Former Indians President Mark Shapiro Feels Teams Would Need a Month Before Games Can Be Played

Current Blue Jays and former Indians president Mark Shapiro says that he thinks it is going to be some time before we see games on the field being played that count. The team president told reporters it could be even months and not weeks before there's regular season games in MLB parks.

When Major League truly starts up again is anyone’s guess at this point, but until it does, one team president thinks it’s going to take some time to get the teams ready to play again.

Current Toronto Blue Jays and former Cleveland Indians president Mark Shapiro said he thinks that Major League Baseball would need no less than a month of workouts and exhibition games before the regular season can start.

The Associated Press reports that Shapiro said to reporters he does not think that Major Legue camps will be open anytime soon.

"Knowing that so many players are not even having any access to throwing at all or hitting at all, but most importantly just throwing, and probably limited access to just training and exercise, it's hard to imagine we could get ready in less than four weeks," Shapiro said to reporters.

"I do think that we're, by and large, waiting for some sort of flattening of the curve and recognition that we have done our best to limit the strain on the health care system and the economic system," Shapiro stated.

"Until that time, the exact outcome and impact on our schedule, and all of the corresponding business that cascades off that, really can't be determined."

Major League Baseball has not given any indication as to dates for getting back to business, other than to state that Opening Day has been pushed back to mid-May due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Indians were scheduled to open up the 2020 season on Thursday at home against the Detroit Tigers.

The latest forecast had temps in the high 50’s to low 60’s for the 1:10pm first pitch

For now with no dates in sight to seeing players back on the field, Shapiro says that it is going to be some time before any games, regular season or not, are played. 

“It certainly looks like we are not dealing with days and likely not weeks, but closer to months,” he said.

Not good news for fans who are anxious to see baseball anytime in the upcoming future.