Minor League Seasons to be Delayed

[Seth Stohs]

According to Baseball America's JJ Cooper, MLB has communicated to minor league teams that the Double-A and A-ball seasons will be delayed... No surprise, of course... here is more from the article:

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/start-of-minor-league-season-at-double-a-and-class-a-to-be-delayed/ 

 

 

MLB told minor league teams that spring training for Double-A and Class A players will not begin until MLB and Triple-A players have departed from spring training. The delay will allow for more social distancing during a time when the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the world.

 

This will, of course, force teams to strategize which players and which prospects will be invited to MLB spring training, and whether prospects, even if not ready, would be sent to the Triple-A affiliate or stay in spring training camp. 

 

 

Additionally, the memo told minor league teams to expect their schedules to run until as late as Oct. 3, a full month after regular season games normally end in early September. It is also expected there will be no minor league playoffs in 2021. With a delayed start, those playoff dates will be exchanged for more dates for all teams.

 

Hopefully many of the games will be allowed to make up. Playoffs are fun, but development is much more important. 

 

There is a lot more in the article, so be sure to click into it. Triple-A may or may not go about as normal, or it could be an alternate site type of situation if needed. From the sounds of it, many teams seem relieved by a delayed start and an extended season. Travel is a concern, etc. 

[IndianaTwin]

Your link isn't working for me. 

 

Beyond that, it does seem to make some overall sense to wait to start AA and A after MLB and AAA are gone. Perhaps this is in the article, but it seems like there will need to be a way to keep teams from saying that they've got a bazillion guys with a shot at making the team. Assuming even 28 on an MLB team and another 25 in AAA, I'm guessing there will be a limit of perhaps 70 players, give or take, in camp? 

[IndianaTwin]

Another idea for AA and A, given that players lost a year of development, teams were cut, and they essentially have to work two years' worth of draftees into the system is to allow expanded rosters at that level and play more doubleheaders to ensure they get their full slate of games.