2020 couldn’t let baseball fans have fun for more than 72 hours. The breaking news from Major League Baseball this morning was that there were 13 confirmed Miami Marlin personnel that tested positive for the coronavirus, an outbreak within their squad.
Last night, the Marlins canceled their trip home amidst 3 positive tests and then canceled their home opener tonight vs. the Baltimore Orioles following 9 more positive results.
With the 3 positive tests before opening pitch yesterday, the Marlins held a meeting and decided they should play their game against the Phillies. Now, many are wondering why did the Marlins even play? That is a story for another time, but you have to believe — if the season continues — there will be new protocols for if this happens again.
Following the cancelation of Miami’s home-opener, the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies have also canceled their game that was slated for tonight in Philadelphia. The Phillies just faced off against the Marlins this past weekend at home, and with Miami just in the opposing locker room less than 24 hours ago, many Yankee members did not feel comfortable being in there.
The correct term that should be used for the cancellation of these games should be “postponed.” The MLB wanted to make it clear that they have intentions to make up these games some way or another, which gives hopes to the fans and players that the season maybe won’t be canceled, again.
Should it though?
Baseball was off to a hot start when only 1.2% of 3,185 test came back positive in the beginning of July. The percentage of positive cases never really sky rocketed and stayed around that number. No clubs were being massively hit and the season actually seemed possible.
Now that the Marlins are in the middle of an outbreak, reality has set in. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has some quick decisions to make as games are supposed to get under way around 3:40 P.M. eastern time today. Multiple reports suggest that the MLB does not intend to cancel the season right away, and that Manfred will be holding an emergency meeting later today.
MLB put in effect a new rule for this shortened season that Manfred has the power to suspend or cancel the season:
Right now, the MLB is in a waiting game as they want to see the test results from the Philadelphia Phillies. While the Marlins are dealing with bigger problems than just baseball, they are also out searching for fill in players in case their season resumes.
The biggest thing for the league is the test results for the Philadelphia Phillies. If all those results, or majority of them come back negative, I believe baseball will continue. If majority come back positive, and an outbreak hits a second team, well, I think 2020 baseball doesn’t happen.
Before the season got underway, I have to assume the MLB had a plan in effect for a potential outbreak. This seems true since teams are allowed to search for fill-in players when necessary, like the Marlins are currently doing. The problem with this assumption is that baseball probably didn’t plan for an outbreak to happen this early. I’m sure they expected an outbreak somewhere near the middle / end of season, but not after the first weekend.
The MLB has options, which includes suspending the season, and I am part of the population that doesn’t want that happen, but right now, it may seem like the logical choice. It seems that everything has to go perfectly in order for the MLB to continue their season, and they have to pray another outbreak isn’t coming.
On MLB Network this morning, a comment was made saying, “we often have heard 162 games is a marathon, this 60 game season is a sprint, but in reality, this 60 game season isn’t a sprint, it’s a survival.” An important quote because now the question is, are players willing to continue to play after this outbreak, or will they have a change of heart and start dropping out?
I personally have a plan for baseball to continue, and although this won’t happen, if I’m Manfred and the league, I would highly consider this:
- The Marlins and Phillies season should be temporarily suspended pending test results on both clubs.
- The Yankees and Orioles then begin a 4-game set either in New York or Baltimore tomorrow, one of those games being a double header; this makes up for their probably lost 4 game series this week.
- While waiting the test results, the Marlins and Phillies start finding fill-in players for their teams so they can return to action.
- When the players are found — and if the Phillies need them — the teams can return to action starting Friday (for their new series) with those new players chosen, and the players who test negative twice during the 4 day span.
- The players and staff who are positive continue their quarantine and testing, and when they finish the recommended 14 day quarantine, or test negative 3 times, they can return to action as well.
- The games missed by the clubs have to be made up in later dates, probably with double headers coming during their off-days.
There is a lot to consider right now and decisions need to be made very quickly. I believe we will know at the end of the day whether or not the season will continue or be canceled. My gut says it will be canceled.
MLB you’re at bat, what’s the plan?
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