Proposed Safety Protocols for MLB’s 2020 Season

Specializing in millennial career development, accomplished consultant Randall Blum serves as president and CEO of Randall Blum Insight Consulting, a Des Moines, Iowa firm that provides strategic guidance to Fortune 500 corporations. A sports fan, Randall Blum follows the Major League Baseball (MLB).

The MLB and the MLB Players Association are in the final stage of talks for the structure of the 2020 season, which is expected to begin in July. One of the major proposals concern safety protocols for players and team personnel amid the ongoing threats of COVID-19. The 67-page proposed safety protocols include imposing severe disciplinary actions on players who will be involved in on-field fights.

Normal physical contacts pertaining to the game are still allowed. However, physical contacts that are not permissible in the game will be assessed as either fighting or instigating fighting. Both cases will subject erring players to automatic ejection from the playing field, plus stepped up fines and penalties.

The rationale behind this proposal is to encourage as much social distancing as possible. If a fight ensues during a baseball game, there seems to be a “mismatch” since there is only one offensive player (the batter) against nine defensive players. However, even this situation cannot prevent the benches from being emptied during an on-field fight.