MLB Bullets is open to playing without fans

Baseball news is starting to dry up after last weekend’s agreement between players and owners on a structure for the game this year. After a bit about that, a few odds and ends for you on this Monday morning.

• Jay Jaffe says players and owners are hunkering down “in the face of the unknown,” and that’s about the best description of what all of us are facing now.
• Tim Brown and Hannah Keyser report on a conference call between MLBPA chief Tony Clark and reporters in which Clark says players are definitely open to playing games without fans, if needed.
• There will be changes in this year’s draft and Eric Longenhagen has the details of a much shorter draft in 2020 and less money for young players entering the game.
• Nick Stellini says the draft changes “hang amateur players out to dry.” He’s right. Quotes from one player in the article really hammer it home.
• To no one’s surprise, agent Scott Boras says the draft limits “send the wrong message.”
• Former Cub (and Cardinal) Jim Edmonds, now a broadcaster in St. Louis, did not feel well over the weekend. He reported on social media that he’s tested positive for pneumonia and is awaiting the results of other tests, including for COVID-19.
• Webster Garrison, a minor-league coach in the Athletics organization, is on a ventilator after testing positive for COVID-19.
• New York Mets ownership is still pursing a sale of the team. Daniel Kaplan reports on this process, which I can only describe as “so Mets.” (The Athletic subscription required)
• Yankees righthander Domingo German was suspended late last season under MLB’s domestic violence policy. Randy Miller has details on how that suspension will be handled depending on how many games are played in 2020.
• Noah Syndergaard’s Tommy John surgery was successful.
• Buster Olney says Thor’s TJS is an example of MLB’s “complex financial decisions” to come.
• One of the possible results of the 2020 season could be postseason play as late as December. Justin Tasch reports on why Clayton Kershaw thinks that’s not a good idea.
• Bill Bartholomay, a Chicago executive who led the group that bought the Braves and moved them to Atlanta from Milwaukee, died last week at 91.
• Joey Gallo is keeping in shape at his home batting cage. Matt Snyder has the story, including video!
• Which hitters are “that freaking guy?” Eno Sarris writes about otherwise-ordinary hitters who specialized in dominating specific teams. The guys who did so to the Cubs are no surprise to me at all. You’ll enjoy reading the rest, too. (The Athletic subscription required)
• Pirates lefthander Steven Brault, who has sung the National Anthem at PNC Park, is using his singing voice to raise money for charity. Adam Berry has the musical details.
• Minor League Baseball is offering its MiLB.TV product for free until the minor-league season begins. They’ve got over 6,500 games from the 2019 season available for viewing. Click here for details.
• Lastly, Bartolo Colon video is always awesome:

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.