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Dayn Perry | CBS Sports: 11 umpires have opted out of the 2020 season. MLB plans to use 19 full umpiring crews which would require 76 umpires, but only 80 umpires are willing to work this season. MiLB umpires will likely fill in when those working need days off.
Tyler Kinzy | Viva El Birdos: Jordan Hicks was supposed to make his return from Tommy John this season, but has instead decided to opt out of the season. Hicks is a type-1 diabetic, and faced a greater risk in playing this season, but Tyler Kinzy reminds us that any player’s decision to opt out should be respected.
Steven Goldman | Baseball Prospectus: On July 14, 1887, baseball officially became segregated when the color line was drawn. As Steven Goldman points out, Black players were disallowed from entering the various leagues before then so that endpoint is arbitrary. Racism in baseball didn’t begin on July 14, 1887 nor did it end on April 15, 1947.