Column: No asterisk needed for most unusual baseball season

No need for an asterisk.

Defying all skepticism that this was nothing more than a watered-down money grab with little chance of reaching the finish line (yep, I’m raising my hand), Major League Baseball has pulled off its two-month sprint of a regular season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With the playoffs set to begin next week, the 60-game campaign of 2020 certainly deserves a place right alongside those 162-game, six-month-long marathons of past years.

“They're probably feeling like they would if they had played 162 games, really, with the mental drain and everything else that was on 'em," said Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, who guided his team to a third straight NL East title.

In many ways, this season was even more demanding than the usual grind.

With the most extensive travel of any major sport that’s being played during the pandemic, the odds were stacked against baseball from that very first pitch back in late July.

“Oh man, it was a challenge every day — for everybody, not just us,” Snitker said. "The obstacles we overcame, the hurdles we had to jump over, it was something else.”

Several notable players opted out before the season even began. Atlanta slugger Freddie Freeman was stricken with COVID-19 during summer camp and became so ill that he prayed just to make it through the night.

The Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals had widespread outbreaks in the opening weeks, forcing the postponement of numerous games. There was talk of Commissioner Rob Manfred threatening to shut down the season if more teams were affected.

In the end, it somehow worked out better than anyone could've expected.

Check out the Marlins, who head into the weekend poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003 despite being forced to make nearly...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Column-No-asterisk-needed-for-most-unusual-15597940.php