Poor leadership could cost Colorado Rockies, MLB the 2020 season

Remember that feeling of hope you had, Colorado Rockies fans, that a semblance of a regular season might happen in 2020? Well, that feeling of confidence certainly eroded this afternoon.

That feeling of hope you had, Colorado Rockies fans, might have come from the commissioner of Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred, on the first night of the MLB Draft when he told ESPN’s Karl Ravech that the likelihood of MLB taking the field in 2020 was “100 percent.” Less than a week later, that same commissioner told ESPN, he was “not confident” there will be a 2020 baseball season.

You can read all of Manfred’s thoughts and why he backtracked on his “100 percent” statement here. Warning: It isn’t pretty if you’re a fan of Major League Baseball. It also isn’t pretty if you’re a fan of a commissioner who should be more about action than words.

The problem for MLB is that MLB fans, like me and most likely you if you’re reading this, are getting fed up with the back and forth that is playing out in the media between the owners and the players. The one man who could do something about it seems to be throwing his hands up in the air as he postures himself in the media. The one man who could bring the two sides together to find some middle ground is seemingly doing anything but that.

More from Colorado Rockies News

• A Colorado Rockies Thanksgiving
• Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon out for the season
• Colorado Rockies: Injuries shift look of roster ahead of Dodgers series
• Colorado Rockies: 3 things we appreciated from Tuesday in San Francisco
• What Bill Schmidt’s comments mean for the Colorado Rockies in 2023

Let’s be clear about one thing. Baseball fans will always love baseball. No matter if a season is played in 2020 or not, Rockies fans will still turn out for Opening Day 2021 and plenty of sunsets at 20th and Blake after that.

But are they going to turn out for just the sunsets and beer and then head home, or are they going to stick around to see if the Rockies can hold on to a two-run lead? That’s the difference between someone who buys a ticket and someone who is a fan. And MLB, you’re losing your fan support quickly. Just log on to social media to gauge the temperature in the room. Spoiler alert, it’s getting colder.

Maybe the owners are just interested in ticket sales and not fans. Maybe Manfred is as well. It certainly seems that way from this disaster of an offseason.

Yes, there’s still time to save the season. Yes, there’s still time for the Rockies to play in 2020. However, it’s going to take leadership to actually make it happen. And that’s a big reason why confidence in anything at Coors Field in 2020 is eroding day by day by day.