Leading Off

Hi. We hope this episode finds you well – in good health and good spirits.

Baseball might be on the way back. For how long, we don’t know, but for the time being, we’ll lean into hope.

Hurry back, baseball. We miss you.

Drink of the Week

Join us for the Drink of the Week, and let us know how you’re consoling yourself as you watch the O’s. Find us on Untappd

• magn8606
• jakee4025

This Week on the Twitters

Here’s what’s going on in the world of Orioles Baseball, in 280 characters, or fewer:

Several big names are working to put a franchise in Nashville https://t.co/tTo9SLkDer pic.twitter.com/tskVkRnL4f

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) July 6, 2020

Your complaints generalizing all of Baltimore – especially the area by the stadiums – are tired. 🥱

— OLIVIA with her 😷 (@Oliviawitherite) July 6, 2020

.@RedSox sign Andrew Cashner you cowards

— Matt Kremnitzer (@mattkremnitzer) July 6, 2020

Brandon Hyde on Chris Davis: "He came in with a strong intent to have a good year. I was telling him this morning the ball just sounds different off his bat. He’s hitting balls onto Eutaw Street in BP. It’s pretty impressive." #orioles

— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) July 6, 2020

Baseball Returns… maybe?

It’s 2020, so if you have been a bit distracted from the world of baseball, watching the world unravel, we’ll forgive you. But it’s been two weeks since we’ve been behind these mics, so we take a minute to review where we are.

• MLB and the MLBPA danced around the terms of a 2020 season, and couldn’t come up with a solution.
• MLB has imposed a 60-game season.
• The season has a lot of conditions to meet these weird times. Roster changes, rule changes, health and safety protocols.
• If a player feels unsafe, they can choose to opt out of the 2020 season.
• Part of the agreement depends on COVID-19 testing, and guarantees on test turn-arounds. Those timetables have not been consistently met. Not a good sign for Baseball’s ability to operate in this environment.
• Teams have started their “summer camps” at home facilities.

We talk about how long baseball lasts, and what it might look like as players opt out. Even if baseball happens – how much will it feel like baseball.

Fantasy Baseball

OK, we’re on record for saying we don’t think a baseball season in 2020 is a good idea, but as a (nominally) baseball podcast, we have to address the possibility that it will happen.

We engage in a little fantasy baseball – the fantasy that baseball will happen. We discuss the 60 player pool and the Orioles’ announced 2020 schedule.

Blowing the Save

Most podcasts try to end on a high note – the perfect coda to a quality program. That’s just not our style. Each week, we’ll end on a weak note, blowing the save with an item that didn’t quite fit into the episode, or something they simply need to get off their chests. It’s our version of taking the ball and pulling a Kevin Gregg.

Your Turn

Love it? Hate it? Confused? Let us, and other listeners, know! As always, we appreciate the support.

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