Outside The Confines: Is Rob Manfred bluffing?

Before the weekend, it seemed like the difficult situation of the Marlins mass run of positive tests might leave the season in jeopardy.

Since then, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred issued an ultimatum to union head Tony Clark: The players need to shape up, or the season is on the cusp of being cancelled.

In a sense, it was almost as if Manfred finally realized that if lives were at risk, it might be time to start taking safety protocols more seriously. But mere days later, it would appear that Manfred’s words were little more than a scare tactic to get the players in line.

Since things with the Marlins started to heat up there have been multiple positive tests among the Cardinals camp, and even more cancelled games. What did Manfred have to say about the mounting health concerns this time?

“We are playing. The players need to be better, but I am not a quitter in general and there is no reason to quit now. We have had to be fluid, but it is manageable.”

Pretty telling.

• Ben Clemens looks at the original ultimatum issued by Manfred.
• The other biggest story of the weekend was Yoenis Cespedes opting out of the season with (maybe?) no notice to the team? Ben Pickman looks at the story.
• Daniel Kaplan looks at whether or not fans might need COVID-19 liability waivers to attend live games in the future. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• There is a dearth of black catchers in MLB, and Robert Arthur and Daniel R. Epstein look at the reasons why. (Baseball Prospectus subscription required.)
• Ted Giannoulas looks at how mascots are handling the new normal of the MLBs season.
• This doesn’t bode well, historically speaking.

• Jayson Stark gets super strange but true in an already strange season. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Going to a game when there are no fans in the stands is a new and unsettling experience, writes Maury Brown.
• Doug Glanville writes about the larger ramifications (beyond baseball) of the Marlins being shut down so early into the season.
• Are teams really taking precautions seriously? Henry McKenna looks at the example of Dodgers bench coach Bob Geren removing his mask to cough, all while on camera.
• There is a lot of fear about downsizing among regional broadcasters, writes Ian Casselberry.
• Here’s something fun to end the post.

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