This is not baseball. An opinion.

[MongoBoy]

Is being attacked by a tiger still allowed?

 

[Tony-OH]

9 hours ago, now said:

So you’re looking forward to the revival of the national pastime? May as well stick with the replays and simulations, if this is what it comes to. MLB is considering a new 67-page rulebook for how to play games in this not-so-brave new world we find ourselves in. Among the stipulations (reported by Steve Melewski

• ·         Avoid high fives and shaking hands after wins.
• ·         No pregame exchange of lineup cards.
• ·         Umpires throwing a baseball out of play after several players have come into contact with it.
• ·         A maximum of 50 players at spring training.
• ·         Pitchers will use a personal set of baseballs during bullpen sessions and separate balls to demonstrate pitching grips or mechanics.
• ·         Only necessary players will be in dugouts. Inactive players may sit in auxiliary seating areas, including adjacent in-stadium seating to maximize physical distancing.
• ·         Dugout phones will be disinfected after each use.
• ·         Lockers should be six feet apart. If this is not possible, clubs should erect temporary clubhouse or locker facilities in unused stadium space, preferably outdoors or in areas with increased ventilation.
• ·         Showering will be discouraged at club facilities.

(Jeff Passan paints a fuller picture of what the in-game and day-to-day complications entail, here.)

Only some of these rules impact in-game play… but will there be any fans in the stands? Will fans be separated by empty seats? Players have already been tasked in baseball’s new normal to assimilate a vast array of analytics. Now on top of that responsibility they must observe a new tier of regulations.

Will there be any room left in this hyper-controlled environment to enjoy the game they have worked all their lives to play? Will fans be denied the fully authentic experience of the national pastime, as Bill Gates has suggested, perhaps forever?

Wherever we stand on the politics of covid, we share common ground in our love for baseball. Are we witnessing the sacrifice of that iconic social and cultural experience, on the altar of new standards of sterility and distance? This fan can only lament such a prospect, forced upon the game we loved.

It is utterly amazing the ridiculousness of most of these restrictions. Saying that, if it gets baseball back on my TV set, they can wear bubble wrap in the locker rooms for all I care.

[Tony-OH]

I also think the greed of the player's union will has more a chance of derailing the 2020 season than these restrictions.

[George Zuverink]

4 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm fine with them wanting to get as much out of the owners as they can. 

I just get offended when they talk about how they would be putting their lives at risk.  To me that's offensive to all folks that have been working throughout this pandemic from the medical personal to the folks making minimum wage in retail.

I shared this scholarly, but accessible, article in support of one of Corn's posts in a different thread. It's non-political and worthwhile reading as an objective description of the relative transmission risk of various activities and situations:

(Edited: This is not about baseball and is propaganda which makes it political)

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I also think the greed of the player's union will has more a chance of derailing the 2020 season than these restrictions.

It is a two way street.  I don't doubt for a second that if given the chance the owners will screw the players out of as much money as they can get away with.  If I'm a player I'm deeply suspicious of any plan the owners come out with.

I hope they can get some experts involved and come up with a plan both sides can live with in which they both accept that they are going to be making less money this season.

[atomic]

15 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm fine with them wanting to get as much out of the owners as they can. 

I just get offended when they talk about how they would be putting their lives at risk.  To me that's offensive to all folks that have been working throughout this pandemic from the medical personal to the folks making minimum wage in retail.

When a lot of those retail personnel are older and in poor health.  The players are more at risk driving to the game. There are some older managers and coaches that are taking chances.  
 

Maybe someone like Dusty Baker of the Astros could do a live video feed into the dugout instead of attending games in person.  

[MongoBoy]

48 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

True,

NASCAR is racing without fans in the seats.

And I see that the winner left his car wearing a mask and no one was around him.  Gimme a break.

[backwardsk]

4 hours ago, George Zuverink said:

I shared this scholarly, but accessible, article in support of one of Corn's posts in a different thread. It's non-political and worthwhile reading as an objective description of the relative transmission risk of various activities and situations:

 

I think I came across that link in another forum last week.  Yes, it’s quite informative and gives the reader good guidance.  I’m glad I read it.

[backwardsk]

16 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

It is a two way street.  I don't doubt for a second that if given the chance the owners will screw the players out of as much money as they can get away with.  If I'm a player I'm deeply suspicious of any plan the owners come out with.

I hope they can get some experts involved and come up with a plan both sides can live with in which they both accept that they are going to be making less money this season.

Were the players vocal about not agreeing to the prorated salaries on games played when things were first delayed in March?.  Or did they (led by the Tampa pitcher) start publicly complaining when the owners said they should get a prorated salary minus a share of lost revenue?  I honestly don’t remember people complaining in March, but I admit I wasn’t paying too much attention to that.

[CallMeBrooksie]

1 hour ago, Redskins Rick said:

I think Gates is trying to stir the pot, to help line his pockets, if you ask me.

I mean.. if he wanted to line his pockets then he would have just kept doing what he was doing instead of focusing all his energy on giving away his fortune.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, backwardsk said:

Were the players vocal about not agreeing to the prorated salaries on games played when things were first delayed in March?.  Or did they (led by the Tampa pitcher) start publicly complaining when the owners said they should get a prorated salary minus a share of lost revenue?  I honestly don’t remember people complaining in March, but I admit I wasn’t paying too much attention to that.

I don't recall hearing any players complain about prorated salaries.  It seems to me like the blowback started when prorated was no longer good enough for owners.

 

[backwardsk]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

I don't recall hearing any players complain about prorated salaries.  It seems to me like the blowback started when prorated was no longer good enough for owners.

 

That’s what I thought.  Yet, the players are framed as the greedy ones.  Have GMs salaries been halved for this season?

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, backwardsk said:

That’s what I thought.  Yet, the players are framed as the greedy ones.  Have GMs salaries been halved for this season?

But the players should know that is what is going to happen.  They have been losing the war of public opinion for decades.  Signaling a complete lack of will to negotiate isn't doing them any favors.

[Tony-OH]

26 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

It is a two way street.  I don't doubt for a second that if given the chance the owners will screw the players out of as much money as they can get away with.  If I'm a player I'm deeply suspicious of any plan the owners come out with.

I hope they can get some experts involved and come up with a plan both sides can live with in which they both accept that they are going to be making less money this season.

This is not the time to play let's make a deal. If they want to make it easy, prorate the salaries to the number of games they will play during the season, but they are too worried about a "salary cap". Which at the end of the day is the only way baseball will be able to survive long term.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

This is not the time to play let's make a deal. If they want to make it easy, prorate the salaries to the number of games they will play during the season, but they are too worried about a "salary cap". Which at the end of the day is the only way baseball will be able to survive long term.

I don't see how they don't have time to get some really smart people into a room (figuratively) and hammer out some deal better than trusting the owners not to screw them over.  I do think the players will lose out if they don't play and don't agree with their current stance.