No Surprise: Minor League Baseball 2020 Season Officially Cancelled

[Omega]

From UPI:

June 30 (UPI) -- While Major League Baseball prepares to start the 2020 season next month, baseball's minor leagues canceled its seasons due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the minor league governing body, made the expected announcement Tuesday. The season's fate was essentially sealed when MLB informed minor league clubs that it would not be providing players to them this season because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

It is the first time in the history of Minor League Baseball -- which was founded in 1901 and currently consists of 160 teams -- that a season has been scrapped.(excerpt)

https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/MLB/202 ... 593564025/


While this is no surprise, it may mark the end of minor league as we know it. The MLB has already announced minor league downsizing by 40 some teams, and facing reality, MiLB is no longer efficient and effective in developing talent. The minor leagues no longer make sense as a business model. If the minors go away, part of the traditional social fabric (Americana) of goes with it.

[VetteMan]

I wonder that in the future if the Major League teams will expand there rosters somewhat, to be able to still draft and protect kids that are drafted out of college etc. by placing them on there active roster. I agree it no doubt could mark the end of Minor league baseball as we now know it.

[Omega]

I wonder that in the future if the Major League teams will expand there rosters somewhat, to be able to still draft and protect kids that are drafted out of college etc. by placing them on there active roster. I agree it no doubt could mark the end of Minor league baseball as we now know it.

I could see a roster of 50 split 25 in the majors with 25 on a development squad based at the MLB spring training sites. Each MLB team could cut loose at least 100 minor leaguers, almost all who would have little chance of making the show anyway. The $$ saved would be significant.

[VetteMan]

I wonder that in the future if the Major League teams will expand there rosters somewhat, to be able to still draft and protect kids that are drafted out of college etc. by placing them on there active roster. I agree it no doubt could mark the end of Minor league baseball as we now know it.

I could see a roster of 50 split 25 in the majors with 25 on a development squad based at the MLB spring training sites. Each MLB team could cut loose at least 100 minor leaguers, almost all who would have little chance of making the show anyway. The $$ saved would be significant.

You are probably not far off in your reasoning. You can bet that Major League baseball did not just start discussing this situation a couple days ago. The $$ factor is probably something that we won't hear a lot about, but could very well be one of the most important reasons.

[Omega]

I wonder that in the future if the Major League teams will expand there rosters somewhat, to be able to still draft and protect kids that are drafted out of college etc. by placing them on there active roster. I agree it no doubt could mark the end of Minor league baseball as we now know it.

I could see a roster of 50 split 25 in the majors with 25 on a development squad based at the MLB spring training sites. Each MLB team could cut loose at least 100 minor leaguers, almost all who would have little chance of making the show anyway. The $$ saved would be significant.

You are probably not far off in your reasoning. You can bet that Major League baseball did not just start discussing this situation a couple days ago. The $$ factor is probably something that we won't hear a lot about, but could very well be one of the most important reasons.

We live near a Red Sox low class A affiliate. We have had season ticket packets for a few years. Good, clean, low cost entertainment, especially for the grandsons. If MiLB doesn't comeback, we will miss it, but the franchise survives off of local tax dollars and the major league sponsor. It cannot stand on its own.

[VetteMan]

I could see a roster of 50 split 25 in the majors with 25 on a development squad based at the MLB spring training sites. Each MLB team could cut loose at least 100 minor leaguers, almost all who would have little chance of making the show anyway. The $$ saved would be significant.

You are probably not far off in your reasoning. You can bet that Major League baseball did not just start discussing this situation a couple days ago. The $$ factor is probably something that we won't hear a lot about, but could very well be one of the most important reasons.

We live near a Red Sox low class A affiliate. We have had season ticket packets for a few years. Good, clean, low cost entertainment, especially for the grandsons. If MiLB doesn't comeback, we will miss it, but the franchise survives off of local tax dollars and the major league sponsor. It cannot stand on its own.

I wonder if some of your AAA and AA franchise's that usually have the better prospects will be affected, or will it possibly just be Class A and down ?

[Omega]

You are probably not far off in your reasoning. You can bet that Major League baseball did not just start discussing this situation a couple days ago. The $$ factor is probably something that we won't hear a lot about, but could very well be one of the most important reasons.

We live near a Red Sox low class A affiliate. We have had season ticket packets for a few years. Good, clean, low cost entertainment, especially for the grandsons. If MiLB doesn't comeback, we will miss it, but the franchise survives off of local tax dollars and the major league sponsor. It cannot stand on its own.

I wonder if some of your AAA and AA franchise's that usually have the better prospects will be affected, or will it possibly just be Class A and down ?

I think it may evolve to where the spring training sites will evolve into baseball academies for the best prospects with all traditional minor leagues going away. College baseball would be the feeder system . Of course with the contagion, all bets are off.

[VetteMan]

I wonder if some of your more established Triple A teams, that have been around for a number of years, ( Louisville ) would then become Independent, and be stocked with players from more than one Major league team ? Regardless of how many games that the Major league teams play, they will still have to have some sort of a way to be able to keep a full roster throughout the season. These players that will need to be able to be called up during the season, need to actively be playing throughout the season as well. Of course we are now getting back to the $$ part again. Independent was probably not the right word to use. I'm sure that the Major league teams are not going to send top prospects anywhere to play, unless they have full control over everything.