Play ball in Chicago this summer? Mayor says yes, 'probably without fans'
It's becoming a matter of when, not if.
When is an abbreviated major league going to start?
As more and more states around the country begin easing - or lifting - stay-at-home restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, baseball continues to tweak its plans to get back on the field.
"While I fully anticipate that baseball will resume this season, it is very difficult to predict with any accuracy the timeline for the resumption of our season," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said last week.
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc with timelines in every sector of society, and baseball is certainly not immune.
But as the curve begins flattening in spots across the country, it is safer to assume you'll be hearing "Play ball!" in the not-too-distant future.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was asked Monday about the possibility of the Cubs and White Sox playing in Chicago this summer.
"Those decisions are going to be made at the league level," Lightfoot said. "They're not going to be made by individual team owners. Yes, we've had ongoing conversations about what that might look like. We're obviously a ways away from that because we haven't seen the level of cases decline on a consistent basis. We're still seeing them rise.
"But can I envision a world where baseball might return to Chicago this summer? Yes. Is it likely to be without fans? Probably."
Later Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was also asked about baseball returning to Chicago this summer, specifically with no fans in the stands at Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field.
"That's above my pay grade," Pritzker said. "Listen, I want to watch a baseball game. I'm a fan. But I know that will be a decision for the leagues, and by the scientists."
When the thought of baseball returning was first discussed early this month, resuming spring training and moving into the season entirely in Arizona was thought to be the best working plan on the table.
The biggest flaw, and likely deal killer, was the prospect of all players staying in Phoenix-area hotel rooms isolated from their families.
"That would definitely be a major concern," said new White Sox relief pitcher Steve Cishek, who spent the last two seasons with the Cubs. "It kind of sits in the back of your mind where, if they ask us to be away from our families for the duration of the season, I would have a hard time agreeing to play under those circumstances. I want to be with my family for the whole season."