When we get baseball again, what will baseball be?

[Boston Red]

I mean it didn’t seem reputable but I saw an article floating the idea of shipping all NFL teams off to one isolated site where temporary fields would be set up just so they could get the season in. As in the whole NFL goes off to summer camp for the season and lives together. If there is a way to get the games on TV there is a wheelbarrow full of money to be made, crowd or no crowd.

The reality show this would spawn would be epic. Much better than the actual NFL games (at least the regular season ones not featuring Lamar Jackson).

[BCubb2003]

In these difficult times I must forgo the quip I’m yearning to make about the Jim Edmonds news.

[NebraskaRed]

If they do play baseball this year at all, I hope they give up on the idea of trying to make it "normal."

Like others have said, get weird with it. Get creative. A normal season isn't happening no matter what, so why try?

Mix up the leagues/divisions. Try new rules. Get weird.

[Sea Ray]

I think we're going to have to reopen segments of society by June/July to avoid complete financial collapse and I think it would be easier to do that if we are selective about it all and keep unnecessary things closed. I hate saying it, but sports would probably fall in that unnecessary bucket. I'm open to arguments on why I'm wrong, and I hope the situation changes to make the argument invalid, but I can't see having tens of thousands of people gathering being a good idea before we have treatments and vaccines.

I'd love to see an economic breakdown on whether or not it would be worth it for sports leagues to play as a television product only. I feel like that's been an option talked about from the start, but I haven't seen anyone actually go into the numbers of what it would mean. I would absolutely sign up for that option if it were possible. I've missed sports like anyone, but this last week it's been especially acute. The time when baseball overlapped with March Madness plus the stretch run for the NBA/NHL plus good tennis and probably other things I'm forgetting was always a highlight of the entire year. There are obviously much, much bigger problems we're all dealing with, but it still majorly sucks.

My guess is that there'll be a push to bring back sports, MLB, because people need the positive diversion from all this stress. I think there'll be baseball this summer. Back by June or July

[Rdirtypirates]

The reality show this would spawn would be epic. Much better than the actual NFL games (at least the regular season ones not featuring Lamar Jackson).

They are doing something similar with basketball. It is the Big3 league and all players will be quarintined. It will be a mix between big brother and Big3 basketball. It begins in the beginning of May.

[marcshoe]

It will be a lot like Stadiums in the 60's or Crosley in the day when 3K would show up

Kind of like when the local minor league team had to stop their "guess the attendance" contests because people were just counting.

[marcshoe]

In these difficult times I must forgo the quip I’m yearning to make about the Jim Edmonds news.

You mean about how he just barely caught the virus after he did a somersault and dived for it for no particular reason? Yeah, that would be in bad taste.

[M2]

If they do play baseball this year at all, I hope they give up on the idea of trying to make it "normal."

Like others have said, get weird with it. Get creative. A normal season isn't happening no matter what, so why try?

Mix up the leagues/divisions. Try new rules. Get weird.

I want a pitch clock where you can't throw to keep a runner close after 15 seconds.

And games played in Iowa cornfields and inside the Grand Canyon.

And games played at the beach where it's board shorts vs. speedos.

And for there to a be a random lottery for two cities with populations of less than 100,000 to be awarded a team for one season only.

[westofyou]

I want a pitch clock where you can't throw to keep a runner close after 15 seconds.

And games played in Iowa cornfields and inside the Grand Canyon.

And games played at the beach where it's board shorts vs. speedos.

And for there to a be a random lottery for two cities with populations of less than 100,000 to be awarded a team for one season only.

With RF Poison during innings 3-5

And every team with a designated runner

And one game in the series played like Eddie Feigner and his Court

[Phoenix2]

If they do play baseball this year at all, I hope they give up on the idea of trying to make it "normal."

Like others have said, get weird with it. Get creative. A normal season isn't happening no matter what, so why try?

Mix up the leagues/divisions. Try new rules. Get weird.

I like this. MLB could see this as an opportunity to experiment and potentially make some changes that surge the sport's popularity. 1) "Gottabe" Rule. I play softball and you are only allowed two foul balls and then it must be fair or you're out. There is no appetite to have some guy foul off a parade of pitches and waste everyone's time. If you can't hit it fair you're out and it keeps the game moving. The ump yells "gottabe" as in got to be fair after two fouls. #2) Instead of everyone leaving after tie game at end of nine innings because there's no way to know when the game will end, load the bases to start the 10th inning. Pretty good chance you won't end the 10th with a tie, it will be very exciting, and everyone will know an end is most likely coming soon.

[Roy Tucker]

With RF Poison during innings 3-5

And every team with a designated runner

And one game in the series played like Eddie Feigner and his Court

If you hit the ball foul in the mean lady’s yard, you’re automatically out. And you have to go get the ball and get yelled at because she lives for these moments.

[BCubb2003]

And a windmill in centerfield, because if you like quirky outfield dimensions and the Crosley Terrace, go big.

[vaticanplum]

In these difficult times I must forgo the quip I’m yearning to make about the Jim Edmonds news.

I'm sure we've all wondered what Chris Carpenter has told his son.

[dougdirt]

The city of Toronto just banned all public events until June 30th. https://twitter.com/cbctom/status/1245076753850261505

I haven't seen the specifics on what exactly that means, but it sounds like that means they aren't going to be playing baseball in Toronto before July - even if it is in front of no fans.

Speaking of which, apparently MLB and the MLBPA have gotten around to the idea that maybe it IS better to play in front of no one rather than not play at all. https://www.mlbdailydish.com/2020/3/...20-coronavirus

[M2]

The city of Toronto just banned all public events until June 30th. https://twitter.com/cbctom/status/1245076753850261505

I haven't seen the specifics on what exactly that means, but it sounds like that means they aren't going to be playing baseball in Toronto before July - even if it is in front of no fans.

Speaking of which, apparently MLB and the MLBPA have gotten around to the idea that maybe it IS better to play in front of no one rather than not play at all. https://www.mlbdailydish.com/2020/3/...20-coronavirus

Yeah, my summer vacation to Toronto isn't going to happen.