RCBL still planning to play 2020 season

With the Valley League deciding to cancel its 2020 season last Thursday, we are on the verge of not having any baseball this summer in the Shenandoah Valley. 

High schools and colleges had their seasons cut short and the Valley League decided to cancel based on concerns regarding host families taking in players for the summer. But amidst all the negative news, it looks like the Rockingham County Baseball League is still planning to play its 2020 season. 

The league released this statement on Monday night: 

Update on the 2020 RCBL season: pic.twitter.com/ASlTjKUxz5

— RCBL (@rcblonline) April 7, 2020

While it looks like it will be a shortened season and the league won't get all 28 games in, at least we'll have some baseball to look forward to this summer. 

Another positive from the RCBL playing this summer is that it would give college players a chance to get some games in, even if it is a short season. College players who were planning on playing in the Valley League could give the RCBL a shot.

The league said it is increasing the amount of free agents each team is allowed, as long as those free agents attend a university in the league's geographic area. Those universities are Bridgewater, EMU, JMU, Mary Baldwin, Shenandoah, UVA, VMI and Washington & Lee. 

Players from any of those colleges who want any type of summer season will now have the option to play in the RCBL with the increased number of free agents. 

The important thing to do now is continue to abide by all social distancing guidelines so that we can get back to normal as soon as possible and increase the chance of a 2020 baseball season. ​