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Optimism/Pessimism poll

July 1

7 votes

August 1

5 votes

September 1

0 votes

April 1, 2021

7 votes

June 1, 2021

0 votes

August 1, 2021

0 votes

April 1, 2022

0 votes

Benjamin Grimm May 05 2020 05:03 PM

Pick the date closet to when you think we'll see regular-season baseball. This poll will run for a week.

Lefty Specialist May 05 2020 05:35 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I've grown pessimistic about them playing this year. We're opening things too soon and we have no plan to deal with what's coming. Hopefully with a new administration we'll get things under control enough to start next season without fans.

TransMonk May 05 2020 06:24 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I'm with Lefty.

kcmets May 05 2020 06:31 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I took 04/01/2021 and would be fine with that if it comes to fruition.

Fman99 May 05 2020 07:07 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

They'll start in July. There's money to be made, even if it's just from TV contracts.

Benjamin Grimm May 05 2020 07:11 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I think they'll play this year. Voted July 1 but suspect it will be closer to the middle of the month.

The Hot Corner May 05 2020 08:59 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I voted July 1, but I agree with Ben, I think it will be sometime later in July.

LWFS May 05 2020 09:38 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

Think about how many seasons have been delayed/derailed by purely monetary issues. Here, we've got those AND the crazy nest of public-health/familial considerations. I'm... not optimistic.

Willets Point May 05 2020 10:51 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I optimistically picked April '21 because starting this year would be a bad thing for many people and I don't want bad things to happen.

G-Fafif May 06 2020 04:44 AM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

Pessimism from Michael Baumann of The Ringer. Even if sufficient national and local authorities give Manfred the go-ahead to reopen, either the league or the union could refuse out of concern for the safety of players and team employees, or even the general population. Players like Mike Trout and Zack Wheeler—both of whom are expecting children this summer—have already expressed opposition to proposed plans that would keep them away from their families. But there's $10 billion worth of revenue on the line, and thanks to the KBO, there's already a template for how MLB can operate with the artifice of safety. Ordinarily a functioning government would take such a massive public health decision out of the hands of people with such a massive interest in returning to business as usual no matter the human cost, but, well, that ship seems to have sailed. https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2020/5/6/21248854/the-joy-and-anxiety-of-watching-kbos-return

G-Fafif May 06 2020 05:04 AM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

Craig Calcaterra, too. Governors of an increasing number of states are announcing increasingly aggressive reopening strategies, to the approval of the federal government. Every few days Major League Baseball leaks some new proposal from their brainstorming sessions about how to bring back the game. How and why is that happening given that our death rates are climbing? How and why is that happening given that there is no real sign that we have even come close to getting the pandemic under control? Given that the medical and public health science doesn't really seem to back up these aggressive reopening schedules, something else is at work. Some desire, be it emotional, political, or some combination of the two, to simply return our country to something approaching normality regardless of that medical and public health science. A desire — overtly stated already by politicians, several of whom have been pushing baseball to return for symbolic and inspirational purposes — for the National Pastime to debut on or around, say, the Fourth of July so that everyone can declare the nation healed and normality restored. That stands in addition, of course, to the business considerations of baseball coming back and what I am sure is a genuine desire on the part of players to play and fans to watch them play. If the Trump administration is correct, however, and we're going to see 3,000 people a day dying of COVID-19 by June, it's worth asking how such a schedule makes any kind of sense whatsoever. And what it says of us as a nation if, despite those numbers, we decide to press on anyway. Should the assertion “baseball is returning in July” lead the conversation with everything necessary to make that happen falling into place afterward, or should, like in South Korea, public health considerations lead the conversation and the reopening of the country follow? That question, by the way, goes both for baseball and for restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons and everything else. I know the common response to that is “we can't stay locked down forever.” I know that people are suffering financially and psychologically from all of this. Of less importance, I know people simply want baseball back. I do too. But if we're going to make the decision, as a nation, to bring back baseball — and bars and restaurants and everything else –while a pandemic still rages, we should be obligated to admit, in no uncertain terms, why it is we're willing to do that. What considerations we are prioritizing above public health. What price we're willing to pay for our convenience, our comfort, and our entertainment. https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/05/05/why-theyre-playing-baseball-in-kbo-and-why-were-not-playing-here/

HahnSolo May 06 2020 06:04 AM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I went with August 1. I might be overly optimistic but I am with FMan and still feel like they are going to try and play somehow. To play in 2020 July 1 feels too early, September 1 seems too late, so I split the difference. Let's say July 15 they open up with a TV only home run derby, then start playing games the following weekend.

Frayed Knot May 06 2020 12:57 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I'm thinking July-ish also, maybe some time between the 4th (symbolic date I know they'd love to push for) and the would-be ASB (reminiscent of the re-kickoff in '81) Apparently Cleveland recently informed their players to be prepared to report for a reopening of ST in mid-June in anticipation of a July resumption. That's nothing official of course and there are lots of hurdles to clear still. But I guess they wanted to get the word out so as to mentally prepare for such a time frame. I think we could also see fans in the stands. Not immediately maybe but as time goes on and on a limited basis. Maybe they sell tickets in blocks of four and your block of four is sufficiently away from all other four-blocks, etc. You'd be far below capacity that way but it beats nothing from both an atmosphere and checkbook standpoint.

Frayed Knot May 06 2020 03:24 PM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

NYPost -- By the beginning of next week at the latest — perhaps even before this week is concluded — MLB is planning to present to the Players Association a proposal that will include what is currently the most optimistic hope: What would a season look like if spring training 2.0 began in June and the regular season in July? The sides are doing this now just in case the rosiest scenario plays out and — among many current hurdles — health officials open up enough locales to allow the renewal of spring training in 6-8 weeks. The obstacles to returning to play, though, remain significant. ... And there is much to settle between MLB and the union, nothing bigger than: 1. Can MLB present a plan that brings confidence to the players that a return can be done with limited health risk and 2. how will the players be paid? MLB is expected to propose a pay scale in the coming days, the union almost certainly will reject it and this will be one of those items that needs time to be negotiated in the coming weeks, which is why it is important to begin now https://nypost.com/2020/05/06/mlb-ramping-up-plans-for-best-case-july-start-to-2020-season/ Ceets: Sherman is a hack so, by definition, none of the above is true. He made it all up.

Benjamin Grimm Jul 25 2020 08:24 AM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

BUMP

Johnny Lunchbucket Jul 25 2020 08:25 AM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

I voted Aug. 1. I win!!!!

MFS62 Jul 25 2020 08:53 AM Re: Optimism/Pessimism poll

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: I voted Aug. 1. I win!!!! As did I. When can we meet to split the swag? Later