What Universe is this?

I'm holding off on the COVID arguments for a while, but tangentially I've been keeping an eye on something else that will really upset me (if it happens).

From NPR: "Major League Baseball owners will submit a proposal to the players' union to start its 2020 season in July without fans.

If the proposal is approved by the baseball players' union, Opening Day would take place around July 4 weekend and spring training would start in early to mid-June.

Teams would play around 82 games in the regular season compared to the standard 162 games..."

Ok, so far so good. Not the first time a season has been shortened (hello, 1994!) I can live with this. Then I read on...

"...and would only play opponents in their own division or teams in the same geographic area. The proposal would also expand the playoff pool from 10 to 14 by adding a wild card match-up in each league."

Why? Why is this even being considered? So, the Padres will play 82 games, but they'll all be against the Dodgers and Angels? Or will they go to Colorodo, because if they do, why can't they go to St. Louis? And 14 playoff teams? What does this serve to accomplish?

Then, the pièce de résistance...

"...The Players Association is expected to approve the league's proposed DH plan, which would see all teams adopt a designated hitter for the 2020 season,according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman..."

Ok. I'm done here. What's happened here is the same thing that happened to every governing body or powerful organization across the planet. They're using this pandemic to exercise a laundry list of this they've always wanted anyway. Changing the divisions saves on travel expenses, and the DH has been a dream for MLB owners forever. Now, here's the "opportunity" to accomplish their dream goals, and we're all supposed to go along with it for the sake of the public health.

I've got a better idea. No more baseball until you're ready to play baseball. And get rid of the DH completely. What do you think of THAT!

Has anybody thought about these horrible implications of their suggestions:

1. What happens when someone breaks a record during this modified season? An 82 game season is the perfect storm for someone to bat .400, or for a pitcher to have a record setting ERA. Which will forever be tainted.

2. What if one of the EXTRA playoff teams wins the World Series? God forbid this is the year the Padres actually win it all. The rest of my life everyone from fans to commentators will have to qualify their win.

3. Will MLB players really want to play without fans? What happens when you play without an audience? Will we really get the intensity, skill level, and motivation we're used to without a crowd cheering the players on? Will it even be entertaining anymore?

Games aren't fun if you don't play by the rules. And baseball is one of those games where the rules transcend time and history. A change is a change that needs to apply to the future, or there will be an asterisk on every activity during 2020. I love baseball more than just about anything, but I think no season at all might be better than a modified fantasy world scenario. Better to, as the old saying goes, "Wait until next year."