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Good morning and happy Tuesday.
Baseball is almost back. On Monday, the MLB Players Association rejected the league’s final proposal. That left just one path forward: A season unilaterally induced by commissioner Rob Manfred and the owners, which the players were openly fine with all along.
Source: Owners plan to implement 60-game season once union responds to two questions posed in statement. https://t.co/6Erj1jLpfK
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 23, 2020
A 60-game season is shorter than the Players Association’s final proposal (70 games), but it comes without the other concessions the league was proposing, which included the players waiving the right to file a grievance.
As such, it seems likely that we’re headed for some serious issues down the road, from angry back-and-forths to labor stoppages. But for now, we have baseball. Or so it would seem.
The league is asking the players to inform them by the end of the day if they can report to a second Spring Training by July 1, and if they’ll agree with the health and safety protocols for the season.
Among other things, this might mean getting some pitcher dingers back for 2021.
There still will be a universal DH in 2020 since it was agreed upon as part of the health and safety protocols, but not in 2021.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 23, 2020
We’ll have a lot to talk about in the coming days and weeks as to the efficacy, safety, and responsibility of this plan. But for now it would appear that baseball — and the San Francisco Giants — are coming back.
Did Barry Bonds hit a home run today?
Yep.
June 23, 1994: Against the Cincinnati Reds, Bonds hit a solo home run in the 8th inning off of Johnny Ruffin. It cut the Giants deficit to 6-2. Matt Williams made it back-to-back homers, but the Giants would lose 7-5. It was his 17th homer of the year.
June 23, 1998: Against the Oakland A’s, Bonds hit a solo home run in the 6th inning off of Tom Candiotti. It gave the Giants a 3-2 lead, and they would win 4-2. It was his 16th homer of the year.
June 23, 2000: Against the Houston Astros, Bonds hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning off of Jose Lima. It gave the Giants a 2-0 lead, and they would win 10-3. It was his 27th homer of the year.
June 23, 2001: Against the St. Louis Cardinals, Bonds hit a 2-run home run in the 1st inning off of Darryl Kile, scoring Calvin Murray. It gave the Giants a 2-0 lead, but they would lose 6-5. It was his 39th homer of the year, and led to a hilarious call from the St. Louis broadcast.
He also stole his 500th home run on this date in 2003.
Giants links
- Roger Munter on which Giants pitchers might benefit most from the Dodgers model (There R Giants)
- Grant Brisbee on why Santiago Casilla’s at-bats are the best argument against the designated hitter (The Athletic, subscription required)
- Grant Brisbee on the 10 most productive Giants free agents (The Athletic, subscription required)
- John Shea on Jaylin Davis opening up about racial discrimination (SF Chronicle)
- Alex Pavlovic on the Giants having to push back some 2020 celebrations (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Dieter Kurtenbach on MLB forgetting who pays the bills (The Mercury News)
- Mark W. Sanchez on how the Giants signed their undrafted free agents (KNBR)
- Dalton Johnson on the Chris Sale comparisons that Kyle Harrison received (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Andrew Baggarly on why the Giants might be optimistic about an unorthodox season (The Athletic, subscription required)
I hope you all have a great Tuesday!