The Brewers will defer payments to both Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kolten Wong. Doing so allows the Brewers to add their salaries even amid the lost revenue of the coronavirus era, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter). The Brewers will only pay out $3.5MM of Bradley’s $24MM total money this season, while Wong will receive just $3MM. Wong’s contract eventually will pay out $18MM in guaranteed money. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter) provides a fuller picture of Bradley’s deal. The latest possible payment Bradley will receive is a $7MM buyout for the 2023 season, which he would receive on January 1st, 2025. Elsewhere around the game…
- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that sports venues will be allowed to open in his state at 50 percent capacity, per WBAL Anchor Phil Yacuboski and others (via Twitter). For the Orioles to open the doors at Camden Yards on opening day, they’ll still need approval from Mayor Brandon Scott, notes Pete Kerzel of MASNSports.com (via Twitter). That last bit of bureaucracy notwithstanding, it does appear that the O’s will have fans in the stands for 2021.
- The Rockies have also been cleared to open the doors at Coors Field. With the help of MLB and state government officials, the Rockies can now host up to 21,363 fans per game, up from an initial limit of 12,500, writes MLB.com’s Thomas Harding.
- Jed Lowrie returned to the diamond today starting at second base for the Athletics. Persistent knee problems limited the 36-year-old to just nine games the past two seasons with the Mets. Of course, the A’s know Lowrie well. If he makes the team, it will be his third stint in Oakland after posting 3.2 bWAR in 1,228 plate appearances across 2013-14, then returning for 7.4 bWAR in 1,694 plate appearances from 2016-18. In his last season in Oakland, he was a first-time All-Star at the age of 34 after slashing .267/.353/.448 with 23 home runs. A lot rides on Lowrie making the team. If he does, Tony Kemp and Chad Pinder better fit into their roles as utility options off the bench, writes Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. If Lowrie doesn’t make the team, Kemp and Pinder will likely share the keystone in a more-or-less straight-up platoon.
Is there a tracker or list anywhere that shows what teams are allowing fans in stadiums?
Cbs sports just posted yesterday a list of teams and expected plans for fans.
HopefullyRockies fans stay away as a protest for the poor management of the team.
CBS sports website has an ongoing tracker.
heard one announcer today.. Rockies i think? Say 45% capacity will be allowed to attend home games. Have been watching lots of games, most have been saying 20-25% will be allowed in. Will be interesting if some loons only allow in like 10% to start the season. Won’t be teams fault of course, but powers that be.
I will be attending opening night in Oakland to finally get to yell at those cheating Astros. I am thrilled that they are limiting capacity to 9000 people. With 60,000 new cases per day still arriving nationally, the only lunacy is pretending we are over this thing.
I admittedly have ignored this whole thing, but didn’t we flatten the curve after 15 days last March?
haha….no, we did not.
It has never flattened and is spiking again. And the new varieties are both more deadly and more virulent.
Not “spiking” in CA? Where is it spiking and more virulent? Different variation yes but more virulent?
The A’s don’t draw anyway. It’s a shame that such a good young team can’t get fan support. Leave Oakland and go to a more appreciative market.
It’s still in the red phase in NY, NJ and RIl.
It’s still in orange in all but 4 other states.
Maybe you don’t read much?
ALL of the new variants are more virulent and have a higher death rate.
npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/09/01/816707182…
wsj.com/articles/new-covid-19-strains-what-scienti…
I read today the powers in Michigan and Detroit that be will only allow the Tigers to have 1000 fans attend on opening day. Absolutely ridiculous. 1000… Well, I guess that’s better than what D.C. is letting the Nationals have, which is zeeeero.
There is a pandemic going on.
Meanwhile, guess who threw out the first pitch in WSN? Mr Corona himself, 80 year old Dr. Anthony Fauci.
mr pandemic, not the ,man who actually said there was a pandemic, the man the president fired because he said there was a pandemic, the man whos been a presidential advisor since reagan? that man?
Only in the minds of the simple.
Oh boy politics how fun
Are you awake when you talk?
Doesn’t seem like it.
Outdoor transmission simply doesn’t occur. Can we please just follow the science you fear based sheep
How do they get the microchip through the needle?
That was the Rockies, letting 21k plus a few players n.
I hope Tony Kemp does well in Oakland. He’s not behind Altuve any more so go Tony.
50% capacity for the Orioles is probably 40% more than they need
Yes, I spotted a typo in the article where it said they’d have fans in the stand. Easy mistake to make, but the correct terminology would be “fan” not “fans”.
Haha you are so funny!
Douche!
That Gov. HOGAN is really a HERO.!!
Think the Orioles can even find enough fans to watch the team play to get up to 50% of Stadium Capacity ???
People will travel from the more restrictive blue states just to catch some in person baseball so they actually will sell some tickets.
Blue states r normally more restrictive with this but they too are allowing a lot of fans
Lmao, I was beat to it, but I’ll give it a go anyway…
*clears throat*
Wait… you mean to tell me that the Orioles weren’t playing at 100% capacity?
Having read a series of them, I gotta crown @oof as the winner. It was close. But that’s my pick.
“…the Rockies can now host up to 21,363 fans per game”. Who the hell would go to a Rockies game?! Well half the state is constantly blazed up, so there is that. Party on Rocks!
Rox have been a top 10 attendance team literally every year of their existence, I believe. Best place in America to watch a game, by my judgment.
@ seamaholic – Well that’s not really surprising since most Rockies fans -not to mention the FO- don’t know the difference between a double & a double play. Can’t you smell that smell? What a maroon. Ahahahaha!
To inject some helpful info, that park is absolutely beautiful, a definite “must visit” for baseball fans that like to travel and see different fields.
Totally agree….every time I’m in the Denver area I do my best to get to a Rockies game. Beautiful stadium, great downtown environment, and usually awesome weather.
You can knock it if you want, riddler, but in case you haven’t noticed there’s quite a list of states with legal recreational use and it’s only going to increase in short order. Welcome to 2021…sorry you’re stuck in 1951.
The Rockies draw, @riddler.
That’s a big reason that their ownership really tries to hold on to their homegrown (no pun intended) stars. Their fans actually root for players as opposed to cheering for laundry.
It leads to jokes at their expense. Fangraphs hammers them. But I find something honorable in that. It’s certainly a different model than the Money Ballers apply. We all want to see our clubs keep “our” players though.
The Rockies actually do that.
@dbf- you’re a class act my friend. I’m just being facetious – as per usual- and trying to make others… & myself smile
mmmmm…it’s a batting average thing, at best. But I appreciate the sentiment.
I actually just find the way the Rockies do things to be pretty interesting. They really get ridiculed a lot of places for the way they operate.
As far as I can tell, the biggest force behind their actions is trying to retain their popular players. I don’t know if it was intentional, or if they just realized over time that their fans will buy tickets to watch players as opposed to a team.
I honestly wish they were a little more successful at it in terms of on the field wins. We’ll see what happens with Story. Perhaps they’re getting onboard with the current trend of tanking.
Can’t help it. Part of me feels this would be unfortunate.
You have no class.
Probably because you skipped them all….
Ya got me there, @hyzer.
Having been raised by wolves, my formal education is quite spotty. To say the least.
But: I almost always use cutlery nowadays when I consume my protein in public. It’s a work in progress, bro.
Sorry dude.
I clicked reply to that douchey Riddler character.
Don’t know why this site–which must have horrible web designers–put my comment to him below your comment.
I’m on your side against this right wing tool.
@ Riddler.
You have no class whatsoever.
No doubt because you skipped them all….
a-aahr-aa-aaaarrrooOOOOOOOOooooooo
(excuse me. it’s feeding time.)
You keep working on that…. I’m sure it will happen for you some other day.
There will come a day when sophomoric rubbish out of elementary school will seem advising.
But today is not that day
I like your new screen name.
The bad teams are going to struggle the most to attract fans. All teams will, but bad teams especially. There are no good reasons to attend games right now as it is. I will happily stay home this season. Too many other things to do for enjoyment and the games are on TV anyway.
I dig your posts, but I have to say, I am finding lots of reasons to want to go back to games in person, especially to smash a trashcan lid while the Astros are flailing in Oakland on April 1! I will be double-masked and socially-distanced, the only responsible way to go now.
Oh, I’ll hit a few games.
Between homeowners, developers, & building materials reps I’m always given more Twins tickets than I could possibly use. But it’s MLB & it’s a nice ballpark. & I’m 4 minutes from downtown.
Obviously, I’ll be going somewhat “on principle”, too. & in accordance with the accepted safety protocols.
But I respect your individual choice to purposefully not attend.
Cases in OC have fallen off a cliff. I eat at restaurant patios again. I’ll go to a 25% or so game.
Still not wanting to do anything enclosed, though.
Well all have our own comfort levels as we emerge from this thing.
Concur.
I’m in essential industry so I’ve been out in this stuff the whole time. I’d imagine I’m probably a little more comfortable with the idea than some of the folks who’ve endured being shut in.
Just another example of how unique recovering from this thing is going to be. & yet one more I’d not thought of.
“Half the state blazed up” legalization is rampant in many states bud, this stereotype doesn’t play anymore
There’s plenty for everyone, party on mig, party on.
The O’s are the Dr. Fauci of baseball. Prepping for the pandemic with no fans in the stands the past 4 years. Genius!
Uh oh, a science denier.
@Cey Hey …I believe that the earth is flat and that every time Chris Davis hits a ball out of the park, it also falls off the Earth. Prove me wrong.
Uh oh, trite and misleading term alert.
I always imagine the deniers as having the voices of kids from the show Rugrats and they call gravity grabity, etc.
Let’s go Oreos
mhmm
Agreed that a lot does ride on Jed’s health and ability to be primary second baseman this year. He was the best hitter on the team in 2017 and 18. I think the A’s are already clear favorites in the AL west even with a Kemp – Pinder platoon, but if Jed is healthy and at his best, I think this might make us real contenders, especially after the major bullpen revamp.
All 350 fans who bought tickets for the Rays home opener will be allowed into the Trop.
And receive a Blake Snell bobblehead.
Stu already had the bobble heads made before he traded Snell! He paid 10 schmeckels for them!! Can’t let them go to waste!
I love how it links to Brandon Scott’s playing career