MLB restart issues go beyond health, safety and money
THINK of health and safety as Mount Everest and how to pay the players as Mount Kilimanjaro — or vice versa.
These are the mammoth issues confronting MLB and the Players Association, when it comes to restarting the game (they hope with spring training in less than a month). MLB has opened with health and safety because a) that is a better public first step than squabbling over money and b) practically, there is no reason to squabble over money if MLB does not know for sure the vast majority of the players will return under a negotiated health and safety plan.
The belief is that all the other issues can be worked out if these two main items are resolved. But there are a lot of mountains to climb, not a lot of time to scale them and no indicators yet that firm proposals and back-andforth talks have been undertaken in the other areas. A few that intrigue me:
1. Will there be a trade deadline? One NL executive said this week, “It is hard to tell a player he has been traded in good times — how about, ‘You’ve been traded in a pandemic?’ ” There is much to think about in this area.
In, say, an 82-game season, when is the right time to set a deadline? If a player is traded, would he have to be quarantined in any fashion before joining a new clubhouse? What of his family moving or not moving to a new locale? Would teams trade for minor leaguers who have not played this year and run the risk of not having full information on their health and skill? Could players not traveling with the teams be sent some place to take physicals to complete trades?
This carries over to other acquisition areas too. Say Team A releases Player X, can Team B pick him up and, if so, what is the quarantine situation? What if players are needed beyond the 50 expected to make up active rosters and taxi squads; where do those players come from, how do they stay ready and what is the quarantine situation?
Lastly, you may have teams desperate to have a trade deadline as a way to offload money in a problematic financial environment, but will there be enough teams to take on any significant money?
2. Will there be drug testing? MLB plans on it. You can imagine why. There already will be questions about the legitimacy of a season that, among other things, will be about half as long as normal. MLB would not want questions about untested players.
MLB’s proposal is to turn the Utah lab that oversees its performance-enhancing drug program into its coronavirus testing complex. Theoretically, those who pick up coronavirus samples could do the same with urine samples for drug testing. The union does believe the Joint Drug Agreement would remain in effect, but that discussions/negotiations must be held to see if adjustments are necessary for health and safety reasons.
3. Will instant replay be used? The standard has the replay center staffed with the necessary technicians and a full umpire crew sitting in a room watching questioned calls. Can the numbers be dropped to a safe level to keep this going? The Korea Baseball Organization is still using replay in its league.
4. What becomes of minor leaguers not playing? Does MLB — if the conditions allow — try to expand Instructional Leagues and/or the Arizona Fall League to provide tutoring and growth for its prospects? Do those in the minors gain the minor league service time that moves them closer to having to be put on the 40-man roster or be eligible for the Rule 5 draft, or to gain free agency after six years of minor league service?
5. How will physical contact in games be handled? The umpire, catcher and hitter must be close. But will modifications be deemed necessary on first basemen holding runners? Runners breaking up double plays at second? Home plate collisions? Mound visits by catchers, pitching coaches and managers? In Korea, all the standard contact is being permitted. And also, while the rules for this year are that players cannot highfive or spit, there has been liberal application or enforcement — a reminder that a lot of stuff will be put on paper to try to get baseball back, but not everything is easily regulated.