Shorter might be the solution
The Tigers and Reds were the first teams to try out baseball’s new timesaving measure — a doubleheader with seven-inning games.
They ended up having a long day anyway after the opener was delayed over two hours because of rain.
It’s been that kind of season so far for Major League Baseball. Last month, the Yankees and Nationals opened this abbreviated schedule with a game that was shortened because of rain. That set the tone for a chaotic couple of weeks in which the coronavirus has wreaked havoc with the schedule — and the weather hasn’t always cooperated either.
Already, there are questions about whether teams can play the 60 games slated for them — and how they might try to come as close as possible.
By the end of the night Sunday, 12 teams had played 10 games, but six had played seven or fewer.
The shortened doubleheaders are one way to make up games, but Commissioner Rob Manfred said long days at the ballpark are a concern because of the virus. Making doubleheader games seven innings long can help.
A shorter game can take less of a toll on a team’s bullpen, and it also presents a chance for a dominant starter to shine.
There was a time when doubleheaders were a constant. The Boston Braves played a record 46 of them in 1945. But last year, there were only 33 doubleheaders total. The Yankees led the way with seven.
These seven-inning doubleheaders are a possibility every team should be prepared to face.
MLB: The Field of Dreams game in Iowa was postponed until 2021 due to concerns over the coronavirus. The game at a new ballpark on the cornfield adjacent to the site of the 1989 movie had been planned for Aug. 13 in Dyersville. The White Sox originally were to host the Yankees, who were replaced by the Cardinals because of MLB’s new schedule. The White Sox will be one of the teams next year. The opponent hasn’t been determined.
Marlins: CEO Derek Jeter blamed the Marlins’ coronavirus outbreak on a collective false sense of security that made players lax about social distancing and wearing masks. Infected were 21 members of the team’s traveling party, including at least 18 players. None is seriously ill, Jeter said, and he expects all to return this season. With more than half of the team sidelined, Jeter said the Marlins still can be competitive when their season resumes Tuesday int Baltimore after a hiatus of more than a week. Following an MLB investigation, Jeter said, it’s impossible to know where the first Marlins player became infected or how the virus reached their clubhouse. They left South Florida last week to play two exhibition games in Atlanta, and then opened the season with a threegame series in Philadelphia, where the outbreak surfaced. “Guys were around each other, they got relaxed and they let their guard down,” Jeter said. “They were getting together in groups. They weren’t wearing masks as much as they should have. They weren’t social distancing. The entire traveling party got a little too comfortable.” Jeter said his players were annoyed by speculation that reckless misbehavior was to blame. “Our guys were not running all around town in Atlanta,” he said.
Angels: Top prospect Jo Adell is joining the Angels, according to reports. Adell could make his major league debut Tuesday night against the Mariners when the struggling Angels (3-7) open a six-game road trip. Adell is a 21-year-old OF widely considered to be among the best prospects in baseball. He’s ranked No. 6 overall by MLB Pipeline.
Indians: Manager Terry Francona was not with the Indians for their series opener Monday night in Cincinnati as he deals with a gastrointestinal issue. Francona was scheduled for an exam at the Cleveland Clinic to address his medical condition. He was forced to return to the team’s hotel Sunday in Minneapolis. First-base coach Sandy Alomar is filling in for the 61-year-old Francona, whose status for the remainder of the week isn’t yet known. The Indians said Francona’s ailment isn’t COVID-19-related.
Cubs: Kris Bryant was set to return to the Cubs lineup Monday against the Royals after missing two games with a stomach ailment. The 28-year-old former NL MVP, who had thanked Reds 2B Mike Moustakas after he selfreported possible coronavirus symptoms, spoke up when he himself wasn’t feeling well Saturday, and then he had to sit out while he worked his way through MLB’s pandemic protocols.