It was being reported on social media late Monday afternoon that plans were being finalized for a July 1 start to the 2020 MLB season, with Spring Training-2 to begin on June 10. The reports also indicated that teams would play games in their home ballparks.

The red flag to these reports (rumors) – especially that of former major leaguer and current online talk show personality Trevor Plouffe – is that not one respectable media type corroborated these reports. In fact, noted baseball writer and author Keith Law completely debunked them.

Although these debunked reports (rumors) certainly sound exciting, there has also been no corroboration whatsoever from MLB or the MLB Players Association on something that would not only be the major COVID-19 news story of the month but would also cause social media to go nuclear.

But what isn’t a rumor is that on Monday evening, 11,435 die-hard Dodger fans tuned in to the team’s second official Dodgers Zoom Party on the extremely popular online live video platform. The hour-long live-stream, which was moderated by SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo and Joe Davis, featured current Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Ross Stripling, Kenley Jansen, and Kiké Hernandez, and former Dodgers Orel Hershiser, Steve Garvey, Adrian Gonzalez, and Andre Ethier; with the latter decked out in a full Dodgers uniform (including the pants) and with a virtual background of Dodger Stadium behind him.

The panel discussed a number of topics that included how each was dealing with the on-going coronavirus quarantine and what they were doing to keep in shape if/when that start-up rumor becomes a reality. They also fielded a few questions from pre-selected fans (via video) including who their respective favorite players were growing up. As you might expect, Garvey answered with names like Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline, and Stan Musial. Kershaw was quick to answer with Will Clark and even quicker to add Will Clark as a Texas Ranger, not as a San Francisco Giant. As you might expect, the younger Bellinger went with Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez.

Another fan question of Hershiser and Kershaw was who they feared facing the most. Hershiser answered with Craig Biggio and (wait for it…) Barry Bonds, and Kershaw with the (very) obvious – Mike Trout.

“He’s the best player in the game today,” said one future Hall of Famer of another.

Rizzo wrapped up Monday night’s Zoom party by informing viewers that Dodgers Zoom Party-3 will take place on Monday, May 11 ay 6:00 PM PT.

Play Ball!

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