Throughout the course of MLB history, there have been several work stoppages due to strikes, costing part of the season. A total of 86 games were missed in 1972, 712 games in 1981, and 938 games from August 12, 1994 – April 2, 1995, including the 1994 playoffs and World Series. But never have games been missed due to a global pandemic, until this season. Even the 1918 Spanish Flu, although sadly taking a handful of players and an umpire, did not result in a reduction in schedule. A 130-game schedule was played due to the USA involvement in WWI.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the USA causing the stoppage of the MLB preseason in March, there were questions whether or not the 2020 season would ever start. Proposals between MLB and the Players Association went back in forth in a power struggle with proposals and counter proposals. With neither side offering much wiggle room, MLB finally put forth a 60-game schedule set to start at the end of this week.
There are still ample questions how to get a season to completion, albeit a condensed one, while minimizing the spread of the virus. Players must be tested every other day. Numerous players have tested positive, putting them in quarantine for a couple weeks. Safety protocols are put into place, which must be severely adhered to in order to make this season work. Social distancing will be enforced, as well as bans on chewing tobacco, spitting, licking fingers on the mound, and mask wearing from members of team and staff.
But how will a 60-game schedule look? Teams will play divisional opponents ten times each and interleague games against teams in their same physical region, to minimize travel. The National League will employ the designated hitter and in attempts to speed up games, extra innings will start with a man on second base. As for rosters, teams will have up to 60 players available to be called up at any point during the season with the trade deadline pushing to August 31.
The game will be different for the fans watching at home as well as for the players. Everyone must get used to no fans in the seats, unless you want to consider cardboard cutouts of fans as fans. Yes, it has come to that as well as fake crowd noise for the fans watching on tv. It almost feels as baseball has gone to “virtual reality”, and in a sense it has, to try to get the season in.
However it looks, the 2020 season is upon us. The biggest question is really whether enough players can stay healthy to get the season to completion. Or will this just be a failed experiment, ultimately shut down due to the ongoing pandemic. Fingers are crossed for the 2020 season to begin and end with an eventual World Series champion crowned.