In accordance with the CDC’s recommendations regarding gatherings of 50 or more people in this new coronavirus world we live in, the opening day of the 2020 season won’t come until May for the Yankees and Mets. While this is a drag for everyone looking forward to the season, yours truly included, baseball had to do this. Given the new information coming out about those recovering from the disease, you HAVE to follow the CDC’s recommendation.
Why We Should Trust the Experts at the CDC
The CDC recommended limiting as much as possible gatherings of 50+ people for the next two weeks. Based on information coming out of areas like China, it’s now more imperative to protect us fans AND the athletes.
Research out of Hong Kong is showing that close to 25% of patients recovering from the coronavirus are recovering with 20-30% less lung capacity. I posed why it’s imperative to suspend the season due to the coronavirus based on just how fast the disease spreads. Think about it, 1 person who doesn’t know they have the coronavirus could infect 10,000 people at Yankee Stadium, and those infected can then go and infect 3 others, bringing it to 30,000 infected people. Based on the research out of Hong Kong, that would mean 120,000 infected would have 20-30% reduced lung capacity.
Could you imagine Gio Urshela, RIPPING an easy double into the left field corner, but he has to settle for a single based on how winded he is because he had coronavirus?
What Could This Mean for the Postseason?
Baseball is determined to play as many games as possible once the season starts. Let’s argue that the season starts after Memorial Day, and they set out to play ALL 162 games. That would mean, essentially, 2 consecutive months where every day is a double header. That’s unrealistic. What’s more unrealistic, is to push the start of the postseason back by 2 months. That would mean we wouldn’t have the World Series until either Thanksgiving or Christmas, possibly starting Spring Training at the same time in 2021 (around Valentines Day is when players start reporting).
You have to have a shortened season. The 162 game format, as it exists in the American AND National league, has only existed for 58 out of the 151 years Major League Baseball has existed (the American League adopted the 162 game season in 1961, with the National League following suit in 1962). If you don’t shorten the season, you then have to delay the start of Spring Training in 2021, while also trying to work out a new CBA.
If Rob Manfred screwed the pooch on the Astros punishment, he has his opportunity to redeem himself with how to handle the coronavirus. Let’s all be patient, and hope for above average baseball when the season does start.