Latest 2020 proposal makes crosstown play an actual rivalry
Disdain is my preferred emotion when discussing the foolishness of the annual crosstown series. The Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs have been playing regular season contests against each other since 1997, when inter-league action officially came to fruition. The teams play in different leagues with different rules, and one team's success or failure doesn't implicitly impact that of the other club.
People love it, though, and while it brings out the worst in both fan bases, it's a big deal for those raised to hate due to geography. The Pale Hose don't have a definitive rival. They haven't been good enough at baseball over the years to be considered a hated enemy of any particular foe. But at least the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins have a directly impactful and tangible influence on the White Sox.
The latest 2020 plan
In addition to the Arizona Plan and Florida Plan that were recently detailed, Bob Nightengale now has the outline of another plan that hits a little closer to home. The veteran scribe from USA Today reports that Major League Baseball is considering three divisions of 10 teams, in which teams play a 100-game season only within their own expanded divisions.
The proposal calls for games to be played in home stadiums without fans in attendance, rather than Arizona or Florida. Nightengale states that, "baseball officials have become cautiously optimistic that the season could start no later than July 2." The concept appears to be gaining steam, and has support from owners and baseball executives. The plan is obviously pending approval from medical experts, and like everything else will be dictated by the availability of rapid COVID-19 testing.
Another recent report suggests that while no decision has been made, clubs reporting directly to their home ballparks for a second spring training is becoming more plausible than returning to sites in Arizona and Florida. The goal behind this idea is to save time and money during a truncated, three-week ramp-up. The plan would eliminate the need for hotel rooms and per diem for players during a spring training 2.0. Space would be the biggest disadvantage, because teams would have one field to use instead of the five or six common in all spring training facilities.
This three-division plan would abolish the traditional American and National Leagues for the season and realign the teams based on geography. The plan is favored by many because it would significantly reduce travel and eliminate the need for players to be in constant isolation — an idea that has been balked at by many players. The White Sox would almost assuredly be joined by the rest of the American League Central in addition to five geographical fits from the National League as well. Here's the proposal floated by Nightengale:
EAST
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Miami Marlins
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Nationals
WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers
Oakland Athletics
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
Seattle Mariners
Texas Rangers
CENTRAL
Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins
St. Louis Cardinals
Ramifications for the White Sox
In this realigned Central, the White Sox and Cubs would play about 10 regular season games against each other. The rivalry would actually mean something, and it could lead to a really interesting experience for fans and observers. The White Sox would play fewer games against the Twins, which could be seen as a positive, but they also wouldn't benefit from 30-plus games against the Royals and Tigers.
The Braves, Reds, Brewers and Cardinals were all projected playoff contenders in the NL prior to the shutdown, so the revamped Central would be a tough division for the White Sox to win. With the rumored addition of four additional playoff teams, though, the White Sox should have better odds at ending their longstanding playoff drought.
The energy was palpable and the buzz was real in Glendale. The White Sox weren't a playoff favorite, but they were viewed as a sneaky contender in a winnable division. At this point, just getting back to playing baseball outweighs any won-loss outcome. This is a young team with veteran leaders sprinkled in, so it would be a benefit to play together regardless of where that playing takes place or who it is against. These leagues don't let crises go to waste in general, and this fact could help Chicago's American League club.
There's no better time than now to implement the designated hitter into both leagues and welcome the baseball traditionalists into the 20th Century. The White Sox are set with José Abreu and Edwin Encarnación in this regard, but the rule change could make some of the other players in their system more valuable in trade. Expanded rosters could also become a boon for the club.
The front office insulated themselves in the pitching department by adding Dallas Keuchel and Gio González in free agency. With the dealy to the season, young arms like Michael Kopech and Carlos Rodón could theoretically be available when a season finally starts. Dane Dunning and Jimmy Lambert are further along in their rehab as well. Young bullpen arms like Zack Burdi, Codi Heuer and Tyler Johnson could also be expedited to the big leagues in a season where all hands could be on deck.
Will there be baseball?
The tunes have changed a bit and plans appear to be in motion, according to many of the top baseball newsbreakers in the country. One of the best in the business is Jeff Passan at ESPN, and he wrote a detailed synopsis of where things stand. Passan wrote that all parties are "increasingly optimistic" that there will be baseball this season. It's all a matter of when and where that takes place.
It will still take some compromise for all parties, but compromise makes more sense than a the alternative in times as trying as these. Passan does note that "owners have a real concern over lost revenue in a season where no fans are expected to be in attendance." Owners contend that local and national television money alone won't cover their operating costs. Nobody will feel bad for billionaires in this case, but it's a legitimate fear for a sport with groups in the business of profit.
The players were fronted $170 million back in March, and that initial outlay will run its course before June. Players might have to take a larger pay cut than originally anticipated, but the majority of them have incentive to do so. The ramifications for no baseball in 2020 would reverberate across the sporting landscape. If there are no games, players don't get paid. That's the biggest financial incentive for baseball occurring in some fashion this summer.
The 2021 season is also the final one in the current collective bargaining agreement, and it would behoove the players to get some games in during 2020. Playing some semblance of baseball in 2020 would likely prevent a bigger battle with owners after massive amounts of lost revenues the season prior. There could also be more depressed markets for older free agents entering the marketplace this winter.
Chicago baseball
The Cubs were entering the 2020 season as a bit of a beaten favorite, while the White Sox were seen as more of an upstart operation on the cusp. While these theoretical plans are all fun to think about, it's unknown whether or not the crosstown series will become more meaningful in the coming year. Most plans seem to be heavily reliant on geographical factors and if that's the case, casual fans will be getting their trash talk on more frequently.
Baseball's power brokers have become more optimistic of late that America's Pastime won't become a thing of the past. While there are many financial issues at play, a compromise seems likely. Canceling a season for financial reasons would be catastrophic for a sport struggling with its image. It seems that common sense will win out.