Published 13:07 IST, March 24th 2020
MLB coronavirus: Blue Jays President Marko Shapiro wants 4-week second spring training
Toronto Blue Jays President has offered a solution for the MLB coronavirus shutdown and issued the league demands being met with the players' union over wages.
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The MLB suspended news broke almost 10 days back due to the coronavirus pandemic. The MLB coronavirus shutdown put baseball fans across the globe into meltdown. Toronto Blue Jays president Marko Shapiro has now requested a minimum of four weeks for a second spring training session if baseball is set to begin later this year following the MLB coronavirus shutdown. However, fans are keen to know the answer to the question 'When will MLB season start'? amid the spread of the COVID-19.
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MLB Coronavirus shutdown: MLB suspended
The WHO (World Health Organisation) deemed coronavirus a 'pandemic' as the deadly bug was spreading like wildfire all across the globe. In order to contain the spread of the COVID-19, the MLB suspended news was issued. Here is the official statement which caused the MLB coronavirus shutdown for an indefinite period.
Statement from Major League Baseball: pic.twitter.com/0bWS5VTRPu
— MLB (@MLB) March 12, 2020
MLB suspended: Toronto Blue Jays president holds a conference
Toronto Blue Jays president Marko Shapiro was keen on discussing some logical issues over the MLB coronavirus shutdown. According to Ben Nicholas Smith, the two major points of emphasis from Blue Jays president Shapiro were over the league agreements with the players' union and any season which would be preceded requires a minimum of a four-week ramp-up period.
Still so much uncertainty for what next few months look like as Mark Shapiro noted repeatedly on conference call. That said, a couple notes:
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) March 22, 2020
•some hope MLB & MLBPA could have agreement within 24-48 hours
•hard for Shapiro to imagine less than 4 weeks for spring training
MLB suspended: Shapiro solution amid MLB Coronavirus shutdown
The MLB and the players' union have to agree on a number of elements if the season relates to a shortened or cancelled campaign, Shapiro said. However, the MLB coronavirus shutdown has another key component regarding the pitchers. The pitchers have to stretch out and that process necessitates having to set a date for the start of the campaign. According to Shapiro, there's no point for pitchers to prepare at this point with so much of the MLB news up in the air. Therefore, a four-week gap is a minimum set of time needed for pitchers to get into their groove.
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When will MLB season start?
The answer to the question "When will MLB season start?" still remains unclear. However, Boston Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy has revealed that games could be carried out in empty stadiums until the effectiveness of the coronavirus is slowed down.
13:07 IST, March 24th 2020