The pieces of this puzzle are starting to connect. We're not there yet, but we're getting there.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the proposal will be returned to the MLB Players Association within the next seven-day period. He also indicated that the second round of spring training would start in mid-June and the regular season would begin in early July.
Some teams, including the Cleveland Indians (according to Jason Wilson of theScore), informed their players that Opening Day could tentatively begin on July 1, with spring training resuming near June 10.
This is certainly another round of welcome news. Although the specifics of the season are not set-in-stone, earlier reports have given the general public an idea as to what may come.
The most recent proposal, first reported by USA Today's Bob Nightengale would allow all 30 teams to play in their home stadiums, while an approximately 100-game schedule would split the teams into three divisions of 10 teams each.
Some teams, however, may have to adapt. According to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, the Toronto Blue Jays are discussing plans alternative to playing at Rogers Centre in Toronto, such as playing at their spring training home, TD Ballpark, in Dunedin, Florida.
Other teams that would likely need to adjust are the New York Mets and New York Yankees. New York City has been one of the country's hardest-hit cities, and it is likely that their restrictions for gatherings of large amounts of people will not be lifted for a bit of time.
Many pieces still remain, but it can and will work. Baseball has already returned in Taiwan and Korea. I know the same fate is coming here.
I stayed up (without sleep) to watch the first two games of KBO baseball on ESPN and ESPN2 at 1:00 AM ET and 5:30 AM ET, respectively. Aside from my lack of sleep, something stood out to me.
Maybe I was just sucked into the sight of live baseball on my screen. Or maybe, I saw what our temporary reality may be.
No fans were in attendance for each of the two games, but I did not notice that much. Dugout conversations, crowd simulations and general baseball field noise really drew me into the game more than the lack of crowd noise could ever draw me away.
We will be back. Count on it.
More details to follow as the story unfolds!
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