Fan Interference

We all want baseball back, but I think the majority of us want it to come back the right way; with fans, with no dumb rule changes, with no weird centralized hub where realigned teams will play in their own strange kind of isolation. There would be no joy in this game.

Nay nay, says Mitch McConnell.

In an article in USA Today, it is revealed that the Senate Majority Leader (R, KY) contacted Commissioner Rob Manfred to talk about ways to jump start the halted MLB season by any means. Reports state that McConnell told Manfred that starting games would be a sign of hope that the country is getting back to normal and would pave the way to football starting back up on time.

First of all, I don’t like the idea of floating baseball players out as the canary in the coal mine just for the sake of our national religion (of which, I am agnostic. Sorry, football). Secondly, there’s no care as to HOW it happens, only that it DOES. This is unacceptable to me. Safety is paramount – the players are going to be the ones to shoulder this burden but they wouldn’t be alone. Coaches, trainers, groundskeepers, hotel employees – all of these people would be deep in the trenches with these guys and I don’t know about you, but I can’t feel good about separating all of these people from loved ones for months at a time so I can watch a game every other day for entertainment.

While the President has echoed Sen. McConnell in public remarks, it is telling that the office of the commissioner has not said anything in kind.