture in his back before. Also it has not been decided where the Blue Jays will play. Travel between the USA and Canada is still restricted. The media has it’s own agenda Truth.
I would consider a 6 man rotation if I were the Dodgers. On day four a starter could pitch an inning or two instead of throwing a bullpen. It’s a short season so use should not be an issue. If Nelson is OK I would make him #6
If the Dodgers use a #6, it should be Strip.
Agree, Strip #6
Trouble with that is that Strip is not # 6 on the depth chart. Urias, Kersh, Wood, Buehler, May, Nelson, Gonsolin all in front of him. We will get to see what the stadium looks like now since all the renovations have been completed. No all star game hoopla though.
that could change after spring training 2.5 is complete.
Besides Kersh and Buehler
Nobody knows who’s ahead of him. Until things get shaken out in the short spring training
Well nonicname, I think Urias and Wood are definitely in front of Strip, and they did not sign Nelson to be a reliever. May has better stuff and so does Gonsolin. But we do not even know if they will got eh 6 man route.
Through June 22, the USA has tested more people for COVID-19 than any other country with almost 30 million tested. Russia is 2nd with 17 million. So, if you test more you are going to find more. So, a lot of this panic is simply politically and media driven. The USA leads the world in testing.
There is a backlog in labs that process the tests and therefore reports aren’t current. Last week’s tests might not be reported for several weeks.
Who is getting tested? Mostly those having symptoms? If so, then the increase is due to more people having symptoms and not just having more random tests done.
Most of the tests now take a few minutes.
But reporting the results lag the testing.
My ex-wife has been tested three times in the last month.
She gets an email a couple days later with the results
Pretty sure she said it was in the Santa Anita racetrack parking lot
Started off with an hour wait time, the last one she said it was only a few minutes
I think the national reporting is what lags the most but if anyone can get fairly immediate results back that is awesome.
A resident of my building was in the proximity of a person exhibiting the symptoms. Both were wearing masks and more than 6 feet apart. They tested her on Monday, and the results will be back this coming Monday. Chances she contracted the virus are slim. But the safety of the people in a building where all of the residents are at risk because of age, and medical conditions, require the owners of the building to institute protective measures. Sure the cases have increased because testing has increased. But the recovery rate is still very high. I use common sense. Unfortunately, common sense in this country at this point in time is a very unusual thing. Most seem to have completely lost that ability.
You keep saying that and the simple truth is most don’t agree with you.
Testing itself does not stop the spread. We should have done that MONTHS ago, when it could have helped. But no, we were being told by… certain individuals… there was nothing to worry about. This will be gone by Easter blah blah blah. What testing tells us is who already has it, and gets them off the streets and allows for collecting contact information. What stops the spread has been made quite clear since February and Americans just don’t want to hear it.
There’s a damm good reason and a simple explanation as to why we lead the planet in cases and it has nothing to do with the media.
When most don’t agree, then I know l am onto something. Most people just believe whatever media they like. I follow the science. That takes a while. When this is over we will see it is 100% media and politics driven. Most won’t agree with me now, but they will have to later. The facts are emerging.
Absotutely MT, the problem is the media is never going to let the truth come out, no matter how long we wait to hear it. If you really follow the numbers and not biased media outlets, and dare I say, democrats you see a much better situation emerging. But hell why let unbiased facts get in the way, a certain individual will never allow facts to get in his way, as I keep witnessing in here.
“I follow the science“
So do I. I started following the science on this beginning last February.
Morning guys.
Just a couple of observations.
It’s was always gonna be more difficult to manage the WHOLE problem while each State governs itself.
In all the countries in Europe, the Whole population Locked Down, (Sweden excepted), including the Uk, and people here treated that common purpose with respect.
It’s only now, 13 weeks later that we are really beginning to see some movement in the restrictions.
You were always gonna struggle without a Uniform Collective Approach.
Secondly, the players will be absolutely fine as they will have more safety protocols and testing than anyone else.
They will be in a bubble, and if they test positive then they Isolate.
Baseball will be fine, and Jeff, you will be rooting for the team
Come Playoff time, just like any other year, because it will be different but still exciting.
You make some good points WD (also happened to be my father’s initials). We have had no collective approach to the pandemic and that is causing many of our problems. Part of this, and I know a number of you will disagree with me, is that many Americans feel they are more important as individuals than the country as a whole. When its every man for himself you will get a collective action which is scattered rather than uniform.
With regard to Jeff’s comment above about not caring to watch a 60 game schedule and feeling that the WS won’t mean much, I’ll just be happy to watch 60 Dodger games plus whatever playoff games they might participate in. True, the WS won’t be quite what we’re used to but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the physical act of watching Dodger baseball, even if the number of games has been reduced. Not saying you’re wrong Jeff, just that we’re looking at this from different perspectives.
I agree STB and once baseball gets going, more and more will get drawn into it.
The states have autonomy because that is the way the country is set up. They wanted a central government with limited power. And that is what they got. As to how different states have responded, well, states like Wyoming, and Idaho, and the sparser populated areas did not seem to be hotbeds of the virus. So naturally they reacted a lot different than say California did. Europe is a different ball of wax entirely. And I understand they did what worked for them. Only if the US government had declared Marshal Law could all of the states come under the purview of the Federal Government. Flaw in the system maybe, price of freedom too. Where I live here in Colorado, we have not had many cases at all. I think there have been but 4 reported cases in the county. Some wear masks, others do not. Denver on the other hand, is a totally different story. As for baseball. I will watch what is on broadcast TV, like the game of the week on ABC and what ever games ESPN broadcasts. But as for MLB.tv, I will no longer subscribe.
You are spot on. The States control what happens. The outrage is misplaced. In Indiana we did it right and are ready floor Stage 5 on July 4. SC just went back to phase 1!
The President still has to lead and lead consistently.
Good luck with that.
Should he lead with dealing with the domestic terrorist group that is claiming land from the USA? Should he lead against the damaging of statues in our cities? Is it coincidental that these acts of terrorism are happening in cities that have Democratic Mayors and in most cases, have had for decades.
Throw in weak Governors, one of which the people in NY say is responsible for nearly 10K Covid deaths with his inept decision making. The Democratic Governor in the state of Washington within the first 24 hours had no
Idea that his state had given up 6 city blocks to the domestic terrorist. He learned about it from the media when they asked what he was going to do about it……his comment, ‘da, well by golly, da’…..to this day he’s done nothing.
Now there is this from the WSJ:
More than 20 million people in the U.S. may have contracted the coronavirus since the start of the outbreak, according to an internal government estimate, a figure that is significantly higher than official case counts and reflects the large number of individuals who have the disease but don’t exhibit symptoms..
That lowers the death rate by about a factor of 10, which is what I have been preaching.
Yes it is a deadly virus but if the death rate is just .5% instead of 5% then that is a huge deal.
Think for yourself.
Doesn’t mean we can ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist.
I don’t think MT is saying to ignore or pretend it doesn’t exist at all. In fact, quite the opposite, he is talking about dealing with it appropriately, not ignoring the data and blundering on into nonsense.
I didn’t intend to say that Mark was saying ignore and pretend. That was meant as a general comment about what the WSJ was reporting.
Okay, I must have misinterpreted you. Carry on.
I am thinking for myself. I have been since thing started in January.
From what I have been able to ascertain since then, and I told you this THEN, 40-70% of our population will likely get this and in order to keep the numbers down we needed to immediately impose protocols, begin testing, and do extensive contact tracing. But no, people who were not listening to the leading scientists, many of whom were canned for the audacity of putting out bad news during an election year, were instead listening to political leaders tell them there was no cause for alarm. Those who were saying “WAKE THE F*** UP” were all called alarmists and negative thinkers.
The numbers are going right where I said they would and I said it months ago. I’m not the only one that was trying to sound the alarm here. MP, Bum, STB, and others were also speaking to it.
Spin it whatever way that allows you to sleep at night but I’m not buying blaming the media. Many journalists in this country have been trying to speak above the noise but because of loud influencers have not been heard.
Bravo Badger…
Bravo indeed Badger.
We agree Badger, I was amazed at Nancy Pelosi telling people in January to come out to China town, that there was nothing to be concerned about. Oh when Dr. Fauci told us in January that it was still okay for younger people to take cruises. I was amazed since I was following this thing early on, nothing seemed to indicate that they were giving sound advice. I even recall the governor of NY telling people that NYers were tough and would not succumb (or something stupid of that nature).
So Badger, spin it however you want and point fingers at only one side of the aisle. Trump actually had a feel very early on and closed travel from China, in direct opposition to how Dr. Fauci advised him. You may not find the information in the lib rags you read however.
At least we can agree that a lot of silly information was released early on and continues somewhat to this day. Believe me, you are not getting the whole story on this thing.
“Believe me, you are not getting the whole story on this thing.“
And you are?
I assume you listen to Fox, Limbaugh and believe in Trump?
You buy them books, you send them to school.
There’s no way Trump will unite this country. It’s not in his interest. And divided we fall.
I guess I would watch, be cause it is baseball, and because one does need some respite from all the depressing or stressful news, even if one realizes that it should not be ignored. But of course it will be a makeshift season, almost in some sense like exhibitions, even if the games “count.” I don’t even know how the divisions will be configured; maybe they will stay the same, but a team in one division will play their non-division games with teams nearby. The schedules are never completely balanced now, but this will be even more skewed one way or another, because of exigency. Thus winning the title will mean less than it has for 120 years or more, even including 1942-1945, when so many players were overseas in combat, so that the Browns won the American League one year, and the Cubs won the National League in another.
Then of course, such a short season means a lot of potential aberration. It’s not a completely accurate comparison, but just think how many average teams get off to good starts in the first two months, while some of the better teams take time to gain momentum. How many wins will it take to win the division? 36? Imagine that about eight teams in each league will be in the race for division title or wild card on the last day of the regular season. Exciting, perhaps or gimmicked. Maybe the cream will rise to the top, and the Dodgers and Yankees will be in the World Series. Or maybe it will be the Reds and the Angels, or the Diamondbacks and the Rangers. Can anyone imagine betting on any of this?
First concern is of course safety. Second is whether this will take us closer to an actual labor agreement, or make it harder? A strange season of 60 games plus playoffs, followed by a major lcckout which puts the entire next season at risk, is not good. This is all almost surreal; maybe when and if the games start being played, it will seem more normal. And one more speculative question: If the Dodgers win the title, will this assuage those, including me, who have been quite upset at how long it has been since we won our last championship in 1988? Does this “count,” psychologically, irrespective of any record book part? My current answer would be, just a bit, but it would hardly deserve to let the ownership and management off the hook if we fail to win any legitimate titles in the next decade or so.
Winning the title may not “mean as much” but would mean much is if somebody like Houston, or god forbid San Francisco won it. That’s when the agony of defeat would most definitely outweigh the thrill of victory.
Agreed!
But it’s not the Killer we the ought. If we could have protected the nursing homes and hospitals the deaths would be half!
That is 100% on each state.
Yeah, good point. Those older loved ones were gonna die a natural death anyway, maybe quietly in their sleep down the road a ways. Why not just send them out early with their lungs on fire.
Dammit you go Badger!!! Let’s get back to baseball, albeit funky…
Baseball. Spring Training starts when? And…. where?
That’s right MT
Take care of the old and vulnerable and let the rest of us live our lives before we die of boredom or depression
I do think it should be mandatory to wear a mask when you’re around others
11:29 A.M. Indiana time… From the subject who should be #6 to Mark J. Timmons entering the fray with the Corona Blues… Whats the big deal??? Only 122K… Indiana can be a lonely place…
My #6 goes to Nelson… Gotta check him out…
Pity the players who put a lil bit between their cheek and gums and spit regularly.. Alot of masks
will suffer from forgetfulness..
Anyone out there venture a guess on what the line would be on ST ending???
I’ve always thought that if the camera were not on a player, that player would not spit. Either that or they spit every ten seconds.
Will Woods still be able to walk off the mound ans toss his gum on the infield?
My recent barrage of anti political crapola taking over talking baseball stuff is probably is probably due the the Man, the Myth, the Legend Mark J. Timmons or a change in my pain meds..
I think if you’re going to listen to him, medication is advisable peter.
That was meant to be funny.
W makes an interesting point about players being in a bubble. I hadn’t thought that out, but now that I have its my opinion one prick pops that bubble.
That too was meant to be funny.
When the argument is lost, the loser resorts to slander. I have kept this civil. Not even called a moron as I see it
Well, change is good.
When the virus enters the conversation, and it has too when discussing how all of this will impact the game, politics will follow. It is a natural progression. If the season were in fact being played right now, I doubt politics rears it’s ugly head.
So, you are telling me you would have shut down the economy for a disease that probably ends up killing about the same percentage as the flu? Really?
I think the states would have best spent their resources protecting the elderly in nursing homes and hospitals. They accounted for over half the deaths. Take those deaths out and the death toll is below that of the flu.
I’ll stop right there except to say What if 20X the people are infected?
Lots of dreams have crashed and burned – over 100,000 businesses closed
“June 25, 2020 at 2:50 pm
So, you are telling me you would have shut down the economy for a disease that probably ends up killing about the same percentage as the flu? Really?“
There you go again comparing this to the flu.
My position has not changed. I’m telling you I would have followed the lead of the scientists back in January and, like the EU did, I would have thrown a rope around this early. Under orders from the White House we did the exact opposite. What I would do now to clean up the f*** up is GET ORGANIZED! Immediately reconstitute the leading organizations that deal with this type of national disaster, re-hire the virologists and epidemiologist that were canned, FUND this thing and get every governor on board with it. What is also needed now, that would not have been needed as badly had we gotten ahead of this thing, is to have a financial relief plan that pays every one who needs it a living wage (if you think we cannot afford that I assure you you are wrong) and as a united nation do what should have been done 6 months ago, triage EVERYONE, immediately isolate those who test positive, do the contract tracing, and PRACTICE THE NEEDED MEDICAL PROTOCOLS!
Mark we need leadership on this and clearly we do not have it! We have not had effective leadership for long before this happened. But that was then and this is NOW.
UNITE! Or pay the price. And we are paying the price. Getting it wrong is going to prove to be more costly than paying up front. Remember the old ad “you can pay me now, or you can pay me later.” We are paying later. And we will continue to do so.
Conclusion: lots of players will get the COVID-19. That is why they have such a large roster.
Prediction: no player will die, but some staff might.
Staff, pfaw. More staff can be hired. Staff is on every street corner. With unemployment what it is they could rollover staff every few minutes.
So, maybe you can tell I am hanging out in airports today…. trying to get back to Indy.
Just driving up the traffic for Jeff!
Me too.
I wonder what the traffic is like during these discussions.
Sorry to hear about your losses, Quas. That’s horrible
Come on Mark, why do you keep saying this virus is the same as the flu? We are at 120,000 and counting. As I mentioned yesterday, you can’t compare HK flu with Covid-19.
Does more testing lead to finding more cases, yes. However, what we are seeing right not is above beyond that. Two states expect to have their ICU’s at full capacity within a few weeks. Florida’s governor has said their increase in cases is not just because of more testing.
With regards to testing; we are doing a lot but need more. Look at what Iceland has done through the use of contact tracing as well as tracking variations of the virus. Yes, Iceland is a special case being an island nation with a small population. But all experts say we need something along the lines of 5-10 times testing to control outbreaks.
Glad to see the government saying there could be factor of 10 more cases. I’ve been saying this for awhile (and as recently as this past week). But hey, what do I know.
As for this being being media driven; guess I’ll channel my inner Bob Dylan;
“How many deaths will it take till he knows that to many people have died”
Have a safe flight.
I missed your comment Quas and had to scroll toward the top to find it. I too feel your pain and hope your friends here and baseball help keep your spirits up.
As we go back and forth with our perspectives on Covid and baseball it should not be forgotten that blogs like this one serve purposes than mere Dodger baseball. Thanks to all that make it good.
totally. we bitch and whine often, but this is serious, so best to your family.
Back at you Bobby.
So, I’m trying to get a handle on where this ST II takes place. I read players are working out at Camelback and Dodger Stadium but they have been limited to small groups in Arizona and individuals in LA. How many will be involved and how will this be organized?
The anxiety from reactions to Covid-19—such as business shutdowns, stay-at-home orders, media exaggerations, and legitimate concerns about the virus—will extinguish at least seven times more years of life than can possibly be saved by the lockdowns,” James Agresti and Andrew Glen wrote in their study on the lockdowns published at Just Facts.
In their study, reviewed by psychiatrist and professor Joseph P. Damore Jr., M.D., Agresti and Glen sorted through multiple studies of the stress and anxiety caused by lockdowns, the health damage of stress and anxiety, and the coronavirus death rates between Scandinavian countries with different lockdown strategies. The researchers took the lowest possible estimate of years of life lost to lockdown stress and compared that with the highest possible estimate of years of life saved due to the lockdowns, and found the lockdowns severely wanting in terms of their health cost.”
So your saying we should have no lockdown, business as usual. Let people die, overload all hospitals and have no room for other medical emergencies. Heard today that one state is now using their infant ICUs for Covid-19 patients. Yes let’s just have business as usual.
Realize that if everybody used masks when out in public we could reduce deaths by upwards of 50%. Why shouldn’t people do that? Wearing a mask doesn’t help the wearer (CDC is studying if there could be benefit), but helps all those around the wearer. So by not wearing a mask one is saying I don’t care about the general public I just care about myself.
It’s very hard to make any logical decision because the agenda has been to bring the President down for the last 3.5 years. This is the political aspect of it. If you disagree… well, you must live on Mars!
… and maybe he needs brought down, but Joe Biden? WTF? Are you insane?
The President can’t mandate masks… and BTW, there are two sides to that discussion (I wear a mask).
IF WE WOULD HAVE JUST PROTECTED OUR NURSING HOMES AND HOSPITALS THIS WOULD NOT BE A PANDEMIC!
Biden said that Trump’s travel ban to China was hysterical!
If we keep on the same path, all of you will wonder “when did we lose all our liberty?”
Jeff may delete this post… and I am OK with that, but someone has to speak truth.
Well, you’re right about one thing Mark. You can’t force people to care about one another.
By the way, have I just missed her comments or has Dodger Blue Mom been missing for the last few days? Hope you’re OK if you’re reading and just tired of all the Covid back and forth.
… and that really bothers me.
I think Trump is a narcissistic, blowhard fool, who understands business.
Biden is a freakin’ puppet. Wh is behind the curtain?
Is this the best we have? HELL NO!
Yes, it’s the best we have.
It isn’t anywhere close to the best there is, but it’s what we have given ourselves.
Speak of the system being broken!