hogan873

Don't read any of Nightengale's posts on Twitter. He's the biggest naysayer out there. Reading some other articles by other writers, it seems like MLB wants to start up as soon as possible (without safety and health risks), and playing at in regular stadiums, even without fans, is the most desirable. Heyman mentioned that the league is pretty much resigned to at least starting the season without fans, whether it's at home parks or in AZ. I think they'll get it done, one way or another. It's only early April. the next 4-6 weeks will be crucial to getting back to "normal", whatever that looks like.

You have to make plans. I'd bet that the AZ plan is just one of several depending on what happens over the next few weeks. The national social distancing "order" will be either relaxed or extended at the end of the month. The CDC recommended social distancing through May 15. A lot can happen between now and then. If the curve is flattening and health officials give some sort of green light, MLB and other sports will have to make a decision fast. If they wait to get a green light to make plans, they'd be weeks to months away from making anything happen.

As cold as that sounds, you're correct. If the "curve" isn't flattened and there are still a bunch of people dying every day, they won't push forward with any plan to play baseball. But if it's basically under control and there is rapid testing available, they will do what they can to play.

Latest statement from MLB is saying this is one of the plans they are considering, but no plan (including this one) is anything more than an idea. No formal discussions have taken place. No agreements are in place. However, they have to have multiple plans ready to go if (when) health officials state it's okay to start moving forward.

I just can't believe the number of people (not just on this board but on Twitter, etc.) that don't want something like this to happen. As of right now, this is the best option for us to actually see White Sox baseball this season. A season we were all so excited about, a season that will be very important to the development of this team into the perennial contender we think it can be. If the MLB, union, and players agree to this, and the public health officials give it the green light, why wouldn't we as fans want this? Will it be weird? Yeah. Will it suck not being able to see a game in person? Hell yes. But you what would really suck? No baseball for a fucking year.

I think we'll forever be changed. If things do start to open up in May, I think we'll see a slow return to restaurants and bars, movie theaters, etc. There will always be that percent of the population that will view themselves as invincible and will be the first to the bar to get hammered. But the majority of us will still practice some of the social distancing we're doing now. I know for sure that my hand-washing habits have changed and will remain changed. I believe we'll always be thinking about who might have touched a surface last and be suspicious of someone coughing. Until there's a vaccine, we'll be more vigilant about taking care of ourselves, especially considering elderly or at risk relatives. And once there's a vaccine, we'll probably see teh majority of the population opting to get it, unlike the flu vaccine.

Agreed. The health of the people of the country is #1, and before anything is decided upon we have to see what happens over the next few weeks. It sounds like the peak could be soon, and how long we're at the peak will be important. Access to rapid testing is also key. They're making a lot of progress here, and if the testing is available in early May as predicted, that will go a long way to getting things back to some sort of normal. But, yeah, let's see what happens before deciding that we'll be sheltered in place for 16 months.

It sounds like this could be a possibility, and that's exciting. A season without baseball in Chicago would be tough, but a season with no baseball at all would be much worse. I hope to hear more about the plan coming together over the next week or so. I would think players want to play and would be up for a plan like this. The separation from their families would be tough, and as a fan I'd recognize that sacrifice. We can all keep our fingers crossed that this plan happens and keep our toes crossed that maybe by late summer they can move back to playing at home parks. The next few weeks will be crucial to see what happens with the virus.

The Goose Island Sox Ale is pretty good. Drinking it makes me sad and hopeful at the same time. I hope I can enjoy one (or three) while watching a Sox game within the next few months.

I got hooked on All American, as well. I started it because it gave off a Friday Night Lights vibe. Turned out to be a pretty engaging show; I was surprised.

Locke & Key on Netflix was pretty good. I've read the first two graphic novels, and although the show is more fantasy than horror, it followed the source material for the most part. The Morning Show on Apple+ was really good. Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell were great in their roles. Carell plays such a shitbag so well that you forget it's the guy from The Office playing the part. As a family, we started watching Schitt's Creek a while ago. I had heard about the show, but I had no idea it was one of the funniest damn shows on TV. My wife and I started Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere last night. First episode was great...hoping it keeps it up.

It's not the vaccine that will be the decision maker. It's all about testing. Mass-testing has to be available...that and the social distancing needs to show that it's flattening the curve.

I think the end of June ban might be overkill, but no one knows what will happen over the next month. If things still look grim at the end of April, I'd be more apt to believe sports may not happen. I still think they will do everything in their power to have a season, shortened or not.

The next 30 days will be crucial. If we see the social distancing making a significant difference, and more testing is available, I could see baseball starting back up with closed spring training at home parks by mid-May. From everything I've read and seen, it's all about testing. The more testing available, the better chance we have at starting to return normal...or whatever the new normal will be.

I'm hopeful that the increase in testing makes a difference. I'm still being optimistic that we'll have baseball this year. They can still start as late as July and still play 80-90 games without going into October. The next 30 days will be very telling.

I do. The books are quick reads with great characters. I also like series of novels that take place in interesting locations. I haven't spent much time in Florida (where the books take place), but I grew up on the Outer Banks, and it sounds like a similar area. Also, love the CJ Box Joe Pickett series.

I'm a big reader as it is, and the social distancing has allowed me more time to read. I also listen to a lot of books, especially in the car. I work in tissue manufacturing, so not only am I still working, I'm working more than ever. The time driving to and from work is my time to escape into a book. I decided to splurge (for a few months anyway) on an Audible subscription to give me another library of audio books to choose from. Some recent books I've read/listened to: Locke & Key (books 1 and 2) The Boy From The Woods Dead Wake - Book five of the great Forgotten Coast series by Dawn Lee McKenna Bloody Genius - The latest Virgil Flowers novel by John Sanford The Institute by Stephen King Cyclops Road - A silly horror novel by Jeff Strand

Way too early to predict anything. No one rally knows what will happen over the next 6-8 weeks. I'm still optimistic that baseball will happen this year. If the "all clear" is given by late May, the regular season could start by mid to late June. There could be a lot of developments by then. Or we could be where we're at now.

I don't imagine that's evidence of a peak, but hopefully we will see the effects of the social distancing soon.

With the shelter in place order taking effect nine days ago, one would expect to see some stablization/decrease in growth over the next week or so. Those testing positive were most likely exposed 7-14 days ago.

This seems very unlikely. I'm still betting on there being baseball this year. I highly doubt they'll be playing a full season or even close to a full season, but they're going to do everything in their power to have a season this year. I doubt that the NFL will be affected, and the winter sports shouldn't be affected either. However, we can probably all agree that no one knows anything right now. Purported experts are spouting theories every day, and we're hearing everything from another month or so to "oh my god the world has ended".

I agree. I could see baseball coming back sooner with closed spring training at home parks and maybe even starting the regular season without fans in attendance.

I’m keeping my hopes up that we see Sox baseball sooner rather than later (or never) this season. And to keep my hopes up, I have this beautiful beer.

I can't even watch or read the news anymore. Not just because it's depressing as hell, but also because no one really knows anything. It's just a bunch of speculation and guesses. News programs are bringing on "experts", and one will be a doomsayer and speculate we'll be locked down for a year while another will say "if we do this, then we could be okay in two months." Erring on the side of caution is certainly the way to go, and social distancing will slow the spread and "flatten the curve". Because the US has so few tests, we don't know, and may never know, how many people are actually infected or have already recovered from it. That's both bad and good news. Bad news, obviously, because there are certainly more cases out there. Good news is that the mortality rate is probably significantly lower than it looks. I would hazard to guess that there are quite a few people who have had the virus and wrote it off as the flu. The heightened awareness is good, but let's hope those who are symptomatic but with mild symptoms stay at home and don't overwhelm the hospital system. Overall, these are very strange times. If something significant doesn't happen soon with the containment of the virus, many businesses will not survive. I'm hopeful that in 6-8 weeks there's progress and restrictions are lifted/relaxed. Only time will tell at this point.

Yeah, I can't imagine there not being some sort of a season. Way too much for teams to lose. If the eight week recommendation by the CDC results in "flattening the curve" of the virus, I could see spring training activities resuming by late May and regular season games starting by mid-June. Even if games don't start until July or August, they can still manage to put together a 60-80 game season.