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The 2020 season has been a disaster for MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Manfred blasted for threatening to shut down MLB season

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 7/31/20

It was always going to be tricky to start the 2020 MLB season amid the COVID-19 pandemic around the United States. Unlike the NBA and NHL, baseball is being played outside of a bubble.

This brings a lot of issues to the forefront. Immaturity from players and the danger of travel are two things that come to mind. Sadly, these fears have been met with reality over the first week of the season.

A total of 20% of the teams around the league have already seen games postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests. More than half of the Miami Marlins’ active roster has tested positive.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred then issued a warning to MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark and the players. If the sport doesn’t do a better job managing the virus, it could shut down for the season by Monday.

Isn’t this cute? Manfred and MLB have failed at pretty much every turn since the start of the season was initially suspended back in March. From economic issues with the players to insisting on teams playing in their home venues, it’s been a complete disaster from the league’s part.

Players and teams have to do their part. That’s known. But the failure of leadership from the commissioner’s office has been the biggest issue. The MLB world reacted to Manfred’s threat on Friday. The reactions did not paint him in the best of lights. That’s for sure.

This Rob Manfred guy should fire the Commissioner for this type of incompetence https://t.co/ASlC6Q7QBK
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) July 31, 2020

Rob Manfred and the MLB vs Adam Silver and the NBA pic.twitter.com/5HjhNGHd7s
— Fredo (@goknickstape) July 31, 2020

Rob Manfred looking for the person who isn’t doing their job managing corona pic.twitter.com/LsmR8qbnq0
— Bellinger’s Minecraft World (@bellingersworId) July 31, 2020

rob manfred seeing a problem in mlb: "wow, someone should do something about this" https://t.co/XDDICupcSP
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) July 31, 2020

Right. Those damn players ruined a perfectly disastrous Rob Manfred plan. Just resign, Rob, save everybody some time. https://t.co/pgangESMiO
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) July 31, 2020

Rob Manfred is the captain on a ship heading for an iceberg telling the kitchen staff if they don’t correct course and do a better job controlling the ship, they’ll crash
— Jake Ciely (@allinkid) July 31, 2020

I hope the commissioner takes Manfred's advice. https://t.co/0RTPJAx6wY
— Jordan (@jordancicchelli) July 31, 2020

The individual actions of players, managers, etc. are hugely important for getting this to work. But those individual actions happen inside a bigger structure—and if there are *structural* issues here, well, good luck blaming it on the individuals. https://t.co/yysdhxjR2m
— Emma Baccellieri (@emmabaccellieri) July 31, 2020

Remember when Rob Manfred said this wasn't a nightmare situation a few days ago?
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) July 31, 2020

Bettman/Silver showed leadership during this & didn't have public fights. Manfred/Clark seemed like all they did was publicly fight. I get a bubble is huge & there is a lot you can't control now but the lack of leadership in MLB is a problem & the plan should have been better. https://t.co/4RubODnmVA
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) July 31, 2020

While it’s not ALL Manfred’s fault, he has mismanaged this and so many other things with MLB that you can’t help but put a lot of this on him.

With more and more games getting cancelled, I just don’t see how baseball survives this season.

The NBA clearly have the right idea. https://t.co/vYbZjNUBMY
— Doug Moore (@DMooreNFL) July 31, 2020

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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