ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The B.F.I.B. (Best Fans in Baseball) is a good a place as any to start when trying to find the overall feeling of baseball fans after weeks of tumultuous negotiations between Major League Baseball owners and the MLB Players Association. And it would appear they're not very happy.
A poll on the @KMOXSports Twitter page found that 57.4% of baseball fans are less passionate now than they were three months ago when clubs were still in the middle of Spring Training. Nearly 1,000 people voted and only 4.1% of them say they are more passionate about baseball now, while 38.5% say their passion for the game didn't change.
@RichRauch: Love the game. Nothing else compares. But I'm very bitter toward MLB at this point.
@Boomin_up: I feel like we are just their puppets, and they played is hard.
@BooneDavis79: I still love baseball. I won’t let the idiots that play it or run it change that
@IrionsM: Could care less at this point especially if they are playing with (sic) no fans.
On Monday night, commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB’s control owners decided to implement a 60-game 2020 season, per the agreement with the MLBPA signed back in March. MLB asked the player's union to respond by 5 p.m. EDT Tuesday as to whether players can report to training and whether the players association will agree on the operating manual of health and safety protocols.
If MLBPA approves, the target dates are July 1 for the start of spring training and July 24-26 for a possible season opener.