The countdown to the start of the Phillies’ 2020 baseball season is inside two weeks. They open at home on Friday, July 24th against their nemesis, the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies are playing intrasquad games, but will play scrimmages against the Nationals, Orioles, and Yankees on July 18-20. All at 6:05 PM, Nationals and Yankees on the road, Orioles at home. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of July 12th
The Phillies began workouts at CBP this past Friday. Taking advantage of an empty stadium, they have various workout stations (like weights and mounds) set up on the concourse to provide distancing. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of July 5th
Sunday evening, several hours after the submission deadline, the Phillies published their 60-man player pool. It includes 53 active players. Seven slots remain vacant.
If you think like I think, this list did not come as a surprise. The Phillies are a team that expects to compete for a division title. Their player poll reflects that with a number of older, experienced players filling out their pool. The only surprise is that there are only three catchers in the pool. But that may change. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 29th
Baseball is again on hold. Five Phillies’ players and three staffers tested positive for Covid-19 at the Phillies’ Clearwater Complex. Other organizations have released infection numbers and as many as 40 players and staff across baseball have been confirmed positive while teams await further results. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 22nd
Baseball returns!
Based on the most recent communications between the MLBPA and MLB, the union is rejecting and is not responding to the owners’ most recent proposal. The union did ask the commissioner to start the season according to his right as the commissioner. So, baseball by mid-July? The end of July? Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 15th
Baseball’s saga/drama/soap opera continued this week as the owners rejected the players’ proposal last Sunday and stated that they wouldn’t be making a counter offer. Three days later, the Presidents of Baseball Operations for Milwaukee and Cincinnati both expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached.
At least, the leaks to the media have source names this time. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 8th
The MLBPA responded to MLB’s proposal regarding the start of the 2020 season Sunday afternoon. MLB called the players’ proposal “a non-starter”. So, the ball’s back in the owners’ court.
Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone continues to be well. This is week eleven of my self-imposed quarantine. I began “shelter-in-place” on Friday, March 13th. Since then I have ventured out thrice. Once to visit the local market, and twice to pick up prescriptions. On all three occasions, I drove past the Carpenter Complex, stopping twice to talk to the security guard while maintaining proper social distancing. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of May 25th
I hope everyone continues to be well. This is week ten of my self-quarantine.
For weeks now, the owners have been negotiating through the media with leaks by anonymous sources. They have determined what the solution should be without talking to the MLBPA, and have painted the players in a negative fashion.
When they finally notified the MLBPA, public opinion was already set. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of May 18th
I hope everyone continues to be well. This is week nine of my self-quarantine. I am a longer-haired, bearded mess. I am growing accustomed to not going outside. I am sleeping later because I am staying up later. If baseball were to return to Clearwater, I think would have difficulty getting back on my regular baseball schedule. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of May 11th
