MLB should have at least 80 games in 2020 for a ‘real’ season, say SB Nation FanPulse members

Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send 30 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Cubs fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.

Even without baseball games being played, baseball fans still have opinions about the game and so earlier this week we sent out five questions for SB Nation FanPulse members to answer about the state of Major League Baseball. Here are the results.

First, we asked if there should be further spring training:

I think this is more or less a no-brainer. Players, who are now more or less in offseason mode, would need at least a few intrasquad games to ramp up for serious competition.

I looked into this question myself yesterday and figured out a way to play a 108-game season. Here’s what respondents to this week’s survey said about the length of the 2020 season:

The precise numbers on that question: 40.13 percent said 80+, 39.8 percent said 100+, 15 percent said 120+ and five percent said 140+. So there seems to be a broad consensus that anything more than 80 games would be considered legitimate.

I agree with this. At this point, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to have such a game. MLB could still conduct voting and choose All-Star teams, but it would be an honor for the players, not something they’d actually play in. Dodger Stadium, which was to be the host venue, would have to be chosen for another year down the road, perhaps 2022.

I agree with this as well. It seems likely that no postseason in 2020, however MLB would constitute it, would go past Thanksgiving. That would still give the players almost three months before they’d have to ramp up again in late February if there is a “normal” 2021 season. Players not in a 2020 postseason series would have four months. Perhaps 2021 spring training could be shortened somewhat.

Exact numbers here: 53 percent said the draft needs more rounds, 41 percent said a five-round draft makes sense and six percent said “cancel it.” I’m in the “need more rounds” camp. There’s no way five rounds brings enough young talent into the game.

Thanks to those who participated and if you would like to have your voice heard in future surveys, the link to sign up is at the top of this post.