Baseball at Long Last (NL East)

There's no denying that the NL East is the most competitive division in baseball.  You could pencil the Marlins into the five-spot, put the other four in a hat, pull them out, and that could very well end up being the final standings.  And you could do it again, get different results, and those could be the final standings.  Basically what I'm saying here is that those four teams are pretty much interchangeable.  The differences between them are that slim.

That was also the case last season.  All the buzz was about the Phillies and their offseason additions.  They ended up missing the playoffs.  The Braves won the division for the second straight year, but lost to St. Louis in the playoffs.  And the Nationals lost Bryce Harper, started 19-31, and ended up winning the World Series.  Oh yeah, and the Mets had both the Cy Young winner and Rookie of the Year.

With the short season and the DH in play, the NL East figures to be even more of a crap shoot in 2020.  You can make a legitimate case for any of those top four teams as the division champion.  The Braves and Phillies both got significantly better, while the Mets and Nationals still have their dominant pitching. 

Whoever ends up winning the division isn't going to run away with it.  In fact, I can see this being a four-way race all season.  And, just like how the Orioles won't be competitive but will still be relevant in that they'll have a say in who wins the AL East, the Marlins will have a major bearing on who wins the NL East.  The team that goes 8-2 against Miami will probably make the playoffs.  The team that goes 5-5 likely won't.

1. Atlanta Braves: As competitive as this division figures to be, I've still gotta give the two-time reigning NL East champs the slight edge.  The Braves lost Josh Donaldson but still have the deepest lineup in the division.  And that's even without Nick Markakis, who opted out of this season (he probably wasn't going to play that much anyway), or possibly Freddie Freeman, who missed the start of Summer Camp with COVID.  They just added Yasiel Puig, too, which makes their lineup that much deeper.

Pitching-wise, Atlanta has at best the third-best rotation in the division.  Which isn't to say it's bad.  They've got a very good 1-2 in Mike Soroka and Mike Foltynewicz, and basically swapped Dallas Keuchel for Cole Hamels, which gives them three solid starters.  But, their rotation still isn't anywhere near the same caliber as the Nationals or Mets.  If the Braves don't win the division, their pitching will likely be the reason why.  Either way, they look like a playoff team, though.  Their goal should be to finally get out of the Division Series.
Projected Lineup: Ozzie Albies-2B, Dansby Swanson-SS, Ronald Acuna Jr.-RF, Freddie Freeman-1B, Marcell Ozuna-LF, Yasiel Puig-DH, Johan Camargo-3B, Travis d'Arnaud-C, Ender Inciarte-CF
Projected Rotation: Mike Soroka, Mike Foltynewicz, Cole Hamels, Max Fried, Sean Newcomb
Closer: Mark Melancon
Projected Record: 34-26

2. Philadelphia Phillies: Let's be clear about something regarding the 2019 Phillies.  It's not Bryce Harper's fault they didn't make the playoffs.  Yes, his contract is ridiculous, but he played 157 games and put up his regular Harper-esque numbers.  Personally, I blame Gabe Kapler.  He simply isn't a good manager.  Joe Girardi is, so that's an obvious upgrade in that department.  The addition of Didi Gregorius and a healthy Andrew McCutchen will help, too.  So will the DH, since that's the only position Jay Bruce should be playing at this point in his career.

Philadelphia also improved its pitching staff by bringing in free agent Zack Wheeler, who gives them four solid starters, a must in this pitching-rich division.  The questions are in the bullpen, though.  Regardless, a competent manager is going to work wonders for this team.  The Phillies knew they weren't far off and plugged in the few holes they had, while handing the reins to a manager who actually knows what he's doing.  That should be enough to add up to a playoff spot, even in the NL East.
Projected Lineup: Andrew McCutchen-LF, J.T. Realmuto-C, Bryce Harper-RF, Rhys Hoskins-1B, Jay Bruce-DH, Didi Gregorius-SS, Jean Segura-2B, Scott Kingery-3B, Adam Haseley-CF
Projected Rotation: Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Jake Arietta, Zach Eflin, Nick Pivetta
Closer: Hector Neris
Projected Record: 33-27 (Wild Card)

3. Washington Nationals: Be honest.  Did anybody think last season would be the year the Nationals finally won?  They've always had the dominant pitching, but last year's when it all came together, despite losing their best position player.  This year, they lost their best position player again, and they've had an inordinate number of players opt out due to health concerns.  But a repeat is still possible (as long as they don't start 19-31 again).  Why?  Because they've got the best pitching in the game.

They missed out on re-signing Anthony Rendon, in part because they were more concerned with keeping World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg in DC.  Mission accomplished.  Strasburg stayed put and that ridiculous 1-2-3 remains in tact.  And, since the season is starting three-and-a-half months late, we also don't have to wonder how much of a bearing all of those postseason innings will have on their arms.  Better still, they're only making 12 starts each, so they can let it loose from the get-go.  As long as Max, Stras and Corbin (the best No. 3 starter in baseball) stay healthy, the Nats will be in the postseason discussion.  All they need to do is hit a little.
Projected Lineup: Trea Turner-SS, Adam Eaton-RF, Juan Soto-LF, Eric Thames-1B, Howie Kendrick-DH, Carter Kieboom-3B, Starlin Castro-2B, Victor Robles-CF, Kurt Suzuki-C
Projected Rotation: Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, Anibal Sanchez, Austin Voth
Closer: Sean Doolittle
Projected Record: 32-28

4. New York Mets: Other than maybe the Dodgers, was there any National League team better equipped to add the DH than the Mets?  Last season, they had about 11 starters that they were trying to cram into eight lineup spots, and ended up playing some guys out of position just to get their bats in the lineup.  That didn't even include Yoenis Cespedes, who will likely fill the DH spot.  If the Mets can keep all these guys healthy, they'll have the hitting to match their dominant pitching.

Even without Noah Syndergaard, their starting rotation is among the best in the game.  And losing Syndergaard actually saved them from making a tough decision, since they otherwise would've had six starters for five rotation spots.  It all starts and ends with Jacob deGrom obviously, but the guys behind him aren't exactly slouches.  And the bullpen is much improved, with Dellin Betances moving across town to give them another power arm in front of Edwin Diaz.  With all this pitching talent and a deep lineup, the Mets certainly have all the makings of a playoff team.  As long as they keep everyone healthy.
Projected Lineup: Jeff McNeil-3B, Brandon Nimmo-CF, Pete Alonso-1B, Robinson Cano-2B, Yoenis Cespedes-DH, Michael Conforto-RF, J.D. Davis-LF, Wilson Ramos-C, Amed Rosario-SS
Projected Rotation: Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Rick Porcello, Steven Matz, Michael Wacha
Closer: Edwin Diaz
Projected Record: 31-29

5. Miami Marlins: The Marlins are starting to move in the right direction.  There's definitely some more talent in Miami this season than there was in 2019.  Their problem, however, is the fact that the other four teams in the division are significantly better than them.  So, if they manage to finish anywhere other than last place, it'll be considered a major achievement.

Sandy Alcantara is a legitimate No. 1 starter, even he's the fifth-best No. 1 in the division.  No. 2 Caleb Smith isn't bad, either.  And their lineup is going to be much deeper with the addition of former Brewers Jesus Aguilar and Jonathan Villar.  That's why I think the Marlins are in slightly better shape than their closest comparison--the Orioles.  Miami has some veterans to mix in with those young guys like Brian Anderson and Lewis Brinson.  They'll be bad.  There's no denying that.  But they'll give one of the four teams above them fits, so the Marlins are going to have a very big role in determining the NL East champion.
Projected Lineup: Lewis Brinson-CF, Jonathan Villar-3B, Jesus Aguilar-DH, Brian Anderson-RF, Corey Dickerson-LF, Garrett Cooper-1B, Jorge Alfaro-C, Miguel Rojas-SS, Isan Diaz-2B
Projected Rotation: Sandy Alcantara, Caleb Smith, Pablo Lopez, Jose Urena, Jordan Yamamoto
Closer: Drew Steckenrider
Projected Record: 22-38

Baseball at Long Last (AL East)

It's been three and a half long months!  But there's finally light at the end of the tunnel!  Opening Day 2.0 is on the horizon!  And that means, it's finally time for my annual baseball preview.  We'll start today with the AL East and run through all six divisions leading into the season opener between the Yankees and Nationals on July 23.

And this season is going to be one of the toughest to project.  Because things are a lot different now than they would've been had they started on time.  Players who were expected to miss significant time will be ready to go for the 60-game sprint, which changes the whole dynamic entirely.  Two weeks could make or break the season, so you'd better not get off to a bad start!

The schedule could end up making a huge difference, too.  Since you're only playing your own division and the corresponding interleague division, your opponents are going to matter.  And that's going to make it tough for Boston or Toronto, who would otherwise be outside playoff contenders in a 162-game season.  They have to play 10 games each against the Yankees and Rays, as well as four good NL East teams.  Just reaching .500 in the shortened season will be an achievement in the shortened season.

Regardless of how long the season is, the Yankees and Rays were going to be the favorites in the AL East, if not the entire American League.  The division should be a battle between the two of them, although the other three will have a big impact on which one actually does.  Whoever has the better record in the 30 games against Boston, Toronto and Baltimore should be the No. 1 seed in the AL.  The other will be hosting the Wild Card Game, which neither of them wants.

1. New York Yankees: No team benefited more from the delay than the Yankees.  Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton weren't going to be available on the original Opening Day.  Now they are.  Although, now they're dealing with a different group of players being out, as DJ LeMahieu and Aroldis Chapman both have COVID and Masahiro Tanaka was hit by a Stanton line drive during an intrasquad game.

As they proved last year, though, the Yankees' depth is unmatched.  Throw in the fact that they now have a legit No. 1 starter in Gerrit Cole, and it isn't crazy to think they could win 40 games.  As it is, I think they'll fall a bit short of that target.  Either way, they're the clear favorites.  And their schedule over the final three weeks is so soft that if they have any sort of a cushion after 40 games, it's gonna be very tough for anybody to catch them.
Projected Lineup: Brett Gardner-LF, Aaron Judge-RF, Giancarlo Stanton-DH, Gleyber Torres-SS, Gary Sanchez-C, Luke Voit-1B, Aaron Hicks-CF, Gio Urshela-3B, Tyler Wade-2B
Projected Rotation: Gerrit Cole, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ, Jordan Montgomery
Closer: Zack Britton
Projected Record: 36-24

2. Tampa Bay Rays: For a team that was all about the "opener" two years ago, the Rays sure have built themselves a formidable starting rotation (further proof that they did it because of a lack of depth more than anything else).  And that rotation should be what leads Tampa Bay back to the playoffs.  They also seem to be the only team capable of challenging the Yankees for division supremacy.  It isn't even that crazy to think they could win the AL East if things break their way.

However, there's one major difference between the two.  Tampa Bay's lineup is nowhere near as good as the Yankees'.  Which is why the Rays are probably looking at a wild card.  Make no mistake, though.  This is clearly the second-best team in the AL East.  And with that pitching staff, they're not gonna need to outscore teams.  Expect a lot of 3-1 and 4-2 wins.  Will it be enough to top the Yankees?  Probably not.  Will it be enough to make the playoffs?  Most likely.
Projected Lineup: Kevin Keirmaier-CF, Brandon Lowe-2B, Austin Meadows-RF, Jose Martinez-DH, Hunter Renfroe-LF, Yandy Diaz-3B, Ji-Man Choi-1B, Willy Adames-SS, Mike Zunino-C
Projected Rotation: Blake Snell, Charlie Morton, Tyler Glasnow, Yonny Chirinos, Ryan Yarbrough
Closer: Diego Castillo
Projected Record: 34-26 (Wild Card)

3. Boston Red Sox: Let's get one thing straight about the Red Sox.  They're not gonna challenge the Yankees and Rays this season.  They know this.  But they haven't slipped into Orioles/Marlins/Tigers territory either.  So, for all the dire projections talking about how "bad" Boston is this season, it's simply not true.  The Red Sox might've traded Mookie Betts, the second-best player in the game, but they still have a formidable lineup that's going to keep them in games night after night.  I even think they have the chance to play spoiler.

Boston's best chance for making the postseason went away when MLB opted not to expand the playoff field this season, though.  Their pitching simply isn't good enough.  Their pitching wasn't good enough last season, when they had Chris Sale and David Price.  This year, the rotation is anchored by Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi.  Needless to say, that's more than a bit of a downgrade.  And don't get me started on their bullpen!  Brandon Workman's not exactly what you'd call an "A-list" closer.  I'll just leave it at that.
Projected Lineup: Jackie Bradley Jr.-CF, Andrew Benintendi-LF, Xander Bogaerts-SS, J.D. Martinez-DH, Rafael Devers-3B, Alex Verdugo-RF, Mitch Moreland-1B, Christian Vazquez-C, Jose Peraza-2B
Projected Rotation: Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez, Ryan Weber, Collin McHugh
Closer: Brandon Workman
Projected Record: 29-31

4. Toronto Blue Jays: Like the Red Sox, the Blue Jays saw their best hopes of making the postseason disappear when the playoff field wasn't expanded.  And their best chance of being a spoiler went away when the season shrank by 100 games.  Over 162 games, Toronto's young lineup would've been a nightmare to face.  Over 60, it's far less scary.

There's also the issue of where the Blue Jays are going to play.  They still aren't sure whether they'll be able to play in Toronto or not.  Their Spring Training complex in Florida is probably out for obvious reasons, so it seems very possible they'll be playing at least some of their games at their Triple A facility in Buffalo (which is a fine venue).  Either way, they're probably a season or two away from being true contenders in the AL East.  I absolutely love the fact that they've already moved Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to first base, too.  That's going to make them better across the board.
Projected Lineup: Bo Bichette-SS, Cavan Biggio-2B, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.-1B, Randal Grichuk-CF, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.-LF, Rowdy Tellez-DH, Teoscar Hernandez-RF, Brandon Drury-3B, Danny Jansen-C
Projected Rotation: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Tanner Roark, Matt Shoemaker, Chase Anderson, Shun Yamaguchi
Closer: Ken Giles
Projected Record: 27-33

5. Baltimore Orioles: At least they can't lose 100 games this year!  Although, they might not've even in a full season.  Because the Orioles are definitely getting better.  They're still the fifth-best team in the AL East by a significant margin.  But they have a chance of being more competitive this season.  Or, I should say, they had a chance.  Because no team was hurt by the regional scheduling more than the Orioles, who along with the Marlins will be the opponent each of the other eight looks to beat up on.

I'm actually curious about this season's Orioles, too.  Will Adley Rutschmann, last year's No. 1 pick, make his Major League debut?  I think it's likely he will, if for no other reason than the fact that he won't see any live game action until April if they don't.  So, the cancellation of the Minor League season combined with Baltimore likely being out of the race will result in Rutschmann playing for the Orioles at some point in September.  There's no reason for him not to.  So they might as well do what the Blue Jays did last year and take a look at their younger guys in game conditions, just to see what they have.
Projected Lineup: Hanser Alberto-2B, Jose Iglesias-SS, Trey Mancini-RF, Renato Nunez-DH, Rio Ruiz-3B, Anthony Santander-LF, Austin Hays-CF, Chris Davis-1B, Pedro Severino-C
Projected Rotation: John Means, Alex Cobb, Asher Wojciechowski, Wade LeBlanc, Tommy Milone
Closer: Mychal Givens
Projected Record: 22-38

Magical Midsummer Moments

This weekend was supposed to mark the start of baseball's annual midsummer celebration.  The All*Star Game promised to be something special this year, too.  It was set to be held at Dodger Stadium for the first time in 40 years, so Hollywood's bright lights would've been shining on the game's finest players, the home team would've been well represented, and Vin Scully would've been involved in some way.

But, since this is 2020, none of that will happen.  The season itself hasn't even started yet!  Meanwhile, the All*Star Game (just like everything else) became a victim of this hellish year.  The Dodgers were given 2022 as compensation, but we won't be seeing hometown favorite Mike Trout digging in against hometown favorite Clayton Kershaw (who'd finally be making his first All*Star start!) to get things started in the Southern California sunshine.

That image reminds me of a great All*Star moment that happened in Southern California--Bo Jackson's leadoff home run in 1989.  Bo's homer is one of the first classic All*Star moments that I can truly remember watching live.  There have been plenty of others in the nearly 90-year history of the All*Star Game, too.  So many, in fact, that I had trouble narrowing down a list of my favorites to just 15.  As a result, I've got five honorable mentions to go along with my top 15.

Honorable Mention: Al Rosen hits two HRs at home ('54); Stan Musial's 12th inning walk-off HR ('55); Baseball returns after the strike ('81); Randy Johnson & John Kruk ('93); Ichiro's inside-the-park HR ('07)

Now on to the top 15.  (Please note that these moments are just from the All*Star Game itself.  No Josh Hamilton or Aaron Judge or Pete Alonso in the Home Run Derby.)

15. Dave Parker's Throws ('79): Dave Parker is probably the only player ever to win All*Star MVP strictly because of what he did on defense.  But that's exactly what happened in 1979.  He had two outfield assists...in consecutive innings!...cutting down a runner at third to end the seventh and the potential go-ahead run at the plate (on the fly!) in the eighth.

14. Torii Hunter Robs Barry Bonds ('02): The 2002 All*Star Game didn't have the best ending.  And the less we say about the controversial tie, the better.  But that doesn't mean the game didn't have any highlights.  On the contrary, Hunter's robbing Bonds of a homer (and the playful response by Bonds between innings) is one of the most tremendous defensive plays in All*Star history.  And, who knows, if that ball does go out, maybe the finish isn't so controversial.

13. Cal Ripken Moves to Short ('01): Cal Ripken had a pretty memorable All*Star sendoff in 2001, homering in his first at-bat and winning MVP.  But my favorite Ripken moment from that game came at the beginning.  He was voted in as the AL's starting third baseman, but starting shortstop A-Rod went to third and convinced Cal to switch positions with him, letting Ripken play an inning at the position he helped redefine.  (Little did we know that A-Rod would become a third baseman permanently three years later.)

12. Johnny Callison Walk-Off HR ('64): It wasn't the first walk-off home run in All*Star Game history, but it was one of the most dramatic.  In the only All*Star Game ever played at Shea Stadium, the AL had a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.  After Willie Mays scored on an error to tie the game, Callison ended it with a dramatic two-out, three-run homer to right.

11. Bo Jackson Leadoff HR ('89): As I mentioned, Bo Jackson's leadoff homer in 1989 is one of the first truly memorable All*Star Game moments I can remember.  Tony La Russa wanted to cash in on Bo's popularity by having him bat leadoff.  I'd say that was a good decision!  He took the first pitch and crushed it to center.  Wade Boggs followed with a home run of his own, as the AL went back-to-back to start the game, all with Ronald Reagan in the booth!

10. Exit Sandman ('13): How was it possible not to get chills in 2013 when the bullpen door swung open and "Enter Sandman" started blaring over the sound system?  Then Mariano Rivera trotted out to the mound, where he was all alone, basking in the respect and adoration that 19 years as the greatest closer in history warranted.  The fact that it all happened in New York made it even better.  (And of course he threw a perfect inning to win MVP honors.)

9. National League Comeback ('94): Some people consider the 1994 All*Star Game to be one of the best, if not THE best, ever.  The AL entered with a six-game winning streak and it looked like that would hit seven when they took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth with Hall of Fame closer Lee Smith on the mound.  Fred McGriff tied it with a two-run bomb, though, then the NL won it when Tony Gwynn beat the throw home on Moises Alou's double in the 10th.  We all know what happened a month later, but we're not gonna talk about that.

8. Babe Ruth Homers In the 1st All*Star Game ('33): Talk about a way to validate an idea!  The greatest players in the game all on the same field for an exhibition game between the two leagues.  In 1933, no one had any idea what it would become.  Enter Babe Ruth.  Of course he hit the first hoem run in All*Star Game history.  Would you expect anything less from the most famous player in the sport (now and then)?

7. Carl Hubbell's 5 Consecutive Strikeouts ('34): A year later, Ruth was involved in another memorable All*Star Game moment.  National League starter Carl Hubbell struck him out in the first inning.  Then Lou Gehrig.  Then Jimmie Foxx.  Then in the second, he struck out Al Simmons and Joe Cronin.  Five consecutive strikeouts.  All Hall of Famers.  (After a Bill Dickey single, Hubbell also struck out AL pitcher Lefty Gomez, another Hall of Famer.)

6. Yankee Stadium Says Goodbye ('08): Everything about the 2008 All*Star Game was magical.  It started with a pregame ceremony honoring 49 Hall of Famers and it ended five hours later on Michael Young's 15th-inning sac fly at 1:30 in the morning.  It was quite a farewell to the 85-year-old original Yankee Stadium.

5. Reggie Jackson's HR Off the Light Tower ('71): From 1963-82, the National League went 19-1 in All*Star Games.  The one AL win came at Tiger Stadium in 1971.  There were six home runs in the game, but only one was historic.  In the bottom of the third, Reggie Jackson, making the second of 14 career All*Star appearances, hit one OFF THE LIGHT TOWER! approximately 520 away.

4. Ted Williams Walk-Off HR ('41): Tiger Stadium's first All*Star Game was in 1941, aka the summer of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams.  It was in the middle of DiMaggio's hitting streak, and he had a single, but it was Williams who authored the game's memorable moment.  His three-run blast in the bottom of the ninth (with the AL trailing 5-4) was the first walk-off home run in All*Star game history.

3. Pedro Martinez & Ted Williams ('99): Ted Williams had one final All*Star moment in 1999, when he was the last member of the MLB All-Century Team introduced at Fenway Park.  Every single person on the field, Hall of Famers and All*Stars alike, was simply in awe of his presence.  Then it was another Hall of Famer from the home team who took over.  Pedro Martinez struck out the side in the first and five total (three Hall of Famers, plus McGwire and Sosa the year after their great home run chase) over two innings of work in a 4-1 AL win.

2. Pete Rose Knocks Over Ray Fosse ('70): Arguably the most famous play in All*Star Game history is the game-winning run from the 1970 contest.  It really was the embodiment of Pete Rose and his "Charlie Hustle" mentality, too.  With two out in the bottom of the 12th, he rounded third and crashed into AL catcher Ray Fosse just as the ball got there.  Fosse separated his shoulder on the play, and his career was never the same.

1. Fred Lynn's Grand Slam ('83): Fred Lynn celebrated the All*Star Game's 50th anniversary in style.  In the third inning of the 1983 game, he came up with the bases loaded and deposited Atlee Hammaker's pitch into the right field seats.  It was the first (and, so far, only) grand slam in All*Star Game history, and it was also the knockout punch that snapped the AL's 11-year All*Star losing streak.  (PS: How is Fred Lynn not in the Hall of Fame?)

The Dominoes Begin Falling

The Ivy League was first back in March.  They cancelled their basketball tournament before anyone else and withdrew their athletes from the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.  At first it seemed like an overreaction.  As it turns out, they were simply ahead of the pack.

Even after the country came to a sudden halt and all NCAA sports came to an abrupt end, most people expected things would be back to normal by the fall.  Or, maybe I should say, the "hope" was that things would be back to normal.  Because the thought of the football season also being affected, especially after losing the March Madness dollars, was almost too much for Athletic Departments, conferences and TV networks to think about.

That time is rapidly approaching, however, and the landscape is still as uncertain as ever.  Some schools plan on opening as scheduled in the fall (with appropriate measures, of course).  Others will only have some students on campus.  Still others will start later and finish the semester at Thanksgiving.  And there are those that will conduct the fall semester entirely online.

So, needless to say, with all those different approaches to reopening, the fall season is obviously going to be impacted.  The NCAA released its "return to play" protocols, but pretty much left it up to the individual schools and conferences.  The Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association was the first to cancel the entire fall season conference-wide, but, for the most part, conferences left it up to their individual members to make their own decisions (and adjust accordingly if necessary).  

A number of them (mostly at the lower levels) adjusted their fall schedules (starting later and ending earlier, fewer games, limiting travel, etc.), while a few announced that they were sitting out the fall season.  Meanwhile, most of the big boys, still hopeful that they'd be able to have an uninterrupted football season, took a wait and see approach.  

Until the Ivy League, once again, became the trendsetter.  On Wednesday, the Ivy Council of Presidents announced its unanimous decision not to participate in any intercollegiate sports--including football--during the fall semester.  They didn't officially "cancel" the season for fall teams.  There's still a possibility that some may be able to compete in some capacity during the spring semester.  

Just like in March, the Ivy League became the first major conference to make an official decision regarding the fall season.  And, just like in March, other conference quickly followed the Ivy's lead.  

Two Power 5 leagues--the Big Ten and Pac-12--will play conference-only schedules this fall.  In all sports.  That means no Notre Dame-Wisconsin game at Lambeau Field.  That means no Iowa-Iowa State.  That means no USC-Alabama season opener.  It also means no guarantee games, which directly impacts those MAC and Sun Belt teams that rely on that pay day.  No decision so far from the ACC, Big 12 or SEC, but you'd have to imagine they'll follow the lead.

What this means for Notre Dame is unclear.  There's speculation that if the ACC goes to a conference-only football schedule, Notre Dame would be included since they're an ACC member in every other sport.  They could potentially fill out the schedule by keeping the Navy game and playing other independents like BYU, but it's also possible that Notre Dame would end up playing only 5-6 games this season as a result of these conference-only schedules (marking perhaps the first time their football independence will really hurt them).

And I'm curious to see what that'll mean for bowl games.  Would it extend to bowls (assuming bowls are able to be played in late December/early January)?  And how do you choose bowl teams?  Because somebody has to lose every game, so, without non-conference games to boost their records, conferences will have more bowl bids to fill than teams with .500 records.

There's a potentially much bigger impact than just football, though.  Large cross country invitationals will have to be replaced with small dual meets against local conference members, which isn't exactly the highest-quality competition.  And does conference-only mean the Power 5 schools won't participate in NCAA Tournaments?  If so, that almost defeats the purpose of even having them.

Although, I have to say, the conference games only approach makes sense.  There's no way to know what kind of testing protocols are in place at schools in other leagues.  It's easier to set and enforce a conference-wide policy, though.  And, if one school determines it's too risky to open (which is an NCAA requirement to return to play) and decides not to participate in a sport this fall, it will affect everyone else the same.  The conference can simply adjust the schedule accordingly.

Everyone understands that this is a temporary solution to a problem that's much bigger than all of us, too.  So, there's got to be some flexibility from everybody.  No one wants to be in this situation.  But they're all willing to do what they need to do in order to get this season played.  Then, hopefully, things will go back to normal in 2021.

Of course, this is all assuming were able to have a 2020 season, which is by no means a certainty.  And everyone's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that happens.  Because the other option--no college sports at all until 2021--is something nobody wants.

The 2020 Baseball Schedule

This baseball season is going to be weird.  We already knew that.  A third of the schedule will be interleague.  Teams will be fighting for the same playoff spots without facing each other or any common opponents.  The regional schedules will benefit some and hurt others, and even with regional schedules some teams will be doing significantly less traveling than others.  What we didn't know is what that 60-game schedule would look like.  Until today.

Looking at the schedule, the teams in the East both benefit and are hurt by it.  They benefit because all of their games are in the Eastern time zone.  They also benefit by playing the Orioles and Marlins.  However, those are the only weak teams on the slate.  The rest of the NL East is loaded.  There isn't an easy game against any of those other four.  Then you throw in the fact that they'll have to play the Yankees and Rays, too, and those are going to be 60 tough games.

Meanwhile, when they flashed up the "strength of schedule" on the MLB Network show (two things you normally only talk about with the NFL), it wasn't really a surprise that the teams with the easiest schedules reside in the Central.  The Central is the weakest division in both leagues.  So, as a result of playing so many games against the Tigers, Royals and Pirates (and none of the "good" teams), we could easily see a team like Cincinnati or the White Sox in the wild card mix.

Then you head out West, and you have the San Diego Padres, who'll play a grand total of three games outside the State of California in the entire month of September.  The West teams will still have the most travel since they'll have to go to Colorado, Texas and Seattle, but it's obviously not nearly as much as they normally would.  More importantly, they won't have the multiple coast-to-coast flights they normally do, so you'd figure they won't be anywhere near as travel-weary as usual.

And you can bet that the Astros and Red Sox are completely OK with the fact that there won't be any fans in the stands.  They aren't completely off the hook for their cheating scandals (that seem so long ago), but, needless to say, the reaction they'll receive in empty ballparks in August is vastly different than they would've gotten in front of a sellout crowd in an April road game.  Whether fans remember or still care next season is a different question, but my guess is they won't forget.

Although, the adjustments made to the interleague opponents because of the regional scheduling gave us some tantalizing matchups we otherwise wouldn't have seen this season.  The Astros will go to LA and face the Dodgers for the first time since the 2017 World Series (it really is unfortunate that there won't be fans at that one).  And let's not forget our Opening Night matchup--Yankees at Nationals, Cole vs. Scherzer!  That wouldn't have happened this season, either.

One series that was supposed to happen but now won't is Yankees-Rangers.  That was going to be the matchup for the Rangers' opening game at the new Globe Life Field (not to be confused with their old stadium--Globe Life Park--which is across the parking lot, on the other side of Jerry's World).  Instead of the Yankees, they get the Colorado Rockies in the opening game.  Although, that probably doesn't make much of a difference since there won't be any fans there.

Fans who hate interleague play and despise the DH might want to look away this season.  Because, in addition to the universal DH, there will be at least three interleague series every time all 30 teams are in action.  That also includes the Field of Dreams Game, the only special event still on the 2020 schedule.  It was supposed to be White Sox-Yankees, but they're no longer playing each other this season, so the matchup is now an interleague one between the White Sox and Cardinals.

White Sox-Cardinals at the Field of Dreams will be on FOX on a Thursday night.  There will be a lot of games on FOX, including a Thursday game pretty much every week until football season starts.  I'm not sure if that was planned or if they were added so that FOX had the appropriate number of games to fulfill its contract, but, with the emphasis FOX is placing on live sports in prime time, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the former.

It seems pretty clear that FOX is trying to make up inventory, though.  (Although, I'm sure they're desperate to show anything after four months of nothing but classic games.)  Because instead of showing the bulk of their games on FS1, all but one of their scheduled broadcasts is on FOX, including a tripleheader on Saturday of Opening Weekend.

ESPN is doubling-up on games, too.  There are only two games on July 23, an Opening Night doubleheader featuring Yankees-Nationals and Giants-Dodgers.  Then they've got a doubleheader on their first Sunday night.  (In total, there are 16 nationally-televised games in the first four days of the season between FOX, FS1, ESPN, MLB Network and TBS.)

But you figured they'd beef up the national TV schedule, and not just to make up for lost inventory.  Playing in empty stadiums is going to be a different dynamic for everybody.  The Orioles and White Sox played a behind-closed-doors game in Baltimore several years ago, and it was eery how quiet it was.  Chris Davis hit a home run and it was silent!

Some teams will adjust better than others.  The Marlins and Rays are used to playing without anybody there.  But teams like the Yankees and Red Sox and Cubs are used to packed stadiums with crazy fans hanging on every pitch.  These are professionals, so it shouldn't matter.  But they won't have a crowd's energy to feed off.  They'll need to do it all by themselves.  And it could definitely have an impact.

Another thing that could have an impact is a good start or finish.  In a season of 60 games, two weeks can make or break you.  One bad stretch could knock you out of the race entirely.  And, on the flip side, 10 games is a sixth of the season, so if you go 8-2 or 9-1 over a 10-game span, you're golden (as long as you don't follow it up by going 3-7).  Which makes every game that much more important.

After a three-and-a-half-month delay, teams figure to be in midseason form from the get-go.  No saving pitchers for the stretch run.  Because the stretch run starts right away.  Which means we'll have pennant race intensity right from Opening Day on July 23-24 until Game 60 on September 27. 

The slate of games to end the season (when everyone plays at the same time on the final Sunday) is pretty tantalizing, too.  Angels-Dodgers AND Cubs-White Sox to end the season?!  Are you kidding me?!  Especially since more teams figure to be in the race because of the condensed season, those final series are going to be crazy!

Not As Easy As It Sounds

It looks like the pressure is finally going to get to the Washington Redskins.  After years of vehemently rejecting calls to change their controversial name, the team has announced that it will "undergo a thorough review of the name."  And it looks like the end result will be the critics getting what they want.  Because there's no way the "Redskins" name will be able to survive this time.

What makes this time different?  Well, for starters, the social unrest in the country, which has brought a renewed spotlight to the controversy, isn't going away anytime soon.  But beyond that, it's starting to hit the team financially.  First, FedEx, the naming-rights sponsor of their stadium, called on the team to change its name.  Then Nike pulled all Redskins gear from its website while keeping the other 31 NFL teams, which I didn't even know was allowed (Tennessee is the last name on the alphabetical list...Washington isn't even on the drop down!).  

D.C. lawmakers have said they'd love to see the team return to the District when their lease on FedEx Field expires.  They won't let the Redskins build a stadium within the city limits unless they change their name, though.  They have land.  But, as long as the team is still known as the "Redskins," they won't sell it to them.

All of those factors--not to mention all of the external pressure from other groups--is simply too much to overcome.  Frankly, it's only because of Daniel Snyder's stubbornness that they haven't changed the name already.  Even Snyder knows that the time has come, though.  So, despite all of the history tied to the "Redskins" name (which is part of the reason Snyder is so resistant to change), the name itself will likely become a part of history soon.

Some people have even suggested that a name change may happen this season.  Don't count on it.  That's a bit quick.  So, they'll have to deal with at least one more season of "Redskins," and possibly more.  Because there's a lot more to it than simply saying "we're gonna change our name."

For starters, the season starts in two months.  Yes, I know, "pandemic."  But, as of now, the NFL will start on time in early September.  Simply put, that's not enough time to go through the complete rebrand that a new name would require.  And, don't forget, they haven't done two important parts of that equation yet, either.  They haven't said that they're definitely changing the name and they haven't said what their new name will be.  And the chances of them even choosing a new name by September seem slim at best.

Choosing the name is only the first step, too.  Trademarking it is a whole separate process.  First they need to make sure the name they want isn't already trademarked.  Then they need to apply, receive and register the trademark.  They also have to run it all by the NFL.

Remember all the hoops the Golden Knights had to jump through just to obtain their trademark?  That's a big reason why Seattle's expansion hockey team, which has existed for nearly two years and is scheduled to begin play 16 months from now, still doesn't have a name!  And they've registered 13 different trademarks for potential names!

That's just the first step.  Once they have a new name and all the trademarks, they need a new logo, which needs to be designed, approved, focus grouped, etc.  That also takes time.  If it was as simple as changing the logo or color scheme (I think they should keep burgundy & gold regardless), they might be able to rush that process.  But, even if you rush, a logo change takes more than two months.  And we're talking about a complete rebrand here!

There's also the merchandise.  One of the reasons the process takes so long is because there's a lot of officially-licensed merchandise out there.  The NFL obviously sends out that apparel ahead of time.  So, once Washington completes its rebrand, all of that merchandise needs to come off the shelves and be replaced by the new stuff.  All of the 2020 gear has already been shipped!  That millions of dollars worth of gear that either the team or the league would have to buy back.  And they'd have nothing to replace it with!

When the Cleveland Indians (who are also contemplating a name change) retired Chief Wahoo, they said that they would still have the logo a limited amount of merchandise in their team store in order to preserve the trademark.  I'm not sure how it would work here since a name change is obviously different than retiring a logo, but I would imagine it's something similar.  The New Orleans Pelicans effectively sold their history along with the trademark to the Charlotte Hornets a few years ago.

The NFL technically owns the "Houston Oilers" trademark, so I'd imagine they'd also purchase the "Washington Redskins" trademark for historical purposes.  Otherwise, when the team's ownership of the trademark lapsed, anyone would be free to buy it and do with it whatever they please.  And there would be nothing the NFL, the Washington football team, or anybody else could do about it.

Taking all that into consideration, it's unrealistic to think the entire rebranding process can be completed in the next 10 weeks (it would actually need to be sooner than that with training camp scheduled to start in early August).  While possible, it's even optimistic to think that this could all be done in time for the 2021 season.  So, I think the earliest we'll see a Redskins name change take effect would be 2022.

Either way, the "Redskins" nickname's days appear to be numbered.  The controversy has reached its breaking point, and they've been left with no other choice.  Although, they could always just change the logo to a potato.

Playing In the Bubble

As the NBA and NHL get set to resume their seasons and MLB teams are beginning Summer Camp, the pandemic keeps raging across the U.S., especially in Florida, where the NBA will have its "bubble" at Disney World.  And as players get ready to start playing again in the midst of a pandemic, there's plenty of concern about the number of cases and what will happen after the inevitable positive test.

Players have been given the option of sitting out for health reasons, and a number have taken that option.  Whether it's because of concern for themselves or others, some big names have decided that it's simply not worth it while dealing with a virus that has proven to be nothing if not unpredictable.  Others have tested positive, leading to the questions about what happens if an entire team becomes infected.

All of those are legitimate concerns as we all try to navigate a situation that is completely unprecedented.  But panic and overreaction aren't going to help anything.  There are going to be positive tests.  Everyone understands that.  It's how those positive tests are handled that will really show us whether or not this can work.  Because once they get started, they can't (and shouldn't) shut down again because of one positive.

Back in March, when Rudy Gobert tested positive and the NBA immediately shut down, it was the right decision.  Ever since then, they've been trying to figure out a way to safely return and finish the season.  And their plan to have a "bubble" where everyone was quarantined together with limited outside access to the hotels and arenas certainly seemed like the best option.  (Even if their choice of Florida, while good at the time, looks questionable now.)

The WNBA and MLS also chose Florida for their resumptions.  That's obviously a risky proposition for all three leagues, especially with the spike (which is why MLB teams are training at their home ballparks instead of their Spring Training complexes).  But, they're going to control the environment as much as they can.  Whether or not that makes a difference and helps keep the number of cases at bay remains to be seen.

There are going to be cases.  You'd have to be living in a dream world to think there won't be.  But again, one positive case is not enough of a reason to shut the whole thing down again.  As other leagues around the world have shown, they can keep going despite positive cases as long as they have a plan and do it right.

That's exactly what happened in the Australian Football League.  It was their first or second week back and I was watching a game (sometimes that time difference is a huge benefit) when they cut in to say the commissioner was going to have an announcement immediately after the game.  They eventually confirmed that a player had tested positive.  The only game that was postponed was the one involving his team.  Otherwise, everything continued as scheduled.  They had an effective plan, so there was no need to stop the entire league again.

Likewise, golf has been back for a few weeks and been able to successfully manage its positive cases.  Why?  Because they, too, have an effective plan.  If a player tests positive, he can't enter the tournament.  And last week a caddie tested positive.  The player was negative, but he played his round solo just in case.

It's obviously a lot easier to wear masks and socially distance in golf than it would be in a contact sport like basketball.  But that doesn't mean things need to be different in the NBA's or NHL's approach to a positive test.  Especially with the amount of testing they plan on doing, they'll pretty much know immediately if somebody's positive.  Which will make it that much easier to appropriately deal with it.

Of course, the idea of an entire team testing positive is always going to be there.  That's the reason why the Orlando Pride opted out of the NWSL's return tournament, after all.  And the Edmonton Oilers had four positives once they all reconvened for training camp.  Baseball is especially concerned about that possibility, which, admittedly, seems more likely to happen there since they'll still be traveling from city to city (even with a regional schedule, teams will still be visiting Florida, Texas and California).

So how do they go about it then?  No one knows the right answer!  Every league has released an incredibly detailed health & safety protocol to address as many COVID-related questions as possible, and even those may not be as comprehensive as they could've been.  The truth is it's something they'll deal with when and if they have to, while hoping that won't be the case.  Regardless, though, all of those plans have the same basic premise: one positive test, or even a handful of positive tests, won't shut the league down again.

Bottom line, the prospect of positive tests among players, coaches, staff members and regular people coming in and out of the bubble is very real.  They can set up as controlled a setting as they want.  The can limit movement and require masks and take every other precaution they can think of, and the virus could still break through those walls.  Which is something everyone needs to understand and accept.

No one said this was going to be risk-free.  If they wanted to wait until it was completely risk-free, we wouldn't have any professional sports until 2021.  But, for the players, there's just as much risk of a positive COVID test as there is of any other type of injury.  And, with the number of games being condensed into such a short time frame, those injuries would potentially be season-ending (and possibly extend into next season).

Are "bubbles" and "hub cities" and empty stadiums the perfect solution?  Of course not!  But they sure beat the alternative.  And, with all the effort everyone has put into making sure it works, it's certainly worth the risk.