Elephant Rumblings: Negotiating the details of the 2020 MLB season

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

Another day goes by during the coronavirus pandemic, bringing with it more details on the continued negotiations over a potential 2020 MLB season. There’s nothing of any substance to report today, just the fact that the two sides are still talking, but even that in itself is a positive sign. Considering the impasse that the league and players union seem to be at over financial aspects, it could be argued that their continued discussions on other topics like safety protocols are an encouraging sign — they wouldn’t still be talking at all if they already knew there was no chance of striking an overall deal.

That might seem like reaching for a bright side, and you’re right, it kind of is. But I’ll take what I can get right now. See below for a collection of links and tweets to keep you caught up on all the latest.

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In the meantime, let’s take this moment on a slow news day to do some community feedback. How’s it going, y’all? Both in your own lives in general, and in terms of your experience on Athletics Nation. Is there anything we’re doing that you’re really enjoying? Or anything that you don’t like, or would like to see improved on? Anything we’re not doing at all that you think we should be? I’m always open to ideas, feedback, and criticism, and while I have some plans for what I want to do around here, I also want to hear what the community thinks about how I can best serve everyone.

Let’s talk about it in the comments!

A’s Coverage:

• Hickey: Is There Any Chance Athletics’ Pitchers Will Have Enough Time To Be Ready?
• Hickey: Baseball Tickets Are Actually Being Sold in Time of COVID-19 Pandemic
• Coffey: The legend of Herb Washington: How the A’s pinch-runner earned respect ($$$)
• Lockard: Reviewing the 2016 A’s draft: A.J. Puk and Sean Murphy highlight a solid haul ($$$)
• A’s trivia: Name the 2012 walk-offs

MLB News:

• Olney: Tony Clark, MLB players might be able to break standoff by thinking big picture ($$$)
• Rogers: Some MLB players hoping for loosening of restrictions in health proposal
• Rosenthal: Here’s how 5 team execs would change MLB’s proposed safety protocols ($$$)
• McCullough and Carig: ‘Infections are going to happen’: Experts talk risks, reality of MLB’s protocols ($$$)
• Todd (roundup): Latest On MLB Teams’ Plans For Employees

Baseball Interest:

• MLB: The best games by 1 batter for every club
• Randhawa: National Treasure: Indians hide Nic Cage in tweets
• Randhawa: Big Unit or Pedro? Choose your legendary ace
• Justice: Cruz aiming to become 3rd-generation big leaguer
• Todd: MLB’s 5 Most-Traded Players (an A’s favorite tops the list!)
• Byrne: Ranking The All-Time No. 1 Picks
• Byrne: 2000-09 AL Rookies Of The Year: At Least 2 Future Hall Of Famers
• Byrne: 12 Years Later, This Trade’s Still Paying Off For Yankees (it’s about Swisher)
• MLB Trivia: Can you name the 1990s statistical leaders?
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

The process continues

... and it sounds vaguely promising?

Interesting take in the responses to Passan

Pitchers who rake

This is heavily cherry-picked (Schmidt is a year younger in this comp, and his production level blasts off to HOF-level right after this arbitrary endpoint), but hey, I won’t complain about these two being mentioned in the same sentence.

Keep those spirits up, everybody!