Every couple of weeks, it seems like MLB attempts to put a proposal together to try to begin the 2020 season. First, it was just playing in Arizona; next is a possibility of Arizona and Florida. Now it’s Arizona, Florida, and Texas? On Tuesday, the league suggested a plan where thirty clubs would spread out among three primary locations centered on the Phoenix, St. Petersburg, and Arlington areas. It’s unclear whether or not the proposal splits the thirty teams evenly or if one site has more or fewer teams.

Sources confirming CBS Sports report that latest idea being workshopped for an MLB restart includes … Texas. Story forthcoming.

— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) April 21, 2020

Let me make this clear; it’s just an idea that MLB is towing with at the moment. Like the previous two concepts, I don’t think it’ll hit much traction for several reasons. However, we’re nearing the end of April with nothing but classic games running, in any sport. The tough part is that for the Texas location, there aren’t many minor league park options or Spring Training facilities to fall back on like Tampa or Arizona. Therefore, if teams get assigned to specific locations, then it may create a small problem.

Another portion of the proposal is that parks like Marlins Park and Minute Maid Park will function so that teams will travel by car to those parks. According to Google Maps, the time to get from Globe Life Field to Minute Maid is about 3 hours and 45 minutes while going from Tropicana Field to Marlins Park is about 3 hours and 38 minutes. It’s not a terrible drive, but it could become an issue.

One of the more prominent factors is social distancing and isolation, regardless of location. I would assume specific rules would change like mound visits, and players would remain spread out in the clubhouse. Individual players like Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw aren’t too keen on the idea of isolation and being away from their families while other players don’t mind how the deal gets done as long as baseball plays.

If MLB decides on this idea, it’ll be interesting on the alignment of who plays where assuming each team has a designated home area. Again it’s not clear if travel will occur from Arizona to Florida, Florida, or Texas, etc., but I think the league is continuing to refine these ideas. Here’s a possible breakdown of alignment:

A couple of reasons for this explanation. The East is easy, all American League East teams stay in Tampa while all National League East teams go to Miami. Arizona floods with west coast teams but because seven teams reside on the west, Seattle is the odd team out and therefore goes to Houston. The Astros in the past built good rivalries with the Reds, Cardinals, and Cubs to keeping them in a location and a division makes it interesting. For the Rangers, there’s isn’t too much to it. The Rockies were the Rangers 2020 “NL Rival” and the Royals seem to be Texas’ outside division rival. I added the Tigers and Pirates to the east side because that’s where their Spring Training facilities are and it makes sense from a timezone standpoint.

Does this mean Globe Life Park will go back to a baseball field?

An idea that pops into Rangers fans is the use of Globe Life Park. Globe Life Park transitioned to a football stadium after the Dallas Renegades announced it was the new home to the new XFL. Once COVID-19 came and wreaked its havoc, the XFL experiment looks like it has come to a close. Earlier this week, an announcement came that high school football games will play at Globe Life Park, but with UIL athletics still on a standstill and schools closed, who knows when games will start. My thought is that don’t expect Globe Life Park to begin another remodel and go back to a baseball field unless it’s a dire circumstance.

A fun, but unlikely, twist in this: Could Globe Life Park (old ballpark) be converted back to baseball, giving Arlington 2 MLB stadiums across from each other? 3rd base dugout is gone, new stands have filled up LF and deal is in place for HS football, but that would be awesome. https://t.co/zztsdcfYGb

— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) April 21, 2020

I’ll admit I do like the idea a little more than just sticking everybody in one location isolated, but again these are just ideas MLB is putting together. The concept also helps in possibly extending baseball to after October and even to the end of the year with all five MLB parks equipped with roofs (good timing Globe Life Field). However, a question for Rangers’ fans, do you want to see Globe Life Field’s first game with empty stands and a possibility of two teams (neither Rangers) playing on that synthetic grass? Think about that.