The MLB has announced a plan to start their regular season as early as May during the COVID-19 shelter in place. Not only does this plan completely change the dynamic of a 162 game season of baseball, but it could also be a future look into what baseball may become in the next decade. With changes to the season, the game and the rules of baseball, fans and players alike question if there is even a point in starting the season back up.
Although there are plenty of changes, the most detrimental to both players and fans is that the entire season would be played in one of the hottest states in America. Arizona can peek at around 120 degrees on the hottest days and while there will be no fans and the Diamondbacks stadium has a closable roof, it can still drastically affect the players’ performances tremendously. The plan also involves seven-inning doubleheaders, involving players to put in 14 innings a day instead of the regular nine.
The seven-inning doubleheaders change the dynamic of both pitching and coaching as it will be much harder to plan out 14 inning days rather than nine. With starting pitchers needing at least four to five days of rest and relief pitchers needing two to three days of rest, planning two games would completely change the dynamic. Not only will it change the way rosters are built, but it will also change the way pitchers think going into a game with only seven innings of playtime. It could completely throw off team dynamics.
In order to keep umpires safe, the MLB will be implementing an electronic strike zone as a replacement. Because players will all be in close proximity during the game, the idea of eliminating a single umpire is a little outlandish and many do not like the idea. An electronic umpire has been a major talk due to the common errors of the human eyes of umpires, but it would drastically change the game of baseball.
Players would have to live in hotels, stay away from their families, and play 14 inning days that could not only negatively affect them physically, but mentally as well. Although players already do this in a regular season, with the stress of the pandemic they would be forced to not come in contact with anyone but coaches and players. The smartest and most practical move for the MLB to avoid the spread of the virus is to pause the season until the shelter in place is lifted.
Starting baseball is something any fan would want after being stuck at home for weeks now, but to start with such major changes while every other sport is making efforts to not play does not make sense. The MLB should just wait until the COVID-19 pandemic is over, keeping players safe and allowing them to be with their families during such stressful times.
