April 22nd, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 According to the 2020 Major League Baseball schedule, the Dodgers should be playing their 24th game of the season on Wednesday evening, visiting the 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
Obviously, the game will not be played. Instead, it will officially be the Dodgers 24th postponement of the 2020 season.
…and counting.
I consider myself to be a realist, but when it involves the Dodgers, I am a Bonafide optimist. My optimistic self believes there will be a shortened 2020 MLB season; perhaps with as few as sixty games, with attendance that will be measured in the hundreds … if any at all. Television coverage will be expanded (reportedly without blackout restrictions) with a proposed postseason that will be expanded to include more teams in a format that will resemble brackets of a College Baseball World Series playoff.
But there is a battle raging within me as my realist-self says the 2020 season will be canceled. MLB, the Players Association and many of the players themselves have been unable to reach an agreement on how to have meaningful games while assuring the well-being of the participants, support personnel, television production staff, security, and their respective families. Whether games are played in Florida, Arizona or Texas, the risks are too great with obstacles seemingly insurmountable.
There is no doubt that the team has multiple contingency plans in place for a canceled 2020 season, and strategies for 2021 and beyond. Even though the Dodgers face the possibility of losing seven players to free agency (reliever Pedro Baez, outfielder Mookie Betts, utility-player Kiké Hernandez, outfielder Joc Pederson, reliever Blake Treinen, third baseman Justin Turner, and pitcher Alex Wood), the organizational talent depth will keep the Dodgers as favorites for NL West titles for years to come.
Nevertheless, considering the immense talent of Betts and the steep price paid to acquire him and pitcher David Price from the Boston Red Sox (outfielder Alex Verdugo, middle infield prospect Jeter Downs and infield/catcher prospect Connor Wong), the team will aggressively attempt to re-sign him to an extension. Bringing back Turner for another season may also be a priority to rejoin Cody Bellinger, Gavin Lux, Max Muncy, Corey Seager, Will Smith and Chris Taylor.
Pitching will remain a strength of the team, with Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, Caleb Ferguson, Brusdar Graterol, Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, David Price, Ross Stripling and Julio Urias due back in 2020.
Optimistically, I still hope to see Dodgers baseball in 2020.
Realistically, I am starting to look forward to 2021.
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Posted in 
I prefer the optimistic approach myownself, but the realist in me has to ask:
Doesn’t the basic agreement expire this fall?
I too prefer the optimistic view. The MLB / Players Association CBA expires in December 2021.
What terrifies me more than anything right now is that many people think that the worst is over. It is not. Rushing back too soon, regardless of where it is and regardless of whether there are fans in the stands or not, is a recipe for disaster.
People are going to die because ot these poor decisions being made right now.
Why do you say that? I have not seen that scenario reported. I have heard it might fade just like all the other viruses as the seasons change and more people gain immunity. You are entitled to that opinion but it is an opinion, not fact. Really nobody knows.
Most certainly agree with you on the “Really nobody knows” thing, but medical experts have gone on record as saying that they fear a resurgence of COVID-19 this Fall and even next year.
Also, and more importantly, the highest spike in COVID-19-related deaths, at least in LA County, have occurred THIS PAST WEEK.
Yes, it is my opinion, but I am basing it on actual numbers:
https://signalscv.com/2020/04/l-a-county-reaches-second-highest-one-day-death-toll-with-66-new-deaths/
In North Carolina we are projected to peak between mid to late June.
This just came out:
https://signalscv.com/2020/04/covid-19-now-l-a-countys-leading-cause-of-death/
I don’t see any Dodger baseball being played in 2020 and that is a very sad outcome but most likely the correct one.
This is exactly how I see it playing out.
And copy on the “sad outcome” thing. (#sigh)