Scott Boras pitches 162-game MLB season, including Christmas game, despite coronavirus delay
On Christmas Day in 2020, there will be snow on the ground, but cheer in your heart. No, not because you’re surrounded by your loving family, but because there’s baseball on TV.
This could actually be a reality if Scott Boras gets his way. Boras, the 67-year-old super agent who represents many of the game’s brightest stars, believes there’s still a way Major League Baseball can hold a 162-game season in 2020 despite the coronavirus shutdown currently delaying and perhaps endangering the season.
It’s the baseball version of “the worst person you know just made a great point.”
How would it work? Well, it would involve playing deep into the year, which means it would also involve a lot of neutral-site games, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“We have it all mapped out,” Boras said. “It’s workable. We’ve done climate studies, and in Southern California, the average temperature in December is 67 degrees, which is better than late March and early April in most cities. We have 11 stadiums we could play postseason games in. I’m gonna get my neutral-site World Series after all.”
Boras has long been a proponent of playing the World Series — or, at least, the first two games of it — at a neutral site to give fans and corporate sponsors months in advance to plan travel to and purchase tickets for games, turning baseball’s signature event into a multiple-day happening like the Super Bowl or All-Star game.
In Boras’ scenario, the regular season would start either June 1 or July 1. He’s mapped out plans for both instances. Boras’ June 1 proposal would involve 162 games. If the season starts July 1, Boras envisions a 144-game season.
The MLB season, which was supposed to begin March 26, has been indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus. Every other major sports league has postponed events and games due to the threat of the virus.
Both of Boras’ scenarios involve the postseason taking place in December, with the final game scheduled for Dec. 26. That means fans could get baseball on Christmas Day if the World Series goes six games.
Can Scott Boras’ MLB schedule proposal actually work?
Boras’ schedule can work, but pulling it off would be tough. In Boras’ July scenario, every team would have to play at least 12 doubleheaders. Baseball fans might be on board with that idea, but players and teams are exhausted just thinking about it. Boras has thought of that, and believes teams can get through those doubleheaders with shrewd scheduling and an expanded roster for those games.
His plan would also require cutting down games in cold-weather cities in October and November. While it seems technically possible, it wouldn’t be ideal. Can we expect the Chicago White Sox to host a full series in mid November? If all their “home” games were moved to a neutral site, would that be fair? Do the White Sox just play every game on the road the final month and a half of the season?
It’s not a perfect plan, though, in fairness, a perfect plan isn’t possible right now.
Has MLB discussed any ideas for a 2020 season?
Major League Baseball has not publicly revealed any plans for a 2020 season. Executives seem skeptical that a 162-game regular season is possible. Some believe the best-case scenario involves “an 81-game regular season beginning around July 1 and a postseason in October,” according to the Times. Others fear a 2020 season won’t happen at all.
While Boras’ plan has faults, at least he’s trying to give fans a full MLB season.
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