The latest report on discussions inside Major League Baseball contends that pro ball’s opening day this year could be July 4th, the nation’s birthday, according to a report.
The possible opening day schedule was reported by The Athletics’ Ken Rosenthal:
The most realistic time range for Opening Day — somewhere between mid-June and July 4, in the view of most officials — would allow for an 80- to 100-game regular season, with the schedule running through October. An expanded postseason at neutral sites might follow, with the World Series ending in late November or early December.
There is still an expectation that the games will be for broadcast only, and fans will not be allowed into the stadiums.
Another question would be the weather. If baseball does not start until July, there is a possibility that games may stretch into cold weather months. And in that case, some teams would likely have to play in warm-weather climates or indoor stadiums instead of their home parks.
That being said, the idea of playing the whole season only in the warm-weather states of Arizona, Florida, and Texas is a possibility. This plan has been floating around since the lockdowns over the pandemic have stretched into May.
There is also still the plan reported earlier today that the league will be temporarily restructured into three leagues, an East, Central, and West.
Clearly, the talks are still roiling inside the league, but with the increased chatter and insider leaks, the obvious takeaway is that MLB is determined to have a 2020 baseball season.
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