Despite speculation that spring training 2021 and the regular season might be delayed because of COVID-19 concerns, MLB has instructed teams to begin preparing for the mid-February launch of spring training as planned.
We reported earlier today about rumblings that some MLB owners may want to see the beginning of the season delayed, while players want to see a full schedule and normal operations, at least on the player side based on how the 2020 season ended. How fans fit in all this will depend on local guidelines, but with vaccines entering the medical distribution system and both MLB and NFL teams successfully hosting socially distanced events with limited crowds, there is certainly optimism out there that a 2021 season is not out of the question. From AP:
Big league managers say that Major League Baseball has instructed them to prepare for spring training to start on time in mid-February despite uncertainty around the coronavirus.
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday that officials from the commissioner’s office had a meeting with managers Tuesday and expressed optimism about opening spring camps as scheduled.
“That message has been fairly consistent,” Cash said. “We’ll continue to plan and prepare until if we are told otherwise.”
Of course, a lot can happen between now and the beginning of February, and like the rest of us, MLB and its teams–as well as venue operators–are working in largely uncharted territories.
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