MLB Proposed Division Changes 2020: Return Date, Schedule Revealed

Will MLB return in 2020? Millions of fans are hoping so and after some breaking news on Tuesday evening, it seems like a partial season may be salvaged.

The USA Today is reporting that Major League Baseball officials have become cautiously optimistic this week that the season will start “in late June, and no later than July 2, playing at least 100 regular-season games.”

However, it won’t be business as usual – at least at first.

MLB 2020 plans

Sports fans all want to see the games return, however, at this point, it seems the first plans for a return for MLB would be games without fans.

The Good

It’s obvious – baseball will be back! And not only would baseball return, but it would be played not in just Arizona or Florida like earlier proposed, but in each teams’ own major-league ballparks.

The Bad

No fans. I repeat, no fans – at least at first. Yes, we have to be careful with COVID-19. That’s understandable. However, some fans would help bring the atmosphere to the game.

How about just 33-percent of fans could attend?

This is just me thinking out loud…let’s just say that the average row in a ballpark has 30 seats. Sell tickets for every third seat. 10-fans per row, with two empty seats in between?

For example, a stadium that holds 50,000 could still have a crowd, even at “capacity” of 16-17,000.

Fans are spread apart, everyone keeps their social distancing, and we slowly get back to normal.

I’m not a doctor, but it’s just a thought.

The ugly

I want baseball back just as bad as anyone, but this I do not like.

MLB is considering a three-division, 10-team plan in which teams play only within their division – a concept gaining support among owners and executives. It would abolish the traditional American and National Leagues, and realign the divisions based on geography.

Ummmm no. Keep the divisions intact, but change which teams play which. For example, the Yankees, Tigers, Red Sox, and East teams don’t need to be playing interleague this season vs. San Diego, LA, or Arizona – and vise versa.

If you want to change by region, I am all for it, but no three divisions with 10 teams! Yikes, just the thought of it makes me cringe!