MLB Bullets can see a light at the end of the tunnel

I’m not sure how Jeff Passan seems to get all the best intel, but he has been a great and accurate source of knowledge for most of this baseball shutdown. So when he wrote a post this week about how baseball would, without a doubt, return in 2020, I think many people felt a glimmer of hope.

There are many when, where, and how questions about the return of the game, as well as a lot of questions about how it will look, but for right now I’m happy just to bask in the positive glow that we are most likely going to see baseball (at least on TV) this year.

• Bob Nightengale suggests it might be as early as June.
• Reds pitcher and Twitter scoundrel Trevor Bauer has some pretty insightful ideas about the return of baseball, which he shared on his YouTube channel.
• Three strikes you’re out! But can a batter strike out in fewer than three? Michael Cerami says yes.
• Noah Frank writes about the threat coronavirus is to minor league baseball.
• Get a box of tissues ready and have a good healthy cry while reading about Trey Mancini and his unbelievably positive outlook following a colon cancer scare this year.
• South Korean baseball could soon be on ESPN according to Yoo Jee-ho and Shin Chang-yong.
• Eireann Dolan, whose husband is Sean Doolittle, was recently interviewed and asked the very real question of why baseball was one of the last major sports to shut down this spring.

• This one is absolutely rife for contention, but Marc Carig attempts to rate the best uniforms of expansion teams. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Marc Craig is on a uniform kick this week, as he also looks into the history of baseball uniforms overall. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Will Leitch looks at how a practical joke might have led to Pete Rose becoming manager of the Reds.
• In a new episode of AnnouncersON, Len Kasper is interviewed by Mariners announcer Dave Sims and Jon “Boog” Sciambi of ESPN, plenty of good Cubs chatter to be had.
• If you find analytics fascinating but wonder how they’re applied to the game, Cody Stavenhagen interviews the Detroit Tigers senior director of analytics. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Blake Snell shares the story of Miguel Cabrera destroying him during a game in Detroit.

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