MLB ponders all games in Arizona

Putting all 30 teams in the Phoenix area this season and playing in empty ballparks was among the ideas discussed Monday by Major League Baseball and the players association.

The sides held a telephone call to talk about paths forward for a season delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, people familiar with the discussion told The Associated Press.

Ideas are still in the early stage, and the Arizona option would have many obstacles to overcome, the people said.

“MLB has been actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so,” the commissioner’s office said in a statement Tuesday. “While we have discussed the idea of staging games at one location as one potential option, we have not settled on that option or developed a detailed plan.”

Baseball officials intend to study which options may be viable.

“While we continue to interact regularly with governmental and public health officials, we have not sought or received approval of any plan from federal, state and local officials, or the players association,” MLB said. “We are not ready at this time to endorse any particular format for staging games in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the coronavirus.”

Half of the MLB clubs hold spring training in Arizona, the other half in Florida.

Arizona’s advantage is 10 spring training ballparks plus the Diamondbacks’ Chase Field all within about 50 miles. Florida’s spring training ballparks are spread out by as much as 220 miles.

Baseball's season had been set to start March 26, but spring training was halted on March 12.

After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended restricting events of more than 50 people for eight weeks, MLB said it wouldn’t open until mid-May at the earliest.

Both the league and union have agreed to attempt to play as full a season as is possible.