Mains: The 80-game record holders
From SABR member Rob Mains at Baseball Prospectus on May 11, 2020:
Over the weekend, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich described MLB’s latest trial balloon for a 2020 season. Under the proposal that will reportedly be discussed by owners and the union this week, MLB will play a 78-, 80-, or 82-game season starting in July, followed by an enlarged postseason. Under the proposal, all the games would be regional, with Western Division teams playing only Western Division opponents across the two leagues. Central vs. Central, Eastern vs. Eastern. Teams would likely play with greatly expanded rosters; the article mentions teams could roster as many as 45-50 players. (September baseball, all season long!)
Again, like everything else that’s been floated, it’s just a proposal. There’s a long list of hurdles, including player salaries, public health, and travel, among other factors. But let’s look just at the idea of an 80-game (or 78-game, or 82-game) season. What would that mean in terms of player performance?
Read the full article here: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/58823/veteran-presence-the-80-game-record-holders/
Originally published: May 13, 2020. Last Updated: May 13, 2020.