(670 The Score) Major League Baseball hasn't yet set an official date for the start of the 2020 regular season that has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but there are hints about how a return to action will be handled.
The Indians recently held a team Zoom call and discussed the possibility of spring training starting June 10 and Opening Day being held July 1, the Athletic reported. It was simply a matter of planning by Cleveland, Indians manager Terry Francona told the Mully & Haugh Show on Thursday morning.
"MLB would really like to try to play baseball with the caveat of when it's appropriate," Francona said. "And by that, it means when it's healthy for the players and their families, and you're not taking away (coronavirus testing) from other people.
"There's nothing set in stone, obviously, from baseball now, but we try to keep everybody in the loop as much as we can, just because it works better that way."
MLB is close to submitting its return-to-play proposal to the players' association, ESPN reported Wednesday night. If that can be followed, the season is expected to be around 80 to 100 games.
The complications would make everything about the season different, but Francona doesn't believe that would take away from the team that wins the World Series.
Francona believes the shortened 2020 season will still create a legitimate champion.
"Regardless of when you play, where you play, how many you play, you're competitive," Francona said. "The idea is to win. Whoever handles it the best is going to give themselves the best chance to win."
