Baseball- Toronto Blue Jays to play home games in Pittsburgh

[underpants]

Canada's government denied the Blue Jays' request to play in Toronto because the regular-season schedule would require frequent travel from the United States, where COVID-19 cases are surging. The other 29 major league teams plan to play the pandemic-shortened, 60-game season in their home ballparks, without fans.

The schedules for the Pirates and Blue Jays match up almost perfectly. Aside from July 29, they don't have a home game on the same date until Sept. 7. The Blue Jays are scheduled to host Washington -- where they play their previous series -- on July 29, but they theoretically could stay in Washington to play their scheduled two-game home series.

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said he was excited about the PNC Park option, and Pirates manager Derek Shelton said he would have no problem with the Blue Jays moving in. The Pirates are led by former Blue Jays executive Ben Cherington.

Baltimore also had been considered as a possible host site, outfielder Randal Grichuk said Tuesday, as had the team's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, New York. Grichuk, however, said the players wanted to play in a major league stadium.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29515522/sources-blue-jays-expected-play-home-games-pnc-park-pittsburgh

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Glad that's going to work out.

For however long the baseball season lasts.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that within three weeks enough players and staff will test Covid-19 positive, maybe even some will get seriously sick, that it will be cancelled completely.

I'm not an optimist about the playing of professional sports.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. There was no stadium in Buffalo that was up to MLB standards? NT

[underpants]

3. I think there's a big jump from AAA to the Show

Mostly the locker rooms and amenities I’d guess.

Sort of related - I heard that NBA players were still having catered meals delivered to their houses. It’s part of their contract. At least one team was. Either Charlotte or Boston if memory serves.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Upon further review, ...

MLB requires so many lumens per square foot, or something like that, for its lighting standard.

Toronto Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo during 2020 MLB season
The wait is finally over in Toronto's home ballpark search for 2020

By Katherine Acquavella
Jul 24, 2020 at 3:35 pm ET
2 min read

The Toronto Blue Jays have finally found a solution in their home ballpark search for the 2020 MLB season. The Blue Jays announced Friday that the club will play their 2020 home games at Sahlen Field, their Triple-A affiliate ballpark in Buffalo, New York during the 60-game campaign.

After the Blue Jays were denied approval to play at their home ballpark, Rogers Centre, in Toronto, due to concerns over teams crossing the border amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, they explored other options like splitting games with the Orioles and Pirates, at Camden Yards and PNC Park, respectively. The other option the Blue Jays explored was playing their home games at the club's spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida. But with Florida's ongoing COVID-19 surge, the spring training site was ruled out.

The Blue Jays are set to begin their 2020 campaign Friday at Tropicana Field to face the Tampa Bay Rays. Toronto's first "home" series is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30, but the club will play the pair of games at Nationals Park against the Washington Nationals. According to The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath, the club will plan to play their home opener at Sahlen Field on July 31 against the Phillies or Aug. 11 against the Marlins. It's unclear how long the upgrades will take for the Buffalo ballpark.

{snip}

Buffalo was one of the original options when the Blue Jays first encountered issues with playing at Rogers Centre, but players expressed their interest in wanting to play at a major-league level ballpark. Sahlen Field will require some reconfiguration of the clubhouse, workout facility and the ballpark lights, to bring the stadium up to par with an MLB ballpark. Some other concerns that would need to be addressed: the bullpen location being in playable foul territory as well as making sure there is enough space for social distancing among players and coaches. But, the Blue Jays organization figure this to be an easier option than to continue awaiting government approval for sharing a MLB ballpark.

{snip}

[underpants]

5. Yeah I saw that. It's Buffalo.

Thanks. I should have corrected this.