5GoldGlovesOF,75

I'm all for keeping JD. I just think if he sees a monetary reason to opt out, like a new market in the NL, then Bloom will be anxious to swap his bat-only asset for the best young arm available. But I also think the free agent market will be significantly affected by the economy -- especially if the half-season doesn't happen or has to close down early because of the virus.

If I had to pick, I'd say JD will be traded -- especially if Bloom thinks the NL will keep the DH after this half-season; as Tomase wrote today, that would open up an entire market for JD's bat... and we know Bloom will be all over taking bids, looking for the best possible piece before JD opts out. Plus -- maybe Bloom values the DH slot as a platoon position from his TB days -- and after all, JD is Dombro's signing, not Bloom's.

Can there even be a mid-season this season? Even if, I don't see the usual trade activity with half the games, expanded rosters and more postseason berths on the line. Any hot streak can turn a pretender into a contender... especially with an entire first-round of best-of-three playoffs. We may see .500 teams qualify for the tournament; with longer regular-season series proposed -- say six games in one ballpark, instead of the usual three -- it may be difficult for any visiting teams, even good ones, to go 4-2 or 5-1 while cooped up in the same hotel rooms all week on the road.

... but not as much if the pandemic happened 40 years ago when Earl Weaver and Billy Martin were constantly in their faces.

Reading your post, I'm wondering if this was the owners' strategy... to give them pre-emptive public support as they prepare for another CBA war in Dec '21... (It sucks these days that I can't help suspecting people in power with big business interests to be more considerate of the health of employees)

It's hard for young, strong athletes not to feel invincible, or even conceive of the possible risks to parents, wives, kids, etc. For some players, careers could also be at stake, especially for rookies that may see it as their shot at making an MLB roster, or older guys trying to hang onto a last chance in the bigs. But there are no guarantees of full recoveries from this monster: I know a woman in her 40s who had it for over 4 weeks and it left her with the after-effects of 2 strokes.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but have to wonder about guys who may refuse to play a sport for any money when 25% of American workers can't find a job. Choosing to possibly lose an entire season of careers with clocks ticking also has to have some players questioning their own logic.

Now there are reports that owners and players are arguing about terms that threaten the proposed half season. Of course it's all about money. Way to go, MLB -- how endearing of you to your fanbase, during an economic depression amidst a pandemic when thousands of Americans are dying every single day.

Ya, I was talking about just from a player-development standpoint. He's a guy you said wasn't ready (and I agree), but the business factors are from a pre-Covid world. If the MLB plays, it's clear all involved must be willing to make changes to pull it off. They're already conceding to expanding rosters; the union and management may actually agree to compromise in a lot of ways to ensure it happens and not take a total loss like other industries. I think young guys and fresh new faces will be more appealing than coaxing the Steve Pearces out of retirement. But thanks for replying -- I'm up for any baseball talk instead of just politics.

No rinks, but if there is a summer season, MLB fans starving for baseball action deserve to see their teams in contention for as long as possible. The three division winners get rewarded with first-round byes. I am personally intrigued by the dynamics of veteran players vs. younger players rushing to get into playing shape after three months on the couch. I predict clubs with more supple muscle tissue than others will get off to hot starts and be surprise teams in the 80-game league. Possible upstarts: Blue Jays and White Sox. With no minor leagues, I also think we'll see many future major leaguers make expanded rosters, including guys who may not be ready for prime time. What could be the harm of say, a guy like Casas riding the pine next to Moreland and JD, practicing with them every day, and getting a taste of the Show? There may be no better alternative this year for his development. The one team that may benefit the most from the short season: Houston. By the time baseball resumes, fatalities from the virus will number six figures. Do any pitchers really still want to intentionally throw at and risk hurting another human being? Probably the biggest factor for the Astros is that there won't be any fans in attendance -- no booing, heckling, taunting, name-calling chants, banging props, waving mock banners or posters. Devoid of such stress, Houston can just play baseball. I wish we all could.

Back to baseball on a baseball forum: Bradford reports today that the MLB is proposing a half season of play in MLB parks beginning July, three 10-team divisions, with seven playoff qualifiers from each. For the Sox to return to the postseason, they'd probably have to outperform Baltimore, Miami and who else -- the Jays or Phils? Any takers?

Yes! I think that was Josh Reddick on the skins. Bagwell was flicking his lighter in the front row at the end, but Nolan Ryan and his wife got up and walked out.

This one's for Bregman, Springer, Correa and any other Astro who cashed a 2017 World Series check (cough, Fiers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfLyK2DVVUU

Isn't Neil making an assumption there with "a little part of it in everyone"? Greenwell was clean!

Manny: "Madman Across the Water" Elton Damon: "Signs" 5-Man Electrical Band Boggs: "Walk This Way" (for a couple reasons) Ortiz: As much as he'd like "Bad to the Bone", I gotta go with "Holly Jolly Christmas" Burl Ives... because Papi's the narrator/singing snowman who brought so much cheer to our island of misfit fans

Now you got me playing "Mountain Jam" in my crumbling gray matter; wasn't it like 2/4ths of "Eat A Peach"? Hargrove is still adjusting his batting gloves -- wait, was velcro invented then? He's at least scooping dirt and digging a foothold.

Hargrove's nickname was the Human Rain Delay, stepping out every pitch and taking so long getting back in the box. He'd fit right in with today's stallers. I just made up a new rule: no video replays, except for home run calls or plays at the plate -- and then, only during the postseason. No audio replays, either; each batter better have four walk-up songs ready per game. Hargrove's second at bat would be "Riders on the Storm".

And since there'll be no crowd noise, stadium intercoms should blare tunes in entirety of each player's walk-up song... It will help us party at home, where we'll all be watching (Kimbrel's soundtrack -- "Stranglehold" -- is long enough to last his whole inning).

I'm old school, but also no school. I'm with Costas, who said if they play this year, it's a perfect time to try all proposed changes. I'm not sure what those are -- DH for sure -- but why not go all out with new and innovative concepts? Tradition be damned -- it'll be a half season at best, and they're already changing divisional alignment, playoff structure, roster numbers, etc. I say: pitch clock, definitely. Ear pieces -- for everyone -- why not. 7-inning doubleheaders, orange baseballs, designated runners, more day games -- yes, yes, yes, yes. Extra inning shortcuts -- I dunno; I think I'd rather they just have ties.

My intuition tells me it's all about #3. Well, that and the quotes about Cora. Henry: "Love."; Werner: "Love!", Kennedy: "LOVE!" Bloom: "All the reasons we parted ways with him then are still the case." Reasons, as in plural?

But -- Kennedy was adamant at the time that Cora insisted on leaving... shouldn't we take him at his word, and believe every spokesperson of every business organization? I also seem to recall when all the beat writers were calling for Cora's head (you know, the same scribes who are now saying rehire him), that Shaugnessey, at least, was appalled that Boston ownership had implied it was willing to ride it out with AC... The current vibe I sense, though, is that Bloom isn't exactly thrilled with the idea of bringing back Dombrowski's guy (and his baggage).

Of course it's not safe yet for ballplayers to huddle together in dugouts, bullpens and clubhouses. But if they want, at least they can still sit shoulder to shoulder like folks are doing right now in in Georgia nail salons... where they can also go down the street and get a tattoo. A lot of guys already have a lot of ink, so it'd have to be something short, like "RIP MLB"...

Maybe the MLB will expand the playoffs to include 18 teams (or more than half, like the NBA and NHL)... they should anyway, just to keep as many fans as possible from changing channels to other TV-only sports. The Sox could conceivably fight it out to finish 6th, right?

Nope, I listed them ahead (NY, NY meant both teams from the boroughs). Even without Thor, the Mets still have a rotation of starting pitchers.