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Boston Red Sox NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley won’t allow himself to get too excited about any proposal to resume the 2020 MLB season until something is set in stone.
Eckersley gave his opinion on “NESN After Hours” about the newest proposal to realign divisions for the 2020 season. MLB is pursuing safe ways to restart the season during the coronavirus pandemic.
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USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported MLB is discussing restarting in late June with each team playing in its home ballpark with new divisions.
In this proposal, the Red Sox would be part of a 10-team division consisting of the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Nationals, Orioles, Phillies, Pirates, Blue Jays, Rays and Marlins.
“For me, I’m sitting here like everybody else and I’m trying to be positive but this is a matter of being fake pumped,” Eckersley said. “We’re going to get fake pumped about 10 more times. Am I supposed to give into this saying, ‘Oh this is a new division, this and that.’ Whatever happens, this is going to be a strange season.”
Several proposals have already been reported, including resuming the season in empty spring training parks in Arizona. Another proposal involved restarting with reconstructed divisions in spring training parks in Florida and Arizona.
As MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said, several contingency plans have been discussed but the season won’t restart until the public health situation is better.
“Most important, the only decision that we have made — the only real plan that we have — is that baseball is not going to return until the public health situation has improved to the point that we’re comfortable that we can play games in a manner that’s safe for our players, our employees, our fans and in a way that will not impact the public health situation adversely,” MLB Manfred said April 17 on Fox Business.
Remy resumes cancer treatments
Jerry Remy has continued his ongoing cancer treatments after missing two cycles because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Red Sox NESN analyst tweeted a photo from Mass. General Hospital and wrote, “After missing a few cycles of treatment back at it today. Feeling good! Thanks MGH.”
Earlier this week, Remy discussed his treatments on the TC & Jerry Podcast, saying, “They were canceled for a couple of sessions because of what’s going on, obviously. So now, they’re thinking the hospital is safe enough to go into, they moved the location to a different location in the hospital, so I’ll be able to get my treatment on Friday, which I’m blessed. I only missed two, that’s not too bad. I was expecting to miss more.”
The 67-year-old Remy was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and has overcome four relapses.
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