In a quote to exhaust every potential scenario Major League Baseball might face this season, SNYs Andy Martino made an intriguing discovery Friday.
If a break out of COVID-19 cases requires one or more of MLBs 30 teams to drop out mid-season, the league will not always be needed to suspend the season or shut it down.
According to a newly exposed passage in the arrangement between MLB and the gamers union, commissioner Rob Manfred will decide if and when it is suitable to suspend or cancel the whole season or a private game. His decision will be based upon several elements, consisting of the “competitive integrity” of the video game.
From SNY:
The March 26 arrangement is now updated to include this passage, which SNY has actually obtained: The Commissioner keeps the right to suspend or cancel the 2020 championship season or postseason, or any games therein, on the occasion that (i) constraints on travel throughout the United States are enforced; (ii) there is a material change in circumstances such that the Commissioner figures out, after assessment with recognized medical professionals and the Players Association, that it postures an unreasonable health and wellness risk to gamers or personnel to stage those video games, even without fans in presence; or (III) The number of gamers who are not available to carry out services due to COVID-19 is so excellent that the competitive integrity of the season is undermined.
Martinos sources inform him the very first 2 products in the above passage were agreed to in March. The 3rd product covering positive tests and competitive stability was included Tuesday.
Theres this excerpt from Martino:
The league is determined to play 60 video games in 66 days, so theres literally no wiggle space to rework travel and reschedule a block of games that might be cancelled. Would teams simply be rewarded wins for having the capability to reveal up? Would they end up with less video games? None of that is made clear.
Baked into the modified language is a recognition that a break out within a group could annihilate it or cause the cancellation of games. That would not immediately suggest an end to the season itself.
The report does not clarify MLBs definition of “competitive stability” or the number of COVID-19 cases would be needed for Manfred to think about suspending or cancelling operations. Nor does it explain how a group going on hiatus or dropping out would modify the schedule or standings.
The league is figured out to play 60 games in 66 days, so theres actually no wiggle space to remodel travel and reschedule a block of games that might be cancelled. Would groups simply be rewarded wins for having the capability to reveal up? Would they end up with less video games? None of that is explained.
What is clear is that MLB league is confident this scenario will not happen. With COVID-19 cases spiking across the nation and throughout the baseball landscape, no situation, even the worst of the worst cases, ought to be fairly ruled out.
Commissioner Rob Manfred could keep the MLB season going even if several teams are required to leave. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) More.
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