Anonymous sources say baseball could start July 1

When+the+Major+League+season+starts%2C+Shane+Bieber+will+lead+the+Indians+rotation.++He+was+named+the+Opening+Day+starter+by+manager+Terry+Francona.++Francona+said%2C+The+hope+for+me+is+that+when+baseball+comes+back%2C+it+would+almost+be+a+celebration.

@Indians official Twitter

When the Major League season starts, Shane Bieber will lead the Indians’ rotation. He was named the Opening Day starter by manager Terry Francona. Francona said, “The hope for me is that when baseball comes back, it would almost be a celebration.”

Chris Capuozzo, Staff Writer/Photographer

With no sports being played across all of America, Major League Baseball is looking to fill in that hiatus for all of the fans who are missing out.

They have been proposing potential ideas for a 2020 season, and it’s gaining some steam.

According to a few MLB executives that have remained anonymous, the new season in the works will consist of 100 games starting around July 1. The teams would be divided into three divisions based on location to eliminate travel and potential spread of the infamous COVID-19, if it still lingers.

The Cleveland Indians would be placed in the Central division, alongside the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, and Cincinnati Reds, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

With this idea, teams would be able to play in their home ballparks due to the limited travel but without fans in attendance.

ESPN reports that the COVID-19 virus can impact MLB’s decisions very quickly, and the complications from it could be bad. “Whether due to a coronavirus breakout in a city or the risk added by traveling, the logistical concerns aren’t nearly as acute as they would be with the building of hubs,” the article said.

Despite the fact that MLB players are physically fit and healthy, the league is still creating safe guidelines to keep players protected from contracting the virus.

According to USA TODAY, the players would arrive at spring training sites for about three weeks, starting around June 1. Players would be isolated from the population and tested.

Varsity softball catcher Kelsey Mize believes that MLB should adopt the social distancing rules into playing the game. She said, “Keeping players away from arguments and full-scale contact is something that needs to be looked at. Sportsmanship will be hard to adjust for it, but it can be done.”

Keeping players away from fans will also protect public health, as varsity baseball catcher Dylan Gamber believes this is the safest route for the league to take. “If we plan on playing this year I think it’s a step we need to take because sports without fans is much safer. If they just let in scouts and family, I believe that’s enough to be considered,” he said.

While the Cleveland Indians organization hasn’t publicly announced the team’s return to Spring Training, manager Terry Francona told Sports Illustrated in late April, “Our country is getting tested like it hasn’t in a long time, so I guess my point is when you see baseball, that means there is some sense of normalcy coming back, and that will be a really great sign for everybody.”