Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB discussing plan to start season in late June, playing in home stadiums with realigned league — Maybe it's a dream scenario. — Maybe it's premature to get excited. — Then again, maybe it just might work. — Major League Baseball officials have become cautiously optimistic …
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune, NBCSports.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Athletics Nation, Brew Crew Ball, Cincinnati.com, Lookout Landing, McCovey Chronicles, Sportsnet.ca, MLB Baseball News …, FanGraphs Baseball, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, WKYC-TV, MASNsports.com, Kansas City Star, Royals Review, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Sports Illustrated, Bless You Boys, BaltimoreBaseball.com, Fish Stripes, Talking Chop, True Blue LA, Halos Heaven, New York Post, MLB Trade Rumors, The Royals Reporter, Detroit Free Press, Pinstripe Alley, KHOU-TV, Phillies Nation, Gaslamp Ball, Viva El Birdos, NESN.com, baseballmusings.com, Sputnik News and New Jersey Online
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
If there's baseball in 2020, ‘there will be no asterisk’ for the World Series champion — Major League Baseball managers, buoyed by a belief there will be games played this year, acknowledge the season will be like no other. — There will be fewer games. New rivals. New divisions, New rules.
Discussion:
Purple Row, MLB Baseball News …, Talking Chop and Sportsnet.ca
Lynn Worthy / Kansas City Star:
Royals GM Dayton Moore sees a light at the end of the tunnel for Major League Baseball
Royals GM Dayton Moore sees a light at the end of the tunnel for Major League Baseball
Discussion:
Royals Review, Sports Illustrated and MLB Baseball News …
Ken Rosenthal / The Athletic:
An inside look at the possibilities, and risks, of an MLB restart
An inside look at the possibilities, and risks, of an MLB restart
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, NBCSports.com, Purple Row, Sox Machine, True Blue LA, MLB Trade Rumors, Sportsnet.ca, Fox News and NESN.com
Baseball Hall of Fame:
2020 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Weekend Canceled — (COOPERSTOWN, NY) - The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced today that its Board of Directors has voted unanimously to cancel 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend events as a result of health and safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven, True Blue LA, Yahoo Entertainment, Cardinals News, Fish Stripes, NESN.com, Sports Illustrated and MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Baseball Hall of Fame postpones July induction ceremony until 2021 — Derek Jeter, Larry Walker and the rest of this year's Baseball Hall of Fame class will have to wait another year for their big moment in Cooperstown. — The Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that it has canceled …
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony expected to be postponed, as Cooperstown weeps
Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony expected to be postponed, as Cooperstown weeps
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Pinstripe Alley, Over the Monster, MLB Baseball News …, Sportsnet.ca and NESN.com
Mark Buckton / The Taiwan Times:
TTT Interview: Manny Ramirez “baseball royalty” — Manny Ramirez is a baseball superstar. — In an MLB career that lasted from 1993 when he made his debut for the Cleveland Indians, to 2011, when he was plying his trade at the Tampa Bay Rays, Manny Ramirez was known around the world for his hard-hitting performances at the plate.
Jared Diamond / Wall Street Journal:
MLB Teams to Announce Updated Ticket Policies, Paving Way For Refunds — Games had been officially listed as postponed rather canceled, but the league office is now providing clubs with new guidance — In a normal world, Major League Baseball would be about a month into the season …
Discussion:
New York Post, MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Baseball News …, Sportsnet.ca and Des Moines Register
RELATED:
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
MLB allowing teams to offer refunds for games lost to coronavirus
MLB allowing teams to offer refunds for games lost to coronavirus
Discussion:
Mercury News and NESN.com
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
MLB granting teams autonomy to refund games postponed by COVID-19 pandemic
MLB granting teams autonomy to refund games postponed by COVID-19 pandemic
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, Cincinnati.com, Sports Illustrated and NESN.com
MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings …:
MLB teams offer ticket refunds, credit for games not played
MLB teams offer ticket refunds, credit for games not played
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, ESPN and Over the Monster
Paul Hoynes / Plain Dealer:
Cleveland Indians will roll out ticket refund plan for 2020 season this week
Cleveland Indians will roll out ticket refund plan for 2020 season this week
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated and Let's Go Tribe
Marly Rivera / ESPN:
Yadier Molina now open to new team if Cardinals not option — In January, Yadier Molina was resolute. — With his three-year, $60 million contract set to expire after the 2020 season, Molina, who turns 38 in July, had decided he wanted to play several more years — but only in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform.
Discussion:
Miami Herald, Viva El Birdos, St. Louis Cardinals News …, Cardinals News, Sports Illustrated and MLB Trade Rumors
New York Times:
Some Sports May Have to Skip This Year, Fauci Says — Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the leading U.S. infectious disease expert, said widespread testing with speedy results would be needed if sports leagues are to safely restart their seasons. — Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the leading public health expert …
Discussion:
Fox News, Sports Illustrated, New York Post, NESN.com, MLB Baseball News …, Arizona Sports, Sportsnet.ca and CNBC
Sam Miller / ESPN:
Happy 59th! Or is it 58th? Cracking the mystery of Don Mattingly's birthday — Last summer, Mark Arduini was unemployed and struggling to motivate himself to fill out job applications. So he went to a local card shop, bought a box of 24 unopened packs of 1987 Topps and bribed himself …
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score and Cincinnati.com
The Athletic:
A's still undecided on paying employees, discussing extensive layoffs, sources say — Maybe it means nothing that the Oakland Athletics are the only major-league club yet to determine whether they will pay employees through May 31. Or maybe it means the A's are preparing to make deeper cuts than other teams.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Sports Illustrated, AZ Snake Pit, MLB Baseball News …, MLB Trade Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Trey Mancini / The Players' Tribune:
I Am So Lucky — I've always loved spring training. — It's one of my favorite times of year. It just has a slower pace, a softer edge. It's friendly. And it's all about baseball — and I love baseball. — But this year it was a little bit tougher, more of a grind to get through every day.
Tim Healey / Newsday:
Mets position analysis: Brandon Nimmo's on-base skills make defensive issues in center tolerable — During this pandemic-induced baseball hiatus, we examine the Mets position by position. We already covered first base, second base, shortstop, third base and catcher. Now, centerfield.
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Andre Dawson's post-Hall of Fame career as a funeral director presents challenges amid coronavirus — Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson has spent 12 years in the funeral business, dealing with death and heartbreak, but nothing prepared him for the pandemic that would sweep the world and alter everyone's way of life.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and New York Post