SI senior writer Tom Verducci shares some insight into some of the decisions the MLB must make for a 2020 season to happen.
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00:06 Back in 1981, after baseball was shut down by a two-month player strike,
00:12 baseball began with the All-Star Game in August,
00:16 and followed that by picking up the schedule as originally drafted.
00:20 Neither will be the case this time.
00:23 Baseball doesn't think it's wise to start with the All-Star Game
00:26 because of concerns about health protocols.
00:29 Asking players and staff from all 30 teams to gather in one place,
00:34 and then return to their respective camps.
00:37 As far as the schedule goes, that will be redrafted with a heavy emphasis on reducing travel.
00:44 That means regional rivalries.
00:47 Imagine an opening day in which the Yankees are playing the Red Sox,
00:51 the Cubs are playing the Cardinals, and the Dodgers are playing the Giants.
00:56 Now when the shutdown first happened, NLB kept to some optimism
01:00 that teams could maintain a 162-game season.
01:04 Since then, they've reduced that number to around 100,
01:08 and now they're down to hoping for about 78 to 81 games.
01:13 Now if that's the case, it'll be the shortest season on record,
01:18 replacing 1981 when teams played at most 110 games.
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