MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET
SEASON PREMIERE: And in this case, when I say “SEASON PREMIERE,” I’m really saying something. Unless the plug is pulled dramatically at the last moment today, Major League Baseball begins its truncated 60-game season, with ESPN televising a doubleheader – the first official new pro baseball after a four-month delay to the new season. In the East Count opener, at 7 p.m. ET, the New York Yankees play the defending World Series champions, the Washington Nationals. Then, at 10 p.m. ET, ESPN’s West Coast game begins, with the San Francisco Giants playing the Los Angeles Dodgers. The games will have some additional rules: National League teams are adopting American League designated hitter rules for the entire season. For the players and coaches, there’s no spitting, and no arguing. And if a game goes extra innings, it begins with a man on second base, to speed up things. Oh, and for now, there are no crowds – just piped-in noise and, in some cases, occasional cardboard cutouts as stand-ins (or sit-ins) for ballpark fans. But while some of the players are sitting this one out, most are not – and it’s close enough to baseball that I predict big ratings for tonight’s games. Oh, and at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., guess who’s throwing out the opening-day ball? From the nation’s capital, it’s the man who’s done his best to guide the country through this pandemic with his sage advice, unvarnished truth and reassuring calm demeanor. That’s right – I refer, of course, to Dr. Anthony Fauci. I presume he’ll wash his hands first. And afterward…