Morning Briefing: Baseball Is Coming Back!

Good Morning, Mets fans!

In my last Morning Briefing, I said these exact words:

“It’s anyone’s guess to whether a season will start. The Mets have taught me to be pessimistic so I’m leaning towards a season not occurring. With the rise of COVID-19 cases in states, I find it highly unlikely that teams will be able to safely navigate the outbreaks.”

You’re all welcome for my reverse jinx.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m relieved I’m not read the words “pro-rated” or “negotiations” anymore.

Yesterday came the news that we’ve been waiting for what seems like years at this point. Baseball’s Coming Back!

Jeff Passan of ESPN did what he did best, tweeting a PASSANBOMB shortly before 6 o’clock, saying the players have agreed to report to camp by July 1st. Later in the day, Karl Ravech, also of ESPN, announced that Major League Baseball and the players agreed on a health and safety protocols.

While the season will be altered in a fashion that’s unprecedented, there will still be many holdovers. There will still be nine hitters in the lineup. There will still be nine fielders. There will still be 30 teams. Jacob deGrom will still have a 1.70 ERA and win the NL Cy Young Award, despite four wins.

The 2020 season will look like this:

Spring Training will commence on July 1st!
The 60-game season will begin on July 24th.
The trading deadline will be pushed back a month, to August 31st.
Teams’ roster will expand to 30 players in the season’s first month, but shrink to 26 games by second month.
In extra innings, a runner will begin the inning on second base, a regulation that’s not unlike the rule Minor League Baseball instituted last year.
Teams need to create a list of 60 players that will be on their taxi-squad and thus, eligible for Major-League service.
Players who have family members who are at risk will have the opportunity to opt-out and receive service time and their regular pay.
There will be a COVID-19 injury list for players who have experienced symptoms or have had contact with those infected.
MLB will allow some media access into the stadium, but the majority will take place via Zoom.

Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso is very excited for this season. Same with us, Pete!

Josh Kosman, Thornton McEnery and Jennifer Gould Keil of The New York Post wrote about the emerging relationship between J-Rod and Mike Repole, a billionaire that’s interested in buying the Mets.

The Reuben brothers, a couple of European billionaires, are also looking into a potential purchase of the Mets, per Scott Soshnick of Variety.com.

Michael Wacha will be sponsoring a Mets minor leaguer this season.

Former WFAN host Craig Carton has been released from prison.

MiLB.com’s Andrew Battifarano interviewed the Mets’ VP of Ametaer Scouting Tommy Tanous about the Mets’ recent draft haul.

The Mets inked their fifth-round selection RHP Eric Orze for 20,000 dollars.