5GoldGlovesOF,75

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.

The MLB will surely expand the postseason tourney to include more teams... maybe up to 15 will qualify... Can Boston even finish 5th in that division? NY, NY, Wash, TB and Philly all look better on screen (and probably Tor); at least the Sox get to hit against Porcello.

Kimmi, I have a cousin who can never enjoy August because of the impending doom of returning to those invaluable staff development days at the end of the month. You know, the sessions they intentionally make so painful that you can't wait to see the students again. But take my word for it, once you retire, you can finally relax and enjoy the beautiful autumns that were always marred by staff meetings, new initiatives, data walls, PPTs, SLOs, EIPs, and EIEIOS... I tried hard not to be defined by my career (inspired by another cousin; when once asked in a bar, "What do you do?" she replied, "About what?").

I think just the thought of going back to school at the end of every summer makes a lot of kids sick... or does it just do that to the teachers? At least the earth's tilt theory maybe explains why my vertigo increases in the summer; now my wife can't just blame it on my fluid intake (which always seems to increase watching or immediately after playing baseball).

Ya, all the hockey players who were good at baseball switched to lacrosse. What could be better, a sport where you can actually use your stick to hit your opponent!