Spring Training 2021

[Number3]

No matter what kind of patch work 2020 season MLB comes up with, if anything at this point, it will amount to no more than a glorified pre spring training for the 2021 season and will be totally irrelevant in the scheme of things. I just hope that by late Feb. 2021 they can pick up where they left off in March 2020. If the pandemic madness is not over by then, just forget organized sports at all levels for the foreseeable future. Roman Coliseums are now scattered all over the country.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Summer training?

[howeda7]

It would be the most Twins thing ever if they win the World Series this year. But I'll fight anyone who tries to say it "doesn't count."

[Number3]

It will probably count but it won't count. For one thing, how many times do you think the A lineups of the teams will start in this now 60 game season? How many key rotation pitchers will be on a strict pitch count? How many players will mysteriously test "positive" during this 60 game exhibition series? The Tigers will probably win it all. Go Ron (I hate second place) Gardenhire.

[nclahammer]

I would aniticpate fewer days off for starters in the daily line-up and injuries being huge factors in a 60 game season.  Bench depth could be the X factor for teams that incur injuries.  A slow start could equal no playoffs.   It's going be be great to watch it all unfold, I can not wait for our Boys to be back.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

...

 

The Tigers will probably win it all. Go Ron (I hate second place) Gardenhire.

And the Lions take the Superbowl.

 

You heard it here first, folks!

 

How else could a year like this play out?

 

Not just a sign of the apocolypse, but it's been cosigned for as well. (not to go off on a trigonometric pun tangent...)

[Rosterman]

I feel bad for the minor league team sites as well as minor league players. Those players are the future, and minor league play creates enthusiasm for baseball across the nation.

[Number3]

Well the bottom line is this and there is no way not to get off topic a little because the underlying cause of all of this can't be ignored. In my opinion, that cause is the total lack of common sense displayed by the so called geniuses that run things; in this case government and health care. First they destroy the economy supposedly to protect hospitals which exist to deal with viruses among many other things. Then after the economy has been sufficiently destroyed they open things back up to a degree, including MLB, with all kinds of strings attached. Then they act shocked that there are more cases when absolutely nothing has been done about the virus itself. We are at the mercy of educated idiots compounded by so called professional athletes who whine and complain that they have to play a few games for a paltry multi 6 figures or more in many cases while 60mil Americans are out of work. Good luck.

[Dantes929]

 

Well the bottom line is this and there is no way not to get off topic a little because the underlying cause of all of this can't be ignored. In my opinion, that cause is the total lack of common sense displayed by the so called geniuses that run things; in this case government and health care. First they destroy the economy supposedly to protect hospitals which exist to deal with viruses among many other things. Then after the economy has been sufficiently destroyed they open things back up to a degree, including MLB, with all kinds of strings attached. Then they act shocked that there are more cases when absolutely nothing has been done about the virus itself. We are at the mercy of educated idiots compounded by so called professional athletes who whine and complain that they have to play a few games for a paltry multi 6 figures or more in many cases while 60mil Americans are out of work. Good luck.

The topic is spring training 2021.   It is actually pretty easy to not get off topic with just a little focus.   If the topic is the pandemic,   What was the common sense approach to the pandemic?   What was supposed to be done about the virus  itself?    We may be at the mercy of educated idiots but kind of prefer that to being at the mercy of non educated idiots.   How is being at the mercy of educated idiots compounded by so called (?) professional idiots?    Your venting seems to be all over the place.  

[Dantes929]

 

It would be the most Twins thing ever if they win the World Series this year. But I'll fight anyone who tries to say it "doesn't count."

Me too.   Of course if the White Sox or Yankees win the World Series this year I will fight anyone who tries to say it "does count".

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The topic is spring training 2021.   It is actually pretty easy to not get off topic with just a little focus.   If the topic is the pandemic,   What was the common sense approach to the pandemic?   What was supposed to be done about the virus  itself?    We may be at the mercy of educated idiots but kind of prefer that to being at the mercy of non educated idiots.   How is being at the mercy of educated idiots compounded by so called (?) professional idiots?    Your venting seems to be all over the place.

 

The poster you are quoting is also the poster who began the thread, so I have no problem with a change of focus. I mean, everything is kind of blending together right now.

[Number3]

 

The poster you are quoting is also the poster who began the thread, so I have no problem with a change of focus. I mean, everything is kind of blending together right now.

Thank you. I tried to explain that before I began my admitted rant. More and more it appears that essentially a glorified exhibition season is what we are about to witness (or not). The whole purpose is to get some games on TV come haides or high water. I hope the Twins use it to their advantage and not be concerned about where they finish in the 2020 standings. At least no way Rocco will be fired the year after his MOY award. It will be interesting to see how many players go on the IL for "unspecified illness" since they can't even say that it is the virus.

[SkyBlueWaters]

 

Of course if the White Sox or Yankees win the World Series this year I will fight anyone who tries to say it "does count".

 

I'm with you. But don't stop there. Toss in the Bosox and Dodgers, too. Astros? Do I hear Astros, anyone?

[USAFChief]

It will be interesting to see how many players go on the IL for "unspecified illness" since they can't even say that it is the virus.

zero.

[Battle ur tail off]

It's garbage if they do that. But I won't expect any less. 

 

60 games, you have no reason not to give it your all each and every time. During this entitlement expansion period though, I would guess this will be exhibition-like all year. 

 

Who knows. Just get them back on the field. Get some normalcy again. Kids are out there playing right now and they are paying to play. These whiners get paid more than god himself and it's been nothing but complain. Get back on the field and get going boys. 

 

[Trov]

 

It would be the most Twins thing ever if they win the World Series this year. But I'll fight anyone who tries to say it "doesn't count."

The question is what do you mean by "count."  Do you mean that it is not the same equivalent of WS because the season was 60 games?  Do you mean they will not get to reap the same rewards that a WS champ normally would?  Is that rosters may not be full strength due to illness?

 

It will count as far as record books go, and I doubt it will ever have a footnote.  Fans may argue, but the winner will still have to make it through the playoffs as any other year.  Sure, the path getting there may be a crap shoot, but once you are there it will be just like any other year.  If someone tries to argue the rosters depleted, assuming they are, all teams will deal with same issue and no different from normal season and injuries happening.  If anything, this playoff may show the true best organization thanks to depth.

 

Now, if you are looking at it as an organization they may say it does not count.  Yes, the team will get to raise the flag and let it fly forever that they won.  However, this normally comes with boosted attendance.  There is still a strong possibility that reduced fans will be required next year, hopefully not and we are back to "normal" but still possible.  Organizations want to win championships, but above all else they want to make money.  Championships normally help with that, but this time around it may not.  

[Platoon]

Since I doubt the season will ever roll to a finish, I wonder if individual stats will accumulate? Regardless, any stat or any team achievement accomplished during this season will be lucky to have only one asterisk attached to it. Say someone hits .400? Does Ted Williams have to get off his pedestal? The best way to watch this season seems to be in a semi delusional state. We can pretend it’s real baseball. All we have do do is ignore the goofy schedule, the lack of things like the AS break, the meaningful impact of the trading deadline, and some of the rules changes. And while I don’t dispute, or disdain the need for social distancing and the need to reduce the amounts of people who congregate, the whole idea of watching and hearing a game in an empty amplification box will be weird, especially if they put cutouts in the seats, and tracked crowd noises. The good news is if a Joe West or Angel Hernandez blows another all, all they have to do is crank the "boo" dial to 8! Heck, they could even bring back "bat day". They could give pretend bats to pretend customers, who would pretend to bang them on anything they could reach, including the pretend guy in front of them!

[Number3]

 

zero

Zero interest or zero on the IL? If you really think 0 on the IL, I would respectfully disagree. More like several on every team.
 

[SkyBlueWaters]

 

 

It will count as far as record books go, and I doubt it will ever have a footnote.  Fans may argue, but the winner will still have to make it through the playoffs as any other year.  Sure, the path getting there may be a crap shoot, but once you are there it will be just like any other year.  

 

Exactly. Fans of the St. Louis Cardinals know how many world series they won, and don't differentiate between those won during world war 2 and any others. Rosters were heavily depleted as many of the best athletes served in the military.

 

Yet flags still fly at Busch stadium commemorating 1942 and 1944 without any distinction being made that those series were won with many who were essentially replacement players, who who won a lot of games against many other replacement players.

[AceWrigley]

Play Ball! It all counts.

[goulik]

On a positive side, the abomba Squad HR record will remain safe for another season.

[Number3]

 

On a positive side, the abomba Squad HR record will remain safe for another season.

As will, as I posted earlier but what the..... , Rocco Baldelli's job after the MOY award. He could go 0-60 or 0 and whatever and not be fired.

[Number3]

Now in one of the scrimmages ahead of the real spring training games, Buxton sprains a foot just "tracking" a fly ball. No need to worry about walls evidently. Between Sano's inability to  avoid issue after issue and Buxton being another injury waiting to happen, Twins need to use these games to plan for a future without either one of these 2.

[SkyBlueWaters]

 

Play Ball! It all counts.

Giants OF Hunter Pence had a good quote for this season, connecting to the concept of team in its largest sense, and all the new taboos on high fives, handshakes, or spitting:

“We’re trying to take as few risks as we can and be as smart as we can. It’s a weird paradox. We’re 30 teams but also one team, because if any one person messes it up, he can mess it up for everyone. It’s one of those interesting seasons that’s pretty special in that we’re all working together and all these decisions add up in a big way.”