Discussion

zambonir 2020-07-31 21:23:39 UTC #161

I like how it says "the sport," which implies collective responsibility but also no particular responsibility. Of course the reality is it transcends MLB - they tried to do something that had worked successfully in other countries but we are not like other countries.

It won't bother me if they shut if down but this feels like an opening bluff.

allentown 2020-07-31 22:02:37 UTC #162

"The sport' does amorphously share blame, but then there is a lot of blame to go around. The Commissioner and Players' Association came out with an unworkable safety plan, which failed to protect. The Commissioner pretty much disregarded the plan. The players didn't stay out of bars/strip clubs -- notorious hot spots for Covid break-outs. The Commish sanctioned the Marlins-Phillies series, including game 4, with a documented active infection spreading within Marlins team. the Commish then changed the rules again and shut down the Phillies and Yankees, with no positive tests on either team. Now apparently going to allow games with a team which has had a recent positive. There wasn't an acceptable plan to begin with and what there was hasn't been followed -- it's ad hoc, whatever the Commish thinks at a given moment. Very Trumpian, actually. How many epidemiologists or just doctors would sanction playing game 3 of Marlins-Phillies series, given what was known at the time?

schillingfan 2020-07-31 22:15:01 UTC #163

It’s delusional to think everyone will act “responsibly“ without mandates. Do this, don’t do that. The problem with a highly contagious virus is that it only takes a few irresponsible people to infect the rest.

Lawman 2020-07-31 22:19:52 UTC #164

I expected teams to have 2-3 players get infected. I assume we all did. The Marlins really did buck the SSS trend we're seeing, they seem to be the outliers.

So, assuming that stays the same, but MLB still has teams coming with anywhere from, say, 4-5 staff (players, coaches, etc..) test positive, then if the tolerance for playing through that risk isn't there they never should have opened up to begin with.

flyers19rw 2020-07-31 23:08:45 UTC #165

I’ve pretty much kissed off this baseball season. Management bullied their way into playing out the season the way that it has unfolded. They didn’t want to create bubbles for play. They created loose rules that were wide open to allow for the problems that have arisen to happen. Following that, they did not take the type of steps that might have tied down the outbreak. As of now the game is a mess.
Credit needs to be given to the NBA and NHL for taking the steps that they have taken in order to create an opportunity for their sport to perform. Granted, things may unravel for them and shut downs may occur. However their approach has been much more diligent. They might just be able to work their way through a reasonable season. I’m more invested in other sports than MLB right because of the steps that they have taken. MLB is on the back burner.

LoneStarPhan 2020-07-31 23:10:14 UTC #166

What we have seen happening with regards to infections and positive tests probably is on the low end of what should have been expected with the exception of the Marlins. The document outlining the procedures failed to actually ban dangerous exposure and rather suggested players and staff avoid such behavior.

Ultimately, the commissioner should have been in charge but he seemed unsure and how definitely is being inconsistent in what he is doing. The season has already turned into a joke. If they were not planning to continue playing after positive tested personnel were removed, they should have not even tried to start the season. Working toward a normal start of spring training in 2021 was probably a better goal, and even that now seems in doubt. Without an effective vaccine, we may not be able to have effective baseball. The 2022 season may be the next normal season. I hope we can return to normal baseball by then.

zambonir 2020-08-01 00:09:35 UTC #167

The NHL and NBA aren't actually having a season, which makes it a lot easier. They've already sent a bunch of teams home, and will send a bunch more home in in a week or two. MLB could well end up doing the same. Problem is they are still supposed to play 60 games before narrowing the field to 16, not three or four or 8.

Similarly, as unlikely as football seems IMO, they could play an 8 or 10 game season if they had to, and only have to play once a week, not six times a week.

It seems the MLB manual as written abdicates responsibility from the leagues to the individual teams. That's just too much variance for non-bubble.

If they do muddle through, I'll be curious to see how the ratings are, because competing with the NBA playoffs for the entire regular baseball season can't be that ideal. Hockey's less of a draw (as is soccer) but it can't help either. Usually baseball has July and August to itself.

Ryles 2020-08-01 13:34:54 UTC #168

Why can't Phils have practice & intersquad games today & tomorrow in LHV, then home & home with Yanks with 2 DH's, 1 on Tues in NY & 1 in Philly on Thurs? That would make up 3 of 4 missed games with Yanks.

Squire 2020-08-01 13:39:20 UTC #169

Phillies Friday tests all negative again. Resuming workouts today.

bigegypt0417 2020-08-01 14:33:53 UTC #170

Interesting article on the JP Crawford trade...

https://www.thegoodphight.com/platform/amp/2020/7/31/21349188/did-the-phillies-lose-the-jean-segura-trade?__twitter_impression=true

andyb 2020-08-01 15:38:08 UTC #171

I had noticed he had an OBP over .500 so far though this season is such a weird tiny sample it is hard to know what that means. Always thought it was an awful trade because of Santana as well (and the extra money we took on to balance it including Nicasio).

It was a win now trade that really did not make us much better at shortstop and Segura seems to be on an expected age-related slow decline.

zambonir 2020-08-01 16:06:45 UTC #172

It does seem like the Phillies should be cleared to play Monday if they don't have any positive tests, but they probably don't want to, especially if there are still restrictions on how they can work out this weekend (intrasquad games are unlikely, as are sending any groups of players between Philly and Allentown).

The truth is the only thing that would be fair is if they only played the Marlins, to give both teams a series to get back into shape. And that is actually who is on the schedule this week. Would you want to do it if Miami was ready to put a team on the field? Would you feel good about them bringing up 15 players, a few of whom will have travelled from other cities (their waiver-wire pick-ups) on their own, a few of whom haven't been subject to MLB protocol at all (free agents) and the rest of whom may or may not have been taking proper precautions in a hotspot? Given transmission between the two teams was seemingly nonexistent, I suppose I would.

If MLB is determined to play on, neither solution (making a team sit for 10 days or making a team play with 10 players missing) is really satisfactory from a competitive standpoint.

Squire 2020-08-01 17:07:51 UTC #173

Phillies - Yankees On Monday Poatponed. Rumor is that this was the Phillies requesting more practice time before resuming

zambonir 2020-08-01 17:16:23 UTC #174

Can you postpone a game that technically wasn't even scheduled yet?

zambonir 2020-08-01 19:54:12 UTC #175

Guess the Phillies lost that battle

I still say we should have gotten to play the Marlins, at least the teams would be on equal footing rest-wise.

The Yankees and Phillies, who were originally scheduled to play four games against one another this past week, will play a four-game home-and-home series beginning with two games at Yankee Stadium on Monday, Aug. 3 and Tuesday, Aug. 4, followed by two games at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, Aug. 5, and Thursday, Aug. 6. (all game times TBD).

The originally scheduled game between the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Thursday, Aug. 6, will be rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, Aug. 8. The remainder of their four-game series on Friday and Sunday will remain as scheduled.

The Marlins and Orioles, who were originally scheduled to play four games against one another this past week, will play a four-game series this week in Baltimore from Tuesday, Aug. 4 through Thursday, Aug. 6, with one day including a doubleheader (all game times TBD) and the Marlins serving as the home team for two games.

In addition, the originally scheduled games between the Phillies and Marlins from Aug. 4-6, as well as the originally scheduled game between the Yankees and Orioles on Aug. 5, will be rescheduled for a later date.

schillingfan 2020-08-01 21:03:44 UTC #176

I think they should just add three wins to the Phillies schedule versus the Marlins to make up for the harm cUsed to them through absolutely no fault of their own. Marlins get punished form the harm they caused the Phillies.

Ryles 2020-08-02 14:45:56 UTC #177

Sorry, season getting confusing. No need for double headers with Yanks. It'll be rescheduling Toronto & Miami games that will be interesting.

Squire 2020-08-02 14:52:54 UTC #178

Phillies Saturday COVID-19 tests again came back clean.

andyb 2020-08-02 15:46:15 UTC #179

Looks like Monday against the Yankees is a go for now. The Phillies' reward for sitting out? Gerrit Cole.

Tuesday game might have to be rescheduled for old-fashioned reasons - hurricanes.

zambonir 2020-08-02 19:45:22 UTC #180

I wonder if we'll see Howard get a start given that he has probably been able to stay on his regular turn and maintain a throwing schedule while the "A" team pitchers couldn't.

Otherwise I assume Nola and Wheeler still go next, and Eflin makes his first start (or if not a start, an appearance) before Velasquez goes again (unless they tandem).