IMO: Return to Play Storylines

On Todays post, I want to answer some of the biggest questions on the MLB return to play plan. I also want to cover a couple parts of the plan I missed in the orginal post. Before we get into, my good Friends over at Raze Energy gave me one heck of deal to give you guys. Using the Promo Code "BALLBOY" over at Reppsports.com will save you 15% on the energy drink that will change your life. Fun Fact- If baseball returns, it will be the single longest streak without a game played of 267 days. An all time sports record for all ML Sports. A couple things I missed in the first post of the proposal. Position Players Pitching. There will be no limit or restrictions on Position Players Pitching. With the rule that was implemented this last off season, each player would have been designated as either a pitcher or position player. The only way position players were allowed to pitch was in extra innings and when the team is trailing by 6 or more runs. The last stipulation would have been they were designated as a two-way player Next things are suspended games. If weather forces a game to be cut short before it is official, it will be continued at a later date rather than started from scratch. So if a game ends in the 7th between the A's and Astros. Then they would pick up the game from that point at a later date. I don't have a ton of info on this if all players would be put back on the field and the same pitcher and what not. How injuries would affect this. This is all to be seen. Another thing before we get into some questions. Unsportsmanlike Conduct. This is very interesting. Players and managers will be expected to maintain physical distance from all umpires and opposing players on the playing field whenever possible. Players or managers who leave their position to argue with an umpire and then come within 6 feet or an umpire or opposing player will be immediately ejected and given a fine. The amount of the fine will not be pro rated. So, this is bad news for the Astros becuase they are expected at least to me, to get hit a lot. They wont be able to charge the plate. Which means for baseball in general we wont really see any bench clearing brawls this season. Last Thing before some questions: August 31st Trade Deadline. Barely being a month into the season. Trades are going to be difficult. Its going to be hard for a team to really give up any assests to go for it all and it could be a mirage or smokescreen of what that player actually is. Reguardless, I think the trade deadline will be quite this season. Lets Answer some questions: -Could Covid spikes force teams to relocate? I absolutely think so yes, this is going to be a toughish play though. A lot of teams have a AAA team in the same state, but if the state becomes a hotspot. Then both stadiums can't have games played at them. I see this really just adding more "Road" games to the schedule but lets say if Balitmore can't play at home. Their next 4 games are against the RedSex and then the Nationals at home. i would say those games are then played in Washington as "home" games for the Orioles. But yes, this is going to throw a wrench into scheduling. -Did Baseball miss out on being the true hero to sports and the biggest relieft to COVID in the US? YES!!!! The sports slate is going to be overfilled with the NBA and NHL playoffs ocuring during the MLB regular season. If they would have gone with the March or June agreement, baseball could have been the hero of sports and had the spotlight for weeks on end. But they just couldn't get a deal done. Instead now we fave a mandadted season. They would have gained more ratings, TV money, more of love of America again and truly would have regained the title of "Americas Past Time". They missed a big opportunity and truly put the future at risk for the MLB. -How will a 60 game season affect the compeitiveness of the season. Well, with the season being 60 games. Team can go all out. They aren't playing the long game of a 162 game season. Less games for stars to sit out, if they will at all. Ptchers, not holding anything back to win. Teams and sluggers swinging for the fences. Much like the NBA and NFL every game counts and changes where you stand on a day to day basis. Baseball is a game of steaks, but if your team doesn't go on one form the gate, they are already loosing. I can see a lot of urgency, teams not letting a good pitcher stay out there for long then they need to. Riding hot hands of pen guys and teams being willing to start a guy in the field for his bat and not his glove if he is hot. Tomorrow we are going to look into some player storylines Going into the season! Stay Tuned