Tag: Rob Manfred

NEW YORK (WJW) — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred warns the sport will shut down for the season if the coronavirus isn’t managed better, sources told ESPN. Manfred reportedly told this information to the MLB Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark on Friday. The alleged conversation follows multiple coronavirus outbreaks within the league. Eighteen Miami […]

Report: Baseball could face shutdown if coronavirus isn’t better managed, MLB commissioner warns — fox8.com

NEW YORK (WJW) — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred warns the sport will shut down for the season if the coronavirus isn’t managed better, sources told ESPN.

Manfred reportedly told this information to the MLB Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark on Friday.2 Cardinals test positive for COVID-19 

The alleged conversation follows multiple coronavirus outbreaks within the league.

Eighteen Miami Marlins players and two coaches tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. Two St. Louis Cardinals players tested positive on Friday.2 MLB games postponed as Marlins deal with virus outbreak 

League officials have expressed concerns over the presence of the virus and are questioning whether MLB’s protocols are being properly followed by players, the news outlet reports.

Several players who were briefed on the call reportedly fear that if another outbreak materializes or if players do not strictly abide by MLB protocols, Manfred may shut down the season as early as Monday.‘Baseball is in huge trouble’: MLB faces first coronavirus crisis 

During certain games, players have been seen high-fiving each other, spitting and not wearing masks. Some state and local government officials have expressed concern over these behaviors and “pressured baseball about players skirting the mandates outlined in the league’s 113-page operations manual.”

One official even told ESPN “there are some bad decisions being made” when asked about off-the-field choices.

FILE PHOTO: Rob Manfred, commissioner of Major League Baseball, takes part in the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit in New York, U.S., February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson July 2, 2020 While attempting to clarify comments he made a day earlier that caused a bit of a stir, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday admitted the  league will “be lucky” to play a full 60-game abbreviated season.

MLB will be lucky to finish season amid virus surge: Manfred — Nusfeed.com

During an interview on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday, Manfred said, “The reality is, we weren’t going to play more than 60 games no matter how the negotiations with the players went or any other factor.”

Many saw that comment as potentially something the MLB Players Association could use against MLB should the union file a grievance alleging owners did not negotiate in good faith.

Speaking with USA Today on Thursday, however, Manfred tried to qualify those comments.

“If we had started an 82-game season (beginning July 1), we would have had people in Arizona and Florida the time the second spike hit,” Manfred told the outlet.

“My point was that no matter what happened with the union, the way things unfolded with the second spike, we would have ended up with only time for 60 games, anyway,” Manfred added. “As time went on, it became clearer and clearer that the course of the virus was going to dictate how many games we could play.”

“We just weren’t going to be able to play more than 60 games at that point with everything being shut down,” Manfred continued, before admitting that even now, “the reality is that we’re going to be lucky if we get 60 games now given the course of the virus.”

Opening Day was scheduled for March 26 before the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports.

The league has yet to confirm the official 2020 schedule of 60 games, but Opening Day is expected to be July 23 or July 24.

Players proposed a longer season, but Manfred said owners were never going to sign off on more than 60 games for health reasons.

(Field Level Media)

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on CNN Thursday evening to discuss the league’s approach if and when the 2020 season finally begins.

Rob Manfred outlines testing plan when MLB comes back — HardballTalk | NBC Sports

“America needs baseball. It’s the sign of getting back to normal. Any chance?” McConnell said.

Mitch McConnell called Rob Manfred to push for baseball’s return — HardballTalk | NBC Sports