Ready, Set, Wait...

Photo Credit: AP

Continued waiting game for possible MLB Season…

I had been hopeful MLB would resolve the plan to return for the 2020 season by now but so far, it’s been a stand-off. Meanwhile, the NBA and NHL in what seemed to be peaceful and easy negotiations from afar, are preparing for their modified seasons.

I thought the proposal by the players association for a 114-game season was a bit aggressive with October seemingly right around the corner, but the owners’ idea of a 48 to 54 game season makes even less sense. Personally, as much as I would like 100 games, a season of 82 games seems reasonable and possible if we can get Spring Training restarted soon. Probably the one thing I do not like about the NBA’s plans is the season extending to December 1st which delays the start of their 2021 season. I’d rather see season modifications made for this year, without impacting next. If MLB is still playing baseball in December, next season would have to be delayed. Honestly, the thought of baseball past Halloween is bone-chillingly cold.  

It seems like in what could have been (should have been?) a championship year for the Yankees, we’ll somehow get cheated out of watching this talented team perform at its highest level. A random team will get hot and ride it to short season success. No doubt a reduced schedule will help teams like the Boston Red Sox as their flaws can be masked over a shorter collection of games. The cheaters win again. However this season plays out, I am ready to begin and finish it so that we can move on to, hopefully, 162 regular season games next year. 2020, despite the numbers, has not been a good year to see clearly.  

I do think the longer this drags out, the more I am in favor of scraping the entire season. I never thought I’d say that, but I am tired of the MLB owners using their own self-serving agendas in an attempt to get far-reaching concessions from the players. I know the players may be guilty of their own selfishness but if the two sides wanted to play baseball as soon as possible, it would happen…particularly the greedy owners.   

I know it’s easier for the NBA and NHL to put together plans for their respective post-season schedules since they’ve both already played the bulk of their regular season games this year whereas MLB is just trying to get started. That’s a big difference and surely accounts for some of the delay in the two sides coming together for the greater good. I think what bothers me more is that a labor dispute is right around the corner when the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2021 season. There is potential for more disruptions in play regardless of what happens this season. The next couple of years are going to be rocky. I wish MLB had a better, stronger commissioner in place than Rob Manfred. As they say, it is the difficult times that define us. Manfred faces the biggest challenges that have been encountered by his office in years. Good or bad, he will be remembered for how he handles this path and the success (or lack thereof) emerging from his choices and decisions. 

Photo Credit: John Raoux, AP

I think there is still some optimism for a 2020 season but honestly I think it’s anybody’s guess.  This could easily go either way. You’d think eventually the almighty dollar would be the winner for bringing back baseball but when you have billions like a many of the MLB owners, it’s easy to move on to other play things.  

Thinking about a potential season, I know I am, like many, anxious and excited to see Gerrit Cole in Pinstripes but I am equally excited to see the potential of young players who will get their first significant opportunities for the Show, like Michael King, Deivi Garcia, and others. 

I can still remember when Don Mattingly was in the minors and referred to as “just a singles hitter”. The excitement of opportunity and changing perceptions is the beautiful aspect of our favorite sport. Mike Ford surprised many people last year. Going into the season, it appeared he was just another name on a long list of prospects that would probably need a change of scenery for any hope to accomplish his Major League dreams. A Ryan McBroom type of dump on the Kansas City Royals (no disrespect to McBroom…just making the point that the door of opportunity never opened for him at Yankee Stadium). I want to see what Ford can do now that his stock has been raised in the eyes of the Yankees. I like the current combo of Ford and Luke Voit, certainly more so than the previous Voit/Greg Bird duo. I liked Bird but you couldn’t trust him to stay healthy. Ford seems more durable. They may not be Mattingly, Tino Martinez, Jason Giambi or Mark Teixeira, but they can be World Series champions.   

Photo Credit: AP

Is Gio Urshela for real? This remains a valid question. I am glad the roster includes Miguel Andujar, defensive shortcomings and all, as a fallback plan if Urshela proves to be a one season wonder. Ideally, I hope Gio builds upon last season and is even better, with greater consistency, this season. There’s a role for Andujar on this team regardless of what happens with Gio.  

If I have one big concern, it has to be the mystery of Aaron Judge’s health. We really need Giancarlo Stanton to stay healthy so that he can be the monster bat if Judge is not ready for whatever reason. It seems weird that I am more concerned about Judge’s health than Stanton’s but it is what it is. I think Judge is such an important part of the team and I don’t want to see injuries derail his luster in the Bronx and lead to an eventual premature exit. For Stanton, I would just like to see a strong beginning to end with no or minimal time on the DL. I may be asking for a lot but the lineup is better with one or both of these guys in it. 

While I think Aaron Boone has really grown into a great manager, I am interested in seeing how the dynamics of a new bench coach play out with Carlos Mendoza taking over for the departed Josh Bard. We didn’t really get to see much of the relationship during the shortened Spring Training in late February and early March. I am excited for Mendy and I think he’ll be successful in his new role. He certainly has the command and respect of the players. A bench coach is a bit of an unsung role but the power of in-game decisions is hugely important and Boonie needs as much input as possible to make the best possible decisions. I know Bard is a smart guy but from the outside looking in, Mendy seems to be more of a players coach. I could be wrong on that one since I don’t have any insight into the relationships but from my outside view, there seems to be better trust in the new bench coach.  

Lastly, but most importantly…

Photo Credit: Adam Berry, Getty Images

This week has been a very challenging time for our Nation. I am not a political person and I don’t want to use the blog as a soap box, but I would be remiss for not saying anything. I believe George Floyd was a good man and I believe his death was wrong, so very wrong. I am grateful his killer has been charged with second degree murder but I want more, I want a conviction with the maximum sentence. I am glad his accomplices, the other Minneapolis police officers who stood by doing nothing, have also been charged. 

#BlackLivesMatter

Too many men and women have died unfairly for the color of their skin. White supremacy or privilege must end. We are all people with genuine feelings and emotions who love our friends and family. We’re all capable of accomplishing great things in this world and making it a better place for our children. I support the peaceful protests staged around the country, while separating the looting and violence as acts of ignorance and greed. I tend to be an eternal optimist but I hope the tragedy that befell George Floyd can be used to exact the necessary change from our country to make this a safer world for everyone and eliminate racial injustice forevermore. The realist in me knows this will be an ongoing fight but I truly hope we can make positive advances in the right direction and the end of wrongful injuries and death and police brutality are near. When we’re dead and gone, we’ll just be a collection of bones or ashes. The time to make a difference is now. Together, we can bring unity to the United States and make this a better place for everyone.  

As always, Go Yankees!

The Sights and Sounds of "Spring", Part 2...

2020 Spring Training II may soon be a reality…

For the first time in a long time, this feels like this will be a critical week for Major League Baseball. The MLB owners are expected to present a proposal to the Players Association for revenue and finance modifications, in addition to health and safety protocols, in preparation for a proposed shortened season. It still seems like we are in for the continuation of back and forth moves but realistically time is running out, literally, if there is to be a 2020 season. If the season is as foggy next weekend as it is now, optimism for a successful launch of the season will start to fade (if it hasn’t already). I am hopeful the groundwork is laid to give us baseball soon. 

All I know is I want baseball. I’ve seen people writing the negatives about a potential 82 game season (increased likelihood of a player hitting .400?) but there’s no doubt this season will carry the proverbial asterisk for whatever happens. I have reconciled with myself that we will not see a traditional version of professional baseball until 2021 at the earliest. Even next year, with a full  slate of 162 games, might still feel a little off with the residual effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Still, I’d rather have baseball this year than no baseball. We’re in the prime of Gerrit Cole’s career and I don’t want to miss another minute (or pitch). Who knows what challenges an 82 game season will present, but I am willing to endure the pain to experience the joy. The deeper we go without the return of America’s favorite pastime, more potential games are eliminated. To go less than 82 games does start to seem like ‘why bother?’ as it would reward teams with hot starts regardless of the quality of their clubs to succeed over better and more deserving clubs. So, as much as I want baseball back, there is probably a line in the sand and we’re getting close to it. That’s why I am hopeful for optimistic news this week. But that darn realist in me keeps trying to pour water on my party. At least we’re talking baseball again. It has to start somewhere.

As the injured Yankees return to good health, it made me wonder if there has been a player to have off-season Tommy John surgery and yet be ready and available for Opening Day. I didn’t look it up to see if it has ever happened before but it could be the case for Aaron Hicks as he was expected back in June or July. I know, it’s not the same as a pitcher, but still, it will be incredible if Hicks is your starting centerfielder when the games resume. A welcome sight, no doubt, but credit to him for the hard work he’s put in since undergoing surgery to put himself in position to be ready.

Photo Credit: @ahicks31 via Instagram

James Paxton and Giancarlo Stanton seem to be other players who will be ready, much to the disappointment of hopefuls for their spots (led by Jonathan Loaisiga, Deivi Garcia, and Clint Frazier, among others). I feel bad for Frazier. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. If Frazier is earmarked for another season in Triple A, the Yankees should trade him to create MLB opportunity for the promising player. I do not see any purpose gained by another year in the minors regardless of how much Frazier needs to work on his defense. The only way, at this point, for Frazier to get better for the Major Leagues is to play in the Major Leagues. I’d like to see him succeed with the Yankees. Brett Gardner played very well last year, but with each passing year, he’ll lose a little bit more. It happens to the best of us. You cannot slow down Father Time, especially when you are in your late 30’s. Even in a shortened season, I see the Yankees leaning more heavily on guys like Mike Tauchman as the need to keep Gardy healthy will be stronger than it ever has been. It could create opportunity for Frazier, but then again, maybe not. This will be interesting to watch in the coming months. It would be fun to watch Frazier grab opportunity with both hands and ride it to a very productive MLB season.  

Photo Credit: @clintfrazierr via Instagram

I am sure the opportunity will be there for the younger pitchers. It’s not like Cole and company will be pitching nine innings (or at least seven) an outing right out of the gate, especially with an abbreviated re-start to Spring Training. Those middle innings need to be filled and expanded rosters will help the younger arms gain exposure. I guess Spring Training this year should be called Summer Training…if it happens. Florida may be nice in March but it’s not exactly where I would want to train in June or July. Yet, veterans and rookies alike will be pitching for success and it will create memorable moments for all of us in whatever form the season takes. 

This will be a big year for Paxton. An impending free agent, his performance, even with a proposed shortened season, sets the stage for his next contract. Teams will be watching to see if he can stay healthy which, up to this point, has been a challenge. I like Paxton and I hope this is not his final year in Pinstripes. Yet, with Masahiro Tanaka heading into free agency, it seems like the Yankees will lose at least one. I’d probably like to see Tanaka finish his career in the Bronx, even with the annual threat of Tommy John surgery looming over his elbow.  I get frustrated with those obligatory regular season home runs, but Masa turns up the volume in the post-season and you need guys like that to be the last team standing. The Andy Pettitte Effect. So, I guess the question is who would you rather have? Paxton or Tanaka. That’s a tough one. I think Paxton could be a very effective pitcher in his 30’s if he could overcome the injury label, but Masa has been a very good Yankee from Day One and knows how to pitch effectively despite any limitations or obstacles. I know I didn’t really answer the question about which pitcher I would prefer to keep but I’d like to see both Yankee careers continue. I just don’t think it is possible, especially in a year that has seen such a cut in team finances.  

I think one of the biggest downsides to the MLB delay this season is the dilution of focus on the Houston cheating scandal. Maybe it will re-surface when the games resume but if the games are played in empty stadiums, the only boos will come from opposing dugouts. Not quite the same as having packed stadium crowds laying it on thick. Jim Crane and his roster of cheaters, in my opinion, will be getting off easy. I really hope I am wrong about this. The Astros disrespected the game we love and it’s unfortunate they will not see the full wrath of penalties and punishment they deserve.  

Ready for baseball. MLB, Players Association…the ball is in your hands. Let’s do this.

Photo Credit: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

As always, Go Yankees!

How Sports Fans can Connect with Each Other

Do you want to connect with other people that love sports just as much as you do? From soccer to tennis, sports are not just a hobby, but a way of life for many fans. This means that many want to surround themselves with similarly sports-minded people. If you want to build new relationships and find fresh ways to experience the sport that you love, here is a guide that will help you get closer to the action and meet other fans along the way.

·        Go to a Match

One of the best ways to immerse yourself within your chosen sport and meet other fans is to book tickets to a league match. Although you will only be able to see matches during the right season, your memories of the match, and the connections you make with other fans, will stay with you forever. Not only will attending a game that allows you to see your chosen sports like never before, but it will also allow you to get swept away with the roar of fans in commiseration or celebration.

In fact, there is no better way to connect with like-minded people, and attending a match can give you the opportunity to meet others with the same passion for sports. To find a match near you, ticketsales.com offers great rates on a wide range of national and global sporting events.

·        Volunteer or Get a Job

If you want to be close to the action on a daily basis, you can take an active part in the upkeep and preservation of your preferred sport by finding local volunteering and job opportunities. There is no better way to support your club than to dedicate your career to it, and this will also give you the opportunity to work alongside other fans and some of the best professional sportspeople in the country.

·        Join a Fan Club

Joining a fan club for one of the most supported teams can be daunting. However, this is the best way to connect with people that are just as passionate as you about your chosen sport. Not only will you be able to get benefits such as discounts on merchandise and ticket offers, but you will also have the opportunity to attend member’s events and meet up with other fans of the sport.

You should also look at joining online clubs which can help unite fans from all over the world on forums and message boards. You can even arrange to meet up at or attend matches with each other. And of course, the internet provides opportunities to connect with your heroes by interacting with celebrity sporting personalities on social media.

·        Join an Amateur Club

If you want to feel part of a team, there is no better way to put yourself in the shoes of your heroes than by joining an amateur sports league in your area. Not only will you be able to learn the sport which you are so passionate about, but you will be able to meet and chat with other fans and play against other teams, whether you are a natural-born player or not. Many clubs also arrange trips to some of the biggest matches and events in your area, allowing you to keep up with all of the latest developments in the world of sport as a group.

Glimmer of Hope for the 2020 Season...

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg, The New York Post

Despite delay, MLB could be back within 60 days…

As we continue to wait for the return of America’s favorite pastime, at least there is a growing sense of optimism for a 2020 MLB season in some shape or form. I miss baseball and I miss the New York Yankees. The career of a baseball player is so short, relatively-speaking, and it is sad to miss what could have been the best year for some. Still, it is more likely than not we’ll see 23-year-old Gleyber Torres making spectacular plays on the field or Gerrit Cole dominating hitters while wearing the famed Pinstripes. We just don’t know where…or when. For now, I’ll take hope as an option and maybe it will yield fruit for all of us.  

I think Major League Baseball did the right thing postponing Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame induction to the summer of 2021. With a record crowd expected, it makes no sense to put lives at risk. Jeter is a Hall of Famer and waiting a little longer for the official induction does not change anything. He’ll have his moment in the sun. There just might be a few more guys joining Jeter…and Ted Simmons, Larry Walker, and Marvin Miller…with the future announcement of the Class of 2021. Oh well, hopefully by then, we can once again say, “the more, the merrier”.  

I called the Los Angeles Angels a couple of days ago to request refund of the tickets I had purchased for the weekend series in Anaheim over Memorial Day Weekend against the Yankees. I had expected some difficulty, however, there was none. With the uncertainty of the season (and schedule if/when play resumes), I didn’t just want a credit against future games. I’d prefer to make the choices when games resume and opponents are known. I had been excited to see the Yankees this year after four years of living in a National League city, but like Derek Jeter, I may have to wait until 2021 to watch America’s favorite team take the field.  

I feel bad for the Cleveland Indians. Last off-season, as we all know, they traded Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers for what seemed like a light return: outfielder Delino DeShields and hard-throwing reliever Emmanuel Clase. I wonder if they’d like to undo that trade with word Clase has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned PED, Boldenone. Clase is young enough to rebound from this, but he is certainly not starting his Indians career on the right foot. Speaking of suspensions, it is probably unlikely we see Domingo German this year as we continue to wait for the start of his penalty. Seems a little unfair that the penalty box time has already started for disgraced former managers Alex Cora and A.J. Hinch but not for German who must wait until the games start to serve his suspension since his sentence is number of games and not simply for the year.  

On a sad note, I heard today that former Oakland A’s pitcher Matt Keough, 64, died on Friday. I remember him being a big part of the A’s under the early 80’s leadership of the great Billy Martin and the famed Billy Ball Era in the East Bay. I think I had forgotten he pitched for the Yankees in 12 games during the 1983 season. He compiled a 3-4 record, with an unsightly 5.17 ERA, in the dozen Pinstriped games. Unfortunately, despite his youth at that time, 27, he was never the same pitcher he had been in his earlier 20’s with the A’s. I can now recollect wanting him to succeed (I always liked him when he was with Oakland) but it was not meant to be. I didn’t follow his career closely but I do remember the talk of people at the time who felt Billy had overused his arm  in those early days with the A’s. I have not seen the cause of death (it was not released when the A’s made the announcement on Saturday), but 64 is too young. May he rest in peace…

I have seen a few posts that cite tomorrow as the two-year anniversary for the Cleveland Indians’ release of Gio Urshela. I’ve also seen non-Yankee fans who act like we think our scouting department is better than everybody else for picking up Gio. Well, we are better than everybody else but that’s besides the point. I don’t think the Yankees knew Gio would blossom in New York. When they picked him up from the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2018, Gio spent the remainder of the year in the minors, they needed the depth, and he became a minor league free agent that winter before re-signing with the Yankees. If the Yankees had known he would flourish in 2019, they wouldn’t have let him become a free agent, in my opinion. It remains to be seen if Gio can have the same level of success in 2020, assuming there is a season or at least a truncated version thereof, as he did in 2019. I like Gio and I want him as the starting third baseman, with no disrespect to Miguel Andujar. I value strong defense at the position and I feel despite his occasional miscues, Gio is the superior defender. If Gio regresses back to one-dimensional play, I’d be among the first of Gio’s supporters calling for Andjuar’s return. Gio needs to keep hitting to keep the job. If he does, great. I’ll be very excited and happy for him. I’ll never view this as something the Yankees saw that no one else did. They rolled the dice and won. There have been plenty of times when it hasn’t worked out for those types of decisions.   

Photo Credit: Kathy Willens, AP

Back to the game itself, the talk lately seems to be centered on a shortened 100-game season that would conclude in late November. The teams broken up into three 10-team divisions, perhaps with geographical restrictions where the games are played, and keeping regular season games within each division. The season could potentially start in late June or early July. Honestly, I don’t really care what format they decide upon. I recognize that all traditions, as we know them, are out the window this year. I’d rather have some form of Major League Baseball, whatever it looks like, rather than no professional baseball until the 2021 season. 

If the season does start and the World Series is not played until around Thanksgiving, this is going to be the strangest off-season in recent memory. The regular season may be truncated but so will the off-season. I guess that’s a good thing to help expedite off-season trades and free agent signings. Decisions will have to be made very quickly. I just hope the Yankees keep the eye on the ball and make sure they get DJ LeMahieu’s signature on the dotted line and don’t let him slip away. It feels like we’re going to lose one or both of Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton. If he could ever stay healthy, Paxton offers the most upside, in my opinion, but Tanaka has been a very good Yankee for the duration of his career. I’d hate to see him go elsewhere, such as Seattle, and give other fans reason to cheer. Well, not that I wouldn’t want him to be supported wherever he may go, but I’d just prefer the Yankees keep him as our own. If the Yankees do lose one or both, they’ll really need some of the young pitchers in the organization to step up. We’ve heard years of promise with the young arms but it’s nearing showtime for their prime opportunities. It’s possible GM Brian Cashman swings a deal for a proven young arm or two next off-season but those type of transactions seem to be more fiction than fact. Dipping into the free agent pool for replacements seems kind of counter-productive (why not just re-sign Tanaka and Paxton?). The Yankees have a window of opportunity for a championship right now but there are decisions ahead for the organization which can certainly make or break those dreams. No pressure, Cash.  

According to reports last week, we could start to see the return of some Yankees to Tampa this week. I haven’t heard or seen anything the last couple of days, but it will be good to see players return to Steinbrenner Field and allow us to actually watch some current baseball activity as opposed to the endless replay of games past. My TV was on SportsNet LA earlier today and it was amazing how the Dodgers just kept winning their games in walk-off fashion, game after game. No doubt the Yankees are similarly undefeated so far this year on the YES Network (I wouldn’t know since I no longer have access to the channel with my move to LA).  

Stay safe, be safe. 

As always, Go Yankees!

Manfred Tosses Softball to Red Sox...

Commissioner proves his ineptness, again…

It’s been awhile since I’ve sat down to write a post so I guess I should get to it. Admittedly, with the stay at home orders in effect for the COVID-19 Pandemic and  the absence of Major League Baseball, there’s a general sense of disconnection with our favorite sport, at least for me. 

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic began, I’ve relocated 1,100 miles from Denver, Colorado to the warmer confines of Orange County, California. I know, not the best time to make a cross-country move. Three weeks ago, I endured cold temps and a snowstorm as I was preparing to leave Colorado. Yesterday, the temperature reading outside was 99. Winter to Summer faster than DJ LeMahieu can scoop up a hard grounder off the bat of Xander Bogaerts. Oh well, it only means that I’ve seen my last snowfall and that’s a good thing.

The news of the week was obviously the commissioner’s announcement of the penalties (very loose use of the word, sorry) handed down to the Boston Red Sox for their involvement with cheating activities during the 2018 season. Frankly, I expected the punishment to be very light. Like many, I’ve reached the conclusion that Rob Manfred is a weak commissioner and I didn’t expect him to take a stand against the Red Sox. Even if we felt Houston got off easy, I didn’t think MLB would come close to the penalties assessed on the Astros for Boston. Unfortunately, I was right. Probably my biggest surprise was how easy former Red Sox manager Alex Cora emerged from the penalty phase despite dishonest tactics that contributed to World Series championships in two consecutive years for him. Since it was so light (he was basically penalized for 2017 but not 2018), I fully expect him to return as Red Sox manager at some point. I know Boston removed the “interim” tag from current Manager Ron Roenicke, but I think his tenure will be short. The surprise for me will be if Cora does not return as Red Sox manager.  

Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

As frustrating as it may be that Boston was only forced to forfeit a second round draft pick (and the video replay-operator was suspended), I am glad to put the entire cheating scandals behind us. If the Red Sox cheated, I never felt they did it as openly and dishonestly as the Astros. I am not trying to condone what the Red Sox did but I am ready to move the game forward in a positive light and put the misdealing’s of two Major League clubs in the archives. I hope, if those two teams, or any teams, are subsequently found to be guilty of further incidents of trying to cheat to win, the penalties and will be swift and severe. Granted, the hammer should fall harder on the Astros and Red Sox with multiple offenses to their record, but really no team should get off as easily as the Red Sox did.  

Yankees manager Aaron Boone pretty much echoed those words in a recent interview which appeared in The New York Post:

“I’m glad that we’re kind of through those situations,’’ Boone said. “Hopefully, as I’ve said all along and I do believe this, hopefully just as a sport we’ll be better moving forward knowing that you mess around and they’re coming for you. And I think that’s a good thing.”

I saw some criticism of Boone for his words, but I get it. We need to move on. I think the toughest part for any of us is wondering when that may be since it is all contingent upon when MLB play can be resumed. Shortened season, no fans in the stands, limiting games to certain states…we’ve seen plenty of alternative options discussed but realistically the cancellation of the entire season remains in play. I don’t think anyone wants to see the season wiped away, particularly not the owners and their need for greed. But until clear vision for how to restart the season emerges, the possibility of no season exists. 

I am saddened that we could potentially lose one of Gerrit Cole’s prime years. There’s little question he’ll be much less effective in the latter half of his contract so the worth of his huge contract is literally dependent upon his successes in the early years, much like CC Sabathia a decade ago.

Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II-AP

On the bright side, there is probably a good chance that both Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton (and possibly even Aaron Hicks) will be ready depending upon when/if the season is resumed.  

It’s been good to have the NFL Draft the last couple of days to give us some degree of Sports in our universe. My TV has tuned into ESPN for the first time in a long time. I had to figure out what channel it was even on since I hadn’t ever watched it during my very short time in Southern California.  

Still wondering if the Los Angeles Angels will refund me for the tickets I bought for the Yankees’ three-game series in Anaheim over Memorial Day Weekend or if they’ll just apply them to future games. In advance of my move, I had bought tickets to multiple baseball games and two concerts over the summer and there’s a chance none come to fruition. Wasted money at this point. 

As much as I want the World to return to some sense of normalcy, I am concerned about doing too much, too soon, and bringing the arc of the coronavirus back up. I miss baseball and the distraction it creates for our daily lives (a much needed and therapeutic distraction, I should add). I look forward to watching baseball games on TV and in person. I know we’ve been given many options to watch games of years gone by but it’s not the same. I want to see Giancarlo Stanton smash a massive home run far into the outfield crowd or depending where the games are played, far over the outer reaches of the ballparks…in real time. I want to watch Gerrit Cole dominant his opponents, and see him annihilate his former Houston teammates. One day, some day…

I hope everyone is healthy and safe. For those of you who have been adversely impacted by the deadly coronavirus, we stand with you and keep you in our thoughts and prayers. We’ll make it through this, and we will stand united again in our love of baseball and the Yankees.  

As always, Go Yankees!

Open Letter to Major League Baseball (MLB) - The Plan for the 2020 Season

MLB 2020 Arizona Regional Plan

As it pertains to COVID-19, the 2020 Plan and all aspects contain herein will serve to provide a roadmap for starting the season as expeditiously as possible and a built-in contingency plan for scheduling games to be played outside of Arizona as well.

The Plan isn’t just a patchwork of other plans thrown around, but takes the positives of Arizona and combines them with the potential to not only take advantage of low-to-non-risk areas (regions) of the country as the COVID-19 risk wanes itself out potentially. 2020 would also serve positively as a one-year test pilot for other hot button items that had already been in the works for possible league rollout. The schedule itself would allow for maximum flexibility with respect to the virus. The Plan will only really cover the game itself, and not hotels, disinfection, logistics, player travel etc., so here we go…

The season calls for the use of 11 stadiums in the Phoenix area. Chief among them is Chase Field. The slate of games scheduled is for 100 games per club over a 15-week schedule. Games would be scheduled throughout the day Tuesday through Sunday at Chase Field, with any needed make-up games (i.e. stadium issues or other reasons not related to weather) on Mondays. Mondays would also be used for the same at the ST stadiums in the area where the other 20 teams would play. Each division would travel to Chase together (OK, maybe not together) for a week of games. Two divisions a week would play, for a total of 10 teams playing 6 games each. Each team would play round robin divisional play plus two out-of-division games. 8am, 11:30, 3pm, 6:30 and 10pm would be the game times, equaling 5 games X 6 days for a total of 30 games.

Meanwhile, at the other stadiums teams would play 7 games in a week, so that would involve one double-header per week when not at the featured Chase Field. Games should start either early in the morning or at night, as good lighting systems are readily available, and night games are something that translate well for league revenue and would also provide a fun break for the teams. Night games would be a great way to space out a twin bill as well. So, with Monday always set aside for make-ups (also rain possibility without roof), each team would play earlier morning games 5-6 times a week with the extra 1-2 games (7 total) being played under the stars. There are twenty teams playing each week with this schedule, making a total of 70 games played per each.

This may or may not seem like anything new for the discussion, but its about to get interesting as we look into an aspect that will allow for an interesting Postseason and also the flexibility to play games in other areas of the country as COVID-19 permits. This introduces the aspect of Regions. The MLB Region is something on slate only for 2020, yet there may be other benefits to applying it in the future (e.g. coat containment, less travel).

Using the Chase Field weekly paradigm, 3 of the 5 weeks that each division will be scheduled there will be with its corresponding division from the other league. For example, to begin we may have the NL Central and the AL Central. The second week, we’d have the NL East with the AL East, and then week 3 would feature the NL West and the AL West. Apart from providing a cornerstone for a cohesive 2020 schedule, it creates a “regional” aspect that will later serve us.

Here’s how: if COVID-19 allows certain cities (see MLB’s extensive regional virus figures when available) to re-open, some will, but some will not. Penciling in geographic “cold spots” around the country, where games could be played in front of fans, it would allow the game to be played in many cities. Imagine both western divisions playing September, or even August games in Los Angeles or San Diego. MLB could have both East divisions playing in Toronto and its retractable roof, or Miami. The Central could play in any city opened up from the virus as well. There could be many stadiums open for fans. "Regional play" would guarantee the greatest amount of flexibility by back-loading regional match-ups in addition to divisional games, which are already scheduled that way in a playoff chase.

Therefore, the secret to the season is front-loading “non-regional” games. This begs the question, “WTH is a non-regional game?” A non-regional game is played against a team with a different division designation (East, Central, West). In the Spring Training ballparks, the majority of those games would be interleague games and “intraleague” games, but where the West doesn’t play the West and the Central doesn’t play against the Central. Those matchups can happen later, and hopefully in front of fans. But if nothing else, Arizona would always be in perpetual place as a plan B should COVID-19 continue throughout the regular season.

For sake of the following graphic, let’s set some terms. Divisional games we understand – games played within a team’s division (e.g. Padres vs. Dodgers).

Regional games are both divisional games and Interleague games played within the same divisional designation (e.g. Yankees vs. Mets). Non-Regional games are both Interleague and Intraleague games that are played with teams having a different divisional designation. Examples of this would be Red Sox vs. White Sox or Red Sox versus Cubs. So... crucial to The Plan is creating a regional aspect. We can frontload the season in Arizona with non-regional games. In this way, we can open up the game to the fans in real time providing favourable conditions they may come to exist.

SAMPLE SCHEDULING CHASE FIELD

This example shows each regional grouping 3 times each. This means AL West and NL West comprise the ten teams that play at Chase Field in 3 of the 15 weeks. The Central teams and the East teams do the same respectively. By swapping weeks 7 through 9 with 10 through 12, the schedule becomes even more flexible with respect to the potential for playing games in front of fans within their respective regions. Imagine the possibility of the last month and a half of games all being played across the country with fans in the stands. The money and well being of the country would be absolutely maximized. This is the real strength of The Plan. With its flexible nature, the schedule could mirror the unpredictable path of COVID-19.

PLAYOFFS (This is where it gets Fun)

In order to preserve the integrity of the American and National leagues, the winningest team in both leagues will be given BYEs for the Wild Card Regional Round. The WCRR would involve in each league the two other Division winners, 3 Wild Card teams and special respect given to 2020’s unique regional format in way of a Regional Wild Card team. Before you roll your eyes, the team that has the best regional record (i.e. best record against teams within its divisional designation) that doesn’t otherwise qualify for the playoffs will get in.

It would provide a fourth WC team for each league and lowest seed. It would also provide the slightest of hedges against high-powered offensive teams pushing back their ace and rolling out a AAA player to face the Marlins. No disrespect to them or their 2 World Series championships…just an example. But say the Marlins win that regional game, and many others similar to it. There will be a couple teams that significantly outperform other teams where it comes to playing other teams in their respective regions.

Games played against other divisions and interleague games already count in division standings, like in any sport. But this would be a great way to stimulate the league and make it more fun for everybody. The regional wild card (RWC, hereafter) would face off in the Regional Wild Card round against the top-seeded division winner, or team with best record. The RWC round would be a best of 5 series.

The 3rd-ranked WC team would play against the other division winner and the top two WC teams would face each other. The three advancing teams would then join the BYE team in the Divisional Series, also best of 5 as usual. The BYE team would have already won the right to face the lowest seed, also per norm. The rest of the playoffs would be carried out as normal with ALCS/NLCS and World Series all being best of 7.

OK, that is really not a good image. Zoom it and we should be good. Onward...

SAFE SPACE

The only area as far as the game being played that should be changed is how we determines strikes and balls. The home plate umpire would need to be moved so far behind the catcher that calling balls and strikes wouldn’t work. For this reason an electronic strike zone would be encouraged. The home plate umpire could hold a device that shows the reading so the umpire would still “call” balls and strikes, despite it really being reporting them. Plays at the plate, like the other umpires on the field would still be called as usual.

The electronic strike zone would be another thing that could be live-tested. This has been talked about for a few years now, anyway. There is no better opportunity to live-test this.

TIME OF GAMES

There are two main issues here: lots of games (especially at Chase) to be squeezed in, and length of play, which has multiple potential negative effects.

There wouldn’t be a time limit to the games, as the nature of a few changes would naturally bring them down to between 2 and 2.5 hours maximum. The new “3 batter rule” is one way to bring down game time. Also floated around is the idea of having no mound visits or simply limiting “mound chat”. The Plan calls for the ability to send out the manager or pitching coach only when a pitcher is being pulled. Catcher visits are limited to one per inning. Umpires usually chase away these conversations after a few seconds. Say what you need to and get out, basically. Other infielders would be prohibited from mound visits unless in case of a pitcher substitution.

7-Inning double-headers are an idea that The Plan rejects as unnecessary. A shortened game compromises the game itself. It has been a long time since a game has been called final due to rain after at least 5 complete, but arbitrarily saying “we can play more games if we do some 7-inning games” is not good for the game. Teams would just go to a 3-man rotation and use openers for any games scheduled to go only 7. This is not a good idea.

The killer in baseball (at least it would be in 2020) is going extras. Extra-inning games would still exist, but only an extra inning. If a game is extended due to a tie, if it doesn’t get settled in the 10th, it’s a TIE. Yes, TIE games would be part of The Plan. This, like the electronic strike zone, represents an area that could actually be embraced going forward beyond 2020. Again, this is the year to try out the things that MLB has been kicking around.

The Plan provides a comprehensive solution that offers great potential for salvaging the 2020 MLB season. Major League Baseball, its teams, players and fans alike want the best possible solution to make it all happen. This might not be the best solution, but it makes great financial and logistical sense along with a few twists to make the game more interesting in terms of appeal. Baseball is America’s favorite pastime. It is an avenue to a better life amid changing and uncertain times. The world is watching. It would be so much better if we were watching baseball.

Note: This post was written by John Patterson. He originally posted it on Steemit (jp17) and I am re-posting it with his permission. John is a good friend who loves baseball as much as you and I. He is a die-hard Dodgers fan who currently lives in Italy. Despite his loyalty to Dodger Blue, John has always held great respect for the Yankees over their storied history and was an admirer of the Yankees' championship run under Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, et al. This post is not about the Yankees or the Dodgers (specifically), but it is genuine plea for how we can get baseball back on the field. I am in full agreement with John and my hope is to see the Yankees back on the field sooner than later, but under the most safest and healthiest options available.  Nice job, John!