The Cardinals’ next scheduled matchup will be postponed, per a league announcement. The team had been set to resume play on Thursday in a doubleheader against the Tigers.
This is only the latest in a string of cancellations that have threatened the viability of the 2020 season for the venerable St. Louis organization. The club has completed just five games, while some competitors have already logged 17 contests.
It’s obviously necessary to err well on the side of caution given the worryingly broad spread of COVID-19 in the clubhouse. But the result is equally obvious: the length of the layoff makes it hard to imagine the Cards will complete anything approaching a 60-game campaign.
The earliest the Cardinals will resume play is Friday, when they’re scheduled to head to Chicago. The latest round of testing did not feature any new positives, which seems promising. But any further setbacks would pose significant questions to the league.
there’s no way the Cardinals can play enough games to make the playoffs now.
Lots of DH’s
Seems like the best MLB can do is delay the playoffs so teams can make up games.
Manfred said today that they could go with winning percentage, so if the 8 games that have been postponed and not scheduled for makeup (Cubs 3, Pirates 3, Tigers DH) are not played, they would go with 52 games and their winning percentage to determine playoff eligibility.
Which would make their inclusion in the playoffs (if they make it) an even bigger joke than it already would be in the 60-game season.
I’m a Cardinals fan. but don’t think that would be fair to the rest of the Central. almost need a sliding scale where teams that have fewer games played need a higher winning percentage to make the playoffs
I don’t see why it would be a problem. If they’re only missing 8 games, the percentage is negligible. It might be the difference of a .500 team not making it.
How about this 3up3down??? Let the Cardinals go by winning percentage but that games not made up——if they are related to this stretch—-the teams they were to play are given wins to increase their percentages to place in standings against the Cardinals ONLY.
If the Brewers and Cubs each play 57 they should be judged on that slate but they shouldn’t be penalized by the Cardinals.
There could be instances where a team like the Cubs or Brewers (sorry Pirates fans) where the inability of having the chance of winning two of three against St. Louis might be the difference in moving on.
@jkoch 13% of a season is not negligible. saving on the grind/wear and tear, not giving other teams/scouts reps against pitchers to learn their tips and tells. et cetera.
it’s not equitable, and it certainly is statistically meaningful.
So far
They might have to do a qualified games played. Like highest winning percentage minimum 50 games played. Or something like that
If they can’t play they should have to forfeit those games. Simple as that. They got themselves into this mess. They should have to pay the consequences of their actions.
13% of the season should DQ them…
They’ve postponed more than 8 games. Don’t forget the 4 game series with the Brewers. In total I think it 14—so nearly 25% of their season.
Yes, the Cards have only played 5 games this year.
Yeah, but everything before the Cubs and Pirates series have been rescheduled. So 3 games each with the Cubs and Pirates, plus the rescheduled DH with the Tigers make 8 that haven’t been rescheduled. That’s how I got to 8.
I am just waiting to see what happens when one of the teams tests positive for covid during the play offs.
Just cancel the season, this is ridiculous.
Why? Better than no baseball.
Yea but the World Series or season should not be considered legitimate. Same should be said of the NHL and NBA seasons, all because some people can’t go just one year without sports.
yeah whatever. this is the 2020 season we are getting. there is no other alternate universe we can consult to see what thr “normal” results would have been, so its legitimate.
Yup
Who cares if some people don’t consider it “legitimate” anyway? The whole point of me watching baseball is to watch baseball. I want my team to win and the other team to lose. I don’t care what people in 2025 or 2030 or 2050 will think when they look back at this season. That is their problem. Just enjoy the games for what they are or don’t watch. You can’t control the future anyway.
Great comments.
That’s fine enjoy the games for what they are, just don’t consider this season to be legitimate as the others.
It’s not legitimate when all teams aren’t playing on equal conditions. When some teams lose half there players to quarantine when many would be healthy to play and another team can’t even play is not legitimate and wrecks with the integrity of the game. At this point why even care what the Astros did, Black Sox throwing games or have penalties for steroid users.
Nah just cancel the Cardinals season
yes, Cardinals, out!
No need to kill season because of one stupid team
Which team is stupid? So your stupid for catching a virus you have no control over huh ? I guess there are over 3 million stupid people in the US now and still counting. Thanks for the enlightening.
At what point do they have to forfeit games?
When the Astros World Series is vacated.
I can get on board with that…..
Never going to happen
Good one Tominco
They moved the Cardinals-White Sox game on Saturday to a 615 local start. My guess that is where they’ll resume play if all goes well They’ll cancel Friday’s game and move it to a doubleheader Sunday. The Cardinals don’t have to travel out of Chicago seeing as they play the Cubs Monday.
My guess is the Tigers DH will be moved to the 27th or Sept 3rd.
They are going to need to do some spring training style split squad games if they are going to be able to fit 60 games in.
Awesome!!! I hadn’t thought about split squad games. Would definitely fit in well with this insane season.
That would mean having Manfred change the rules regarding the 40 man. I don’t think the 28 other teams will like that he would make an exception for only the St. Louis Cardinals.
They also don’t have to play 60 games. 54-55 I would say would be fair based on win percentage if indeed it came down to that.
Just saw the Cardinals team bus pulling into the strip bar.
Right on. Sounds like you gonna get paid!
(Sorry… I couldn’t stop myself)
It’s too bad, given baseball’s intricate minor league system, we can’t get minor leaguers stepping in – another missed opportunity under Manfred’s watchful eye.
They can. That’s the reason for the expanded 60-man pool: to be able to replace an entire active roster if necessary. Why the league isn’t making the Cardinals do what they made the Marlins do is gonna need a whole lot of explaining.
Lock em up and throw away the key. Cubs only go to st louis once this year. That series was cancelled. So at max cubs will play 57 games.
Unless of course they get the virus.
“Postponed” is not the same as “cancelled”.
It was canceled though. Theres no way to make up those games. Theres no reason to. Not enough time. It was the only trip to st Louis for the cubs. Why would the cubs go out of their way to make up 3 games that probably won’t matter in the end.
They will just play the games in Chicago
For what reason? They don’t have enough off days. Why punish the cubs for what the cards did? 7 games at wrigley. Why would the cubs agree to have the cards be the home team? Best thing to do is cancel(which they did) the series.
Double headers…..St Louis visits the Cubs twice. over the next month.
They’re only playing DH if they get rained out. Otherwise its the series in st. Louis gonna is not gonna be made up. There’s literally no reason to.
There actually is a very good reason to. The games were scheduled, so they will try to make them up. The Cubs have absolutely zero say in if MLB decides to do doubleheaders to fit the three games in, weird take.
The chances are very slim that they make up those games in st louis. Unless its sept 28-30th.
I’m not a fan of the idea of winning percentage. If they go that route, there has to be a minimum number of games played, something like 90%. I’m sorry, but the Marlins & Cardinals brought this on themselves, they shouldn’t be able to make the playoffs for what they did to the schedule. I know, it’s not ALL of the players’ fault, but teams have to police themselves, this is ridiculous. Who I really feel sorry for is the teams who were impacted by these teams being quarantined. If two teams were out of commission at a time, fine, have the two opponents play each other, but there hasn’t been much of that so far.
I enjoy watching the games, but this is why no one should be playing. We are in the middle of a pandemic and Americans don’t seem to know what that word means. And hard as we try to police ourselves, too many people seem willing to cross their fingers and say “just this one time.” Everyone should be troubled by situations involving Astros-Dodgers and Astros-A’s. Payback? Store it in your memory and save it for another time. Kelly and Laureano should both be sent home. And I don’t want to hear about the Astros getting away with it because now is not the time for that.
Are you seriously trying to say that Ramon Laureano was at fault for yesterday?
Like…seriously?
Also, what do the Astros things have to do with the topic being discussed?
How was he NOT at fault? He was the one that charged the dugout of the other team after he mocked the pitcher by showing him how to pitch. I get that the Astros are villains now, but come on. That was CLEARLY all on Laureano.
Right… Not on the coach that was instigating him, correct? That coach should be suspended for the rest of the season for continuing and flaming that brawl after Laurenao was already settling down at first base
We are in the midst of a pandemic. Baseball has protocols. What someone yells from the dugout is no reason to start a physical altercation. Laureano got duped when he clearly should have known better. As the old saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right.
The Astros were the other team.
Which is why the season should not be considered legitimate.
They did not bring it on themselves. I believe it was brought on beginning in China. Such stupidity here.
98% or your team isn’t eligible to make the playoffs
The Marlins made the effort and got back on the field. STL obviously doesn’t want to field a team of anyone except it’s regulars. Winning percentage definitely needs some sort of sliding scale to be fair. We see races come down to half game differences in a 162 game season. Not fair to play 10-12% (or more) fewer games and qualify on winning percentage alone.
Agreed. MLB’s credibility is on shaky ground, to begin with. Why leave room for a worst-case scenario to happen? The powers-that-be in the sport have apparently learned nothing from the recent past. They seem to be doing all they can to push people away from the sport.
MLB is the one making the decision of the Cardinals play or not. It’s the commissioners office to blame here, the Cardinals have no say in it
This season is a farce and a money grab ….
Daver520, That’s what irritates me about these teams playing in their home ballparks. The players and owners get paid. Meanwhile, those small, nearby businesses that rely on MLB in the summer don’t get a penny. While it’s not MLB’s job to support those businesses, it comes off as another example of the big business getting rich at the expense of small businesses. On the other side of the pandemic, fans will be stunned to go on trips to the ballpark, only to learn that their favorite pre-game watering hole or eatery went out of business. It’s the same with paring down the minor leagues. Chasing today’s dollars while giving no thought to growing the game. Also, we’re seeing some bad baseball during national telecasts on which broadcasters spend the entire nine innings bemoaning what’s wrong with the game. Telling people the product they are watching stinks isn’t exactly marketing 101.
Your first point makes zero sense. Yes, those businesses are suffering, but what does MLB playing/not playing at their home park have to do with that? The team, for that matter, isn’t getting any additional revenue playing in their home park, vice at some neutral site. So, how is whatever profit they do make at the expense of the nearby businesses?
i really wonder if the league would consider pushing back the postseason at this point. it has a lot to do with why the league really doesn’t want the season to last late into the year. if it’s about weather, there are enough domed stadiums to deal with that issue. if its about the pandemic getting worse during the winter, the numbers we have now make it hard to believe weather has anything to do with infection rate. if its about avoiding football, youre already going to be dealing with that anyway, and the NHL and NBA will have to move their starts back so that issue is lessened. in my opinion, buck up and extend it.
Just cancel the Cards season already….they are an embarrassment to baseball. Even the Marlins were able to start playing with all their positives and actually win games.
Literally none of this is their choice, it is MLB’s decision to be MORE conservative after what happened in with the Marlins. If the Cardinals were the first team to get it, they would be playing already.
Your an embarrassment
This is why what happened to Plesac is so important.
The Marlins broke protocol and it devastated a team and a schedule.
The Cardinals likely broke protocol an it devastated a team and a schedule.
After all that, Plesac thought it would be OK to break protocol. If there are more players that clueless, this season is going to end. There are only so many bullets MLB can dodge.
Uhh Marlins are on track for the playoffs lol
Why do we even have expanded rosters if one test is going to stop teams from playing. I understand the original postponements from last week, but the Cubs series was postponed for two positives and the Pirates was postponed for one. Put the guys that test positive on the IL and let everyone else play. Yes, there is a 14 day period where somone COULD have it and test negative, but that is true of every single player on every single team. Do the daily testings and quarantine the positives, but just let the rest of the team play. They are going to have to make up so many games that we will have to have 5 three inning games a day in September.
exactly. i dont know why they have the pool if not for a situation like this. i get exercising caution, but if you have this situation for each team with positives then why did you even try and have a season?
Struggling to keep play the 60 games you planned?
Let’s expand to let even more teams in the playoffs!!!
Makes sense!!!
Just let em play! Only people making a big deal about this are fearful sheep. How can anyone accept the validity of these tests when unused tests are coming back positive? It’s a rigged system and people need to open their eyes to what is really going on.
Let me guess, Qanon conspiracy theorist? That would make you one of the most fearful sheep of all.
They have 30 players in Springfield. Why aren’t those players playing the games? If a team can’t field enough players from the two squads they have, they should be forfeiting those games.
Totally agree
Isn’t this why they have a 60 player pool ?
They should be playing with the healthy players
All I know is if you are in fantasy leagues trade for Cardinals about now, gonna get a lot of extra games between now and seasons end
How about they forfeit those games since they’re the ones who violated protocols and apparently don’t want to use the taxi squad (which was negotiated between players and owners). Cardinals should not get preferential treatment.
What’s lost here is the impact of no workouts. Yes no games will hurt but not being able to practice is going to lead to injuries if they do return to the field. Best to just hang em up til 21