Major League Baseball: 2020 Season

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THIS JUST IN...

Major League Baseball and the MLBPA has agreed to a 60-game season. Players and teams report on July 1, and the 60-game season will begin on July 24. I got this news from when I was looking around on my subscriptions on YouTube. There are still a few more details to be ironed out, especially in the sense of health and safety concerns. At least we can say there will be a 2020 season.
 
THIS JUST IN...

Major League Baseball and the MLBPA has agreed to a 60-game season. Players and teams report on July 1, and the 60-game season will begin on July 24. I got this news from when I was looking around on my subscriptions on YouTube. There are still a few more details to be ironed out, especially in the sense of health and safety concerns. At least we can say there will be a 2020 season.

Meh. At this point I don't care any more. My biggest concern is how much is MLB.TV going to refund me? If minimal or zero they've just lost one fan. Not to mention subscription.
 
I have been hearing a lot about that regarding the TV packages for Major League Baseball. Really, I don't know what to tell you. You'll probably have to get in touch with the MLB media properties people for more information and help on that front. I would even have to wonder how local sports channels will cover this upcoming season, like AT&T SportsNet Southwest here in Houston, the channel who shows the Houston Astros games. So contact the MLB TV stuff to find out about refunds.
 
Oh I already know MLB.TV 's response: No refunds. You could have cancelled within five days of your subscription renewal and received a refund. But the five days have long passed (first of March). So no refund.

It'll get interesting when/if lawsuits are brought; they were supposed to deliver 162 gamed and of course they won't. If it comes to legal action, it won't be the first time it's happened.
 
The New York Yankees at Washington Nationals will be the Opening Day series of the 2020 Major League Baseball Season on July 23. Yes- the team that defeated the Houston Astros in last year's World Series will host them Yanks. No schedule has been finalized as of the time of this post, but that will be the Opening Day series and game. So get ready, fans!
 
The Washington Redskins of the NFL are considering a name change. The same story can now be said for the Cleveland Indians. You may have recalled how Cleveland did away with the Chief Wahoo logo last year or so. Who knows what the Cleveland MLB team will be known as now moving forward? The team will ultimately decide on their new name if they do come up with a new name, or maybe even a different logo.
 
I've not heard of anyone really upset about the name, but maybe they want a full rebrand instead of either replacing the old logo or even being tied to it. I can't think of a decent replacement.
 
Man i having seen a baseball game since 2006 but after all this lock down stuff i'm gonna be all over watching whatever game is on.

Even the Yankees which i hate :P
 
Well, FOX is hyping up July 25 to be the day that "Baseball is Back." So if you fancy some MLB baseball, get psyched for July 25. I been hearing mostly of July 23 and July 24 as key dates in the 2020 season getting started.

I heard the Oakland Athletics had an interesting deal. No physical fans can be in the stands, but you can have some cardboard cutout fans in the stands! You basically get all signed up to have a cardboard cutout of you to be in the stands. Apparently if your cutout gets hit by a foul ball or a home run ball, the team will deliver you the ball! How cool is that? :)

I meant to post this earlier, but some of the unpacking of the 2020 season involves the following: 60 games and a universal DH. All you need to know about the 2020 season is here: https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-announces-2020-regular-season .
 
THIS JUST IN...

Because of the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic, the Toronto Blue Jays have been denied by the Canadian government the opportunity to play home games in Toronto. So I guess the Blue Jays will need to find a place in the United States or someplace to do all of their sporting activities. Two alternate sites for home games include Buffalo, NY, USA or Dunedin, FL, USA.

Some exhibition games are coming up today and tonight in Major League Baseball. So be sure to look around on TV for some of the games being aired.


[UPDATE/OMISSION] Included Dunedin, FL in the Toronto news. Also, Yasiel Puig tested positive for Coronavirus.
 
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Happy Thursday, GTPlaneteers! Guess what? Baseball is back!

A handful of games nationwide will happen this weekend starting today. This 60-game season will take place in full anger with various teams beginning their 2020 campaign. Since there are much fewer games, there will be much more urgency and importance to win as many games as possible. Among the many games to happen today include the New York Yankees at the defending champion Washington Nationals. I still can't get over the Nationals beating my Houston Astros (who host the Seattle Mariners in their first series of 2020) for the 2019 crown in an ugly World Series. Anyhow... there will also be the San Francisco Giants at the Los Angeles Dodgers later tonight as well. Of course, thanks to the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic and concerns of spreading it, no fans will be in attendance. There may be some fans who may attend games if and once the virus spread is better controlled. Otherwise, get ready for some Major League Baseball!


Enjoy the action! Let's see how the 2020 season goes. Oh, and uh...

PLAY BALL!
 
MLB has approved a 16 team playoff for the 2020 season.
 
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MLB has approved a 16 team playoff for the 2020 season.

Bizarre. Allowing an under-.500 team in the playoffs is a travesty, and that's very likely to happen given that eight teams out of fifteen will be in the playoffs. Just because the NHL has been doing it for like forever doesn't make it right.

It's bad enough that they've taken most of the managerial strategy out of the National League's games this year.

I used to enjoy baseball for the skills and strategy employed. Now it's more and more turning in to simple home run derby.
 
Bizarre. Allowing an under-.500 team in the playoffs is a travesty, and that's very likely to happen given that eight teams out of fifteen will be in the playoffs. Just because the NHL has been doing it for like forever doesn't make it right.

It's bad enough that they've taken most of the managerial strategy out of the National League's games this year.

I used to enjoy baseball for the skills and strategy employed. Now it's more and more turning in to simple home run derby.
This rule change (and the universal DH) are only for the 2020 season. They will need to be in the next CBA for it to occur past 2020. If they really want to do a 16 team playoff, they HAVE to add 2 additional teams to the league. In fact, that's what I would make it conditional on.
 
Well, teams with losing records that still make the postseason is nothing new. I remember times in college basketball as well as in the NFL where sub-0.500 teams still made the postseason. I believe Texas Southern's men's basketball team once made March Madness despite a losing record. It was several seasons ago one team from the NFL's NFC South made the postseason. So this is nothing new in sports in that regard. You'd have to be a fairly good losing-record team to make the postseason regardless in this sense.

Here is a brief look at 2020 MLB season details that I forgot to mention previously:

* 60-game regular season (40 divisional, 20 home and road, 20 Interleague)
* universal DH
* Runner on 2nd to begin extras
* Trade Deadline: August 31

And as announced by our Blitz24 recently, it will be a 16-team postseason for 2020. Previously for this post was that I was going to mention there would NOT be an expanded postseason. That since has changed.


Many more teams will begin their 2020 campaign today and tonight. Enjoy the first weekend of the new season!
 
Well, teams with losing records that still make the postseason is nothing new. I remember times in college basketball as well as in the NFL where sub-0.500 teams still made the postseason.

Just because the NHL has been doing it for like forever doesn't make it right.

Instead of NHL I should have said "NHL and others.
 
Reds won 7-1 over the Tigers to start the season. Moustakas mashed in his debut for the team with 3 hits, including a dinger, and 4 RBI's. Votto went deep as well, picking up 2 hits in the process. And Sonny Gray was on his game: 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 run, 9 K's.

I had to work today, so I didn't get to see any of it. However, I did get to hear the last 2 innings on the way home. Good start to the season.
 
Twins beat the White Sox 10-5, very nice to finally see their season under way, hopefully they keep up their winning ways.

Having said that I think the cardboard cutouts of fans some teams(?) are using are sort of creepy.
 
The 2020 season of Major League Baseball has begun for many teams today. The Houston Astros won 8-2 over the Seattle Mariners earlier tonight in this four-game series. A big factor in the Astros' win was a 5-run Bottom of the 5th, which included a three-run jack by Michael Brantley. Justin Verlander was the winner for HOU. Marco Gonzales for the loser for SEA.

It seemed strange with no fans in the stands and those cardboard cutout people in the Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid Park. I never been to Minute Maid Park, nor have I seen a game live; but usually, MMP is ROCKING. The Astros seemed like they haven't missed a beat despite the long layoff. Justin Verlander did have that unfortunate moment of being taken deep as the Mariners went up 2-1 early. The Astros still looked and played good.


Congratulations to all other winners from Friday, even including the Cincinnati Reds with a big 7-1 win at home over the Detroit Tigers.
 
You know, I might follow the Toronto Blue Jays this season outside of my beloved Houston Astros. The restrictions on the Blue Jays not being able to play at home in Toronto will mean things will be a good bit tough. It probably would have been the same way even if the old Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals) still played in Canada. The Blue Jays are heading into today's action with a 1-0 record after winning their first game of the season 6-4 at the Tampa Bay Rays.

I think the whole cardboard cutout fans deal is going to be very interesting. Some say the cardboard cutout fans are a bit creepy, but it's pretty cool how they will all play out. You're there, but not... there. It will still be surreal not having lots of spectators in the stands.

Let's see how the 2020 season progresses.
 
Luis Castillo was lights out, leaving the game after 6 innings of 1 run, 1BB, 11K ball. Unfortunately the bullpen couldn't hold the 3-1 lead. Two home runs were given up in the 7th with an additional in the 9th to put it away. On the plus side, Votto is starting off hot this year after starting slow the past couple, going deep once again.

Reds fall to 1-1 after the 6-4 final.
 
I'm so happy baseball is back that I'm willingly sitting around watching Tigers' baseball. At least they didn't look too bad today. The Reds looked way better, as @Dolph Drago pointed out their bullpen blew it.
 
I am still going to report on games by a series format. Having said that, the Houston Astros won 7-2 today over the Seattle Mariners in the 2nd game of this 4-game set. Lance McCullers Jr. was the Astros' winning pitcher. The loser for the Mariners was Taijuan Walker. What was crazy about last season is that the Astros were 18-1 last season against the Seattle Mariners.


Congratulations to all other winners from Saturday's games.
 
Double whammy for the Astros as not only do they have their 15 game winning streak vs. Seattle broken, but ace Justin Verlander is done for the year following an elbow injury.
 
Yeah, we lost 7-6 to Seattle earlier today. I heard two different reports on Justin Verlander- either out for the season or out for at least two weeks. I'm hoping "at least two weeks" unless there's something more. But if he's done for the season, that's going to HURT. Bad.
 
2020 Cincinnati Redlegs:

The Good: The Reds tied a Major League record with their starting rotation combining to record 33 strikeouts in their first 3 games of the season. This matches the 2013 Rangers. Trevor Bauer pitched 6 1/3 innings today, allowing only 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, and fanning 13!

The Bad: The bullpen gave away another game, with the Reds losing 3-2. They fall to 1-2 on the season. DH Matt Davidson (who I'm not actually familiar with) tested positive for Covid-19. Mike Moustakas was put on the IL due to sickness (unknown what the illness is at this time). Nick Senzel was also scratched today as he reported he wasn't feeling well.

At least the Opening Day was nice...:indiff:
 
Mets got destroyed by Atlanta in a game that pretty much exposes how weak their starting pitching is. I really hope that both the owners AND the clueless general manager are gone by the end of the ear.
 
The Reds tied a Major League record with their starting rotation combining to record 33 strikeouts in their first 3 games of the season.

Any team that plays that Tigers is going to rack up the K's. I was chatting with a buddy of mine this afternoon and we figured that the Tigers are currently on pace for nearly 700 strikeouts this season. If it was extended to a 162 game season, they'd be on pace for nearly 1,800 K's, or roughly 200 more than last year's record-setting 1,595 strikeouts.

Seriously, watching the Tigers makes me drink.
 
Any team that plays that Tigers is going to rack up the K's. I was chatting with a buddy of mine this afternoon and we figured that the Tigers are currently on pace for nearly 700 strikeouts this season. If it was extended to a 162 game season, they'd be on pace for nearly 1,800 K's, or roughly 200 more than last year's record-setting 1,595 strikeouts.

Seriously, watching the Tigers makes me drink.
The Cincy rotation is pretty nasty, so I can't fault the Tigers for swinging and missing so much.

And we get to see you guys again in 5 days. :)
 
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