When Will Minor League Baseball Start?
Contents
With the MLB season on hold, fans are wondering when they can expect minor league baseball to start back up. Here’s what we know so far.
Introduction
With Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2020 regular season now underway, all eyes turn to the minor leagues to see when they will begin their campaigns.
The minor leagues are comprised of several levels, with each level having its own start date. The earliest start date is currently April 9th, while the latest start date is May 4th.
Here is a breakdown of the start dates for each level of the minor leagues:
-Triple-A: April 9th
-Double-A: April 20th
-High-A: April 27th
-Low-A: May 4th
The History of Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball organizations in the United States and Canada that compete at levels below Major League Baseball (MLB) and help prepare players to join the major leagues. Each of the major and minor leagues has their own history. Some of the information in this section is specific to the United States, while other information is specific to Canada.
Early Minor League Baseball
The earliest professional baseball league in the United States was the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, which operated from 1871 to 1875. The first minor league was founded in 1877, when the Cincinnati Reds formed a team in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cincinnati Reds were then affiliated with the National League. In 1880, the International Association was formed, which consisted of eight clubs from Canada and the United States. This minor league would become defunct by 1884.
Modern Minor League Baseball
The modern era of minor league baseball began in 1901 with the formation of the Western League, which was soon renamed the American Association. The AA rapidly became successful, prompting the establishment of several other rival leagues. By the early 1950s, there were nearly 50 minor leagues comprising about 400 teams.
During this time, major league baseball expanded rapidly, ultimately leading to the decision to include minor league teams in MLB’s organizational structure. In 1962, the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (the current governing body of minor league baseball) was formed to oversee all the minors.
In 1968, MLB took over primary control of player development from the minor leagues, leading to a significant decline in the number of minor league teams. This trend continued into the 1980s, but has since reversed itself somewhat. As of 2019, there are still nearly 200 minor league teams operating in North America.
Why Minor League Baseball Hasn’t Started Yet
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, baseball fans are wondering when the 2020 season will start.
While Major League Baseball has announced that its season will be delayed until at least mid-May, there is no word yet on when Minor League Baseball will start.
The delay in the start of the Minor League Baseball season is due to a number of factors, including the ongoing negotiations between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball over a new Professional Baseball Agreement.
In addition, many Minor League Baseball stadiums are located in areas that have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus, making it difficult to prepare for the season.
Finally, Minor League Baseball teams rely heavily on ticket sales and other forms of revenue from fans, and with the current restrictions on large public gatherings, it is not clear when it would be feasible for teams to begin playing games.
At this time, it is not known when Minor League Baseball will be able to start its 2020 season. However, we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the American economy, and nowhere has the impact been felt more acutely than in the world of minor league baseball. With stadiums across the country shuttered and no games being played, minor league teams have been left to fend for themselves, and many are in serious financial trouble.
The situation is so dire that Minor League Baseball (MiLB) has proposed eliminating 42 teams from its structure, a move that would have a devastating impact on communities across the country. While MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that he wants to see minor league baseball survive, the reality is that the sport is in a very precarious position.
The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been felt by almost every sector of the American economy, and minor league baseball is no exception. With no games being played and stadiums across the country shuttered, minor league teams have been left to fend for themselves, and many are in serious financial trouble.
according to a report from Forbes, as many as 25% of minor league teams could go out of business due to the pandemic. This would be a devastating blow to communities across America that depend on minor league baseball for both economic and emotional support.
While MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that he wants to see minor league baseball survive, the reality is that the sport is in a very precarious position. The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has left many minor league teams struggling to stay afloat, and it remains to be seen how long they will be able to survive without any games being played.
When Will Minor League Baseball Start?
The Possibility of a Delay
With Major League Baseball’s 2020 season in jeopardy due to the coronavirus pandemic, the future of the minor league season is also very much up in the air.
MLB has already announced that it will be delaying the start of its season by at least two weeks, and it is possible that the season could be canceled altogether. If that happens, it is very unlikely that minor league baseball would be able to go ahead as planned.
Minor league baseball is typically scheduled to start in early April, but with the MLB season delayed, it is possible that the start of the minor league season could be pushed back as well. However, at this time, there has been no official word from MLB or any of the minor league baseball organizations on whether or not the start of the season will be delayed.
The coronavirus pandemic has already caused a number of changes to the Minor League Baseball schedule. Several leagues have canceled their seasons entirely, while others have shortened their seasons or are still considering their options.
The Possibility of Starting on Time
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging on in many parts of the country, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that minor league baseball will be able to start on time.
But even if the season is able to start on time, there are sure to be some changes. MLB has already announced that they will be cutting the number of minor league teams from 160 to 120, meaning that many cities will lose their minor league team altogether.
And even if your city does still have a team, it’s likely that the experience will be very different. There are sure to be strict limits on attendance, and it’s possible that some games will be played without any fans at all.
So while we all hope that minor league baseball can start on time, it’s looking increasingly unlikely.
Conclusion
At this time, it is unclear when minor league baseball will start. However, it is important to remember that baseball is a game that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world, and the sport will continue to be popular regardless of when the minor leagues start.
