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Happy Friday, friends.
I apologize for starting almost every article with some iteration of “We don’t know when baseball will return,” or “the coronavirus has caused the indefinite suspension of the MLB season.” I realize that’s my blog version of “I hope this finds you well in these uncertain and trying times.”
With that said ...
... we don’t know when baseball will return, as the coronavirus has caused the indefinite suspension of the MLB season.
If any team in any league wants to resume activities — including games with or without fans — they’ll obviously need some signing off from the state. In the case of the San Francisco Giants, that means governor (and former San Francisco mayor) Gavin Newsom.
Newsom spoke on Thursday, when asked a question of the NFL’s schedule unveiling. His response was pretty clear: “It’s difficult to imagine a stadium that’s filled until we have immunity, until we have a vaccine. . . And imagine what the league, broadly, leagues, do when one or two of their key personnel or players are tested positive.”
The NFL & teams have been working the phones with governors/mayors before the schedule release tonight, hoping to avoid a political fight & emphasizing they'll adapt as the pandemic warrants.
— Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) May 7, 2020
Has it worked? California Gov. @GavinNewsom was asked today about the schedule release: pic.twitter.com/7NamxA3tgv
Obviously nothing here is groundbreaking, but it is a reminder to pump the brakes a little bit on all the scheming to get sports back.
Did Barry Bonds hit a home run today?
Just one.
May 8, 2007: Against the New York Mets, Bonds hit a solo home run in the 4th inning off of Tom Glavine. It pulled the Giants to within 4-1, which was the final score. It was his 11th home run of the year.
Giants links
- Grant Brisbee continues his countdown of the best homers in San Francisco history, with 25-21 (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Podcast: Grant Brisbee and Andrew Baggarly talk with John Shea about his book on Willie Mays (The Athletic, free)
- Podcast: Alex Pavlovic also talks with John Shea about his book on Willie Mays (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Alex Pavlovic talks with Will Clark about his grand slam off of Greg Maddux (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- John Shea on Darin Ruf and the KBO (SF Chronicle)
- Craig Edwards on how a universal DH in 2020 would hurt NL teams (Fangraphs)
- J.J. Cooper reports on the soon-to-be adjusted 2020 MLB Draft (Baseball America, free)
- David Schoenfield goes through 90 notable individual seasons from the 90s (ESPN)