The 2020 World Series is being played in a neutral location for the first time ever. It’s a novel approach to a Covid-19 world in 2020. Is it something that should be thought about for the future? Sort of like a Super Bowl type of situation? The MLB in my opinion does very little to drum up excitement for Series like NFL football does. We’ll see what may stick and what may not with the rule changes whenever this Covid virus situation is solved.
Embed from Getty ImagesMeanwhile, the Tampa Rays tied up the series last night, and there is going to be a really nice matchup being displayed for those who are tuning in. Of course at the beginning of the season, the MLB went strong on a political theme of the moment. Some were very upset to see what was being force fed to the fans by an organization that seized upon a moment of national upset. It’s something that baseball will eventually see exactly how much that display of political alignment will affect the bottom line of money spent on baseball by the fans.
Politics itself, being a national Presidential election year, has bitten into the TV ratings, as a time has arrived that sports leagues have depended on the TV and streaming to get the games out to the fans. Is this an ‘asterisk’ season for baseball? For sure, with only a 60-game season, and different teams being affected by the Covid virus during the season, it’s amazing that the league was able to get to the World Series.
Where do the Phillies fit into all of this? They are looking for a new GM, after Matt Klentak has been ‘assigned a lessor role in the organization’ as some politically correct publications have pointed out. Being demoted is more like it, but they still have him under contract, so they would have to pay him anyway. Who then will be the new GM?
There are a lot of great candidates out there. For this Phils blogger, I like Dave Dombrowski for the job. He’s done wonders in Boston. I think he could do wonders here. Billy Eppler will be looking for a job from the LA Angels, all he did was work with that tremendous amount of talent on that team, (hint, Mike Trout). Could the Phillies possibly somewhere down the road hire Eppler and then obtain Trout? That would be dreamlike. There are a number of teams looking for GM’s this off season, so it’s going to be a tough task to land one of the big names.
Locally the Inky has mentioned the possibility of the Phils interviewing previous GM’s Ruben Amaro Jr, and Ed Wade. I just can’t see this happening for one of these two again, that would probably be a step back for the Phillies.
Embed from Getty Images Socially distant fans in LA root for their team playing in Texas for the 2020 World SeriesSo we wait and we wonder, what will become of baseball in a Covid-19 world that is still very much at the forefront. The changes to baseball by new rules, new regulations, and ongoing politics by the league. A tremendous time for change is at hand, a good series is starting to shape up in Arlington, Texas by both the Dodgers and the Rays. No one said that it wasn’t interesting, to say the least.
