Wild-card rounds could be held in three hub cities before reducing to two bubble sitesGETTY IMAGES
MLB is "considering whether to move the postseason into a bubble" in the wake of coronavirus outbreaks that have hit three teams, according to a source cited by Bill Shaikin of the L.A. TIMES. The source said that the league is "preparing 'contingency plans for the postseason' but cautioned that none of those plans is guaranteed to happen, with the possibility teams could continue to play in home ballparks." Plans "could include a postseason bubble or moving some or all of the postseason to neutral sites with warm weather and relatively low spread." MLB has "not determined how it would proceed if a team were hit by an outbreak in the postseason, but shutting down the postseason for a week might not be tenable" (L.A. TIMES, 8/11). ESPN.com's Jeff Passan cited sources as saying that although a single bubble similar to the NBA setup "would be difficult for MLB to replicate, a multicity format" similar to the NHL hubs "has gained traction." The league "would need at least three hubs to complete its wild-card round before shrinking to a two-hub format." The LCS and World Series "could be held at one or two" ballparks. Sources said that the Southern California, Chicago and N.Y. areas "would make the most sense because of the available stadiums" (ESPN.com, 8/10). ESPN’s Neil Everett: “Does it sound like Rob Manfred got on the phone with Adam Silver and Gary Bettman and said, ‘Hey, tell me more about this bubble thing?’" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 8/10).
TAKING IT DAY BY DAY: In N.Y., Tyler Kepner writes for the 15th day in a row yesterday, the MLB schedule "included at least one postponement because of the coronavirus." That has "created a perplexing scheduling issue" for the Cardinals, who may "need to squeeze 55 games into 45 days to reach their originally scheduled 60." MLB "could be forced to accept that some teams may not play all their games, and award playoff berths based on winning percentage." MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred: "Until we know exactly when we get back on the field, it's hard for us to make decisions about rescheduling. But there will be games that will be rescheduled that will get them back closer to the 60 number. Probably won't get all the way there." Kepner writes MLB is "essentially racing to the postseason" in hopes of "reaping the lucrative rights fees from TV networks" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/11). In Chicago, Russell Dorsey writes someone has to "make those tough decisions" on scheduling, and that person "should be" Manfred. Fighting through this season "despite its challenges will benefit MLB financially." But it "would be difficult for MLB to sustain another outbreak among its teams," as one more "might be the final straw" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/11).
PATH BACK FOR CARDS? Manfred said, "I absolutely see a path back for the Cardinals. That is dependent on getting enough days with no positives that we’re comfortable that we don’t have any contagion risk. But 100 percent I see a path back." In St. Louis, Derrick Goold cites sources as saying that the Cardinals yesterday "received the results from their Sunday tests and did not have any new positives for COVID-19." Asked if a prolonged absence would prompt MLB to remove a team from the season, Manfred said, "As long as you have 29 clubs where you're not having positives, and you don’t feel like you don’t have a risk of cross-contagion, which you don't as long as one is not playing, I think it would be surprising to make the decision that you’re going to shut down the other 29 because you have a continuing problem with one. That doesn't seem like the right decision" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/11). MLB Network’s Chris Russo said the Cardinals are "going to play a ton of doubleheaders, and there’s going to come a point where it’s going to wear them out and then you’re going to get into a situation from a credibility standpoint.” The Post-Dispatch’s Goold said there is a “real concern” asking the team “that has missed two weeks of play to come back by traveling and playing a doubleheader, that seems like a risk they would want to avoid” (“High Heat,” MLB Network, 8/10).
