Tour 2020: A Lost Season

Today is a day I should have been writing a review of the new Globe Life Field in Arlington.  Erik and I were slated to have visited Houston, San Antonio, and Arlington from April 22-26 for our Tour 2020 trip, but honestly it didn't even really hit me until Saturday.  With all that is going on in the world right now, including entering Week 7 of Quarantine, I didn't take it as hard as I thought I would.  Baseball seems almost insignificant at this point, which is something I never thought I'd find myself writing in this space.  Sure, I still listen to baseball podcasts and I am still holding out hope for some sort of weird truncated season, but I get less and less hopeful by the day.  Following the final out of the 2019 season, I gritted through another Wisconsin winter and transitioned right into quarantine, which makes it hard for me to even remember what life was like when we could go to the ballpark.  I've amazed myself with how easily I have adjusted to this life and how shockingly normal things like Zoom calls and wearing a mask at the grocery store feel now.  Perhaps "easily" isn't the right word, but my family and I have certainly settled into a routine and are making the best of a situation that includes keeping a 2-year old occupied while worrying about our jobs, families, and friends constantly.

I think it is safe to say that our lives, our country, and the game of baseball will never be the same after this.  MLB's contract with Minor League Baseball is set to expire at the end of 2020, and their CBA with the player's union expires at the end of 2021, and the virus and the potential of a forfeited 2020 season will weigh heavily on negotiations on both of these fronts.  When MLB first floated the idea of restructuring the minor leagues, many in the industry thought this proposal would never see the light of day in its current form.  There are some things in it that make sense for all parties such as geographical realignment and setting a strict facility standards code, but contracting 42 teams while also placing the entire entity of Minor League Baseball under MLB ownership were staunchly opposed by MiLB.  Now with MiLB, which already has very fickle profit margins that rely almost entire on ticket revenue, in the midst of losing an entire season, they are willing to deal at whatever the cost to provide some financial stability.  This will likely mean that a lot of smaller market clubs will vanish, entire Rookie leagues will cease, and it also means that Erik and I were very lucky to visit the Appalachian League last year when we did.  An unintended side effect may also mean that MLB expansion could happen sooner rather than later.  Commissioner Manfred has always stated his intent of securing new stadiums for the A's and Rays as a must before any talk of expanding to 32 teams, but now MLB may find itself in a position where they need the money from the massive expansion franchise fees, as well as a place to put 8-10 displaced minor league clubs.  I also find it intersting that a players strike seemed like an impending reality just a few months ago, but now there is no talk of it.  The players at this point just want to play and to be paid.  I am hoping the silver lining of all of this is that it gives everyone more time to negotiate to prevent any sort of work stoppage.  The league, the players, nor the fans would be able to stomach the loss of two seasons in 3 years.

I am hoping the next time I write here will be to announce plans for the start of the 2020 season.  The Chinese and Korean leagues are in the process of beginning, and the NBA announced that they are opening up training facilities, so perhaps there is a glimmer of hope.  But one thing I do know is I will likely remain at 146 ballparks attended until 2021.