Commissioner says dates of Tokyo Olympics 'not ideal' for MLB

July 24-Aug 9. That's going to be one hot sweaty Olympics. Awful timing to play anything in Japan.

I wish they'd have it in October like they did for '64 Olympics.

That way they'd have the World Series just finishing up in the States.

Plus, most likely, many of the players wouldn't even be on the two final teams and could come over after the season with plenty of time to spare.

Like golf, baseball is another sport that should not be in the Olympics.

Western baseball cares very little about international events. They've never cared about the WBC, and they aren't going to start caring about the Olympics.

The dates are not ideal period. It's going to be way too hot at that time. Whoever came up with having the Tokyo Olympics in the hottest days of the year wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

i can't blame MLB for not wanting to interrupt their season. MLB is a highly regarded professional league featuring the best players in the world. why should they bother with the corrupt Olympics?

The Olympics is bleak enough without a miserable hobby like baseball or softball or whatever ruining its prestige even further

I don't think sports taken seriously by a handful of nations should make the Olympics.

Nothing against baseball but it is not more relevant at international level than say rugby league. Would American, Japanese or south korean fans support league at the Olympics? Don't think so.

OK enough of this crap, if your stupid enough to want golf, baseball, hockey, basketball etc in the Olympics than just DITCH the pros, DO NOT allow them to play, just use pseudo amateurs, if that doesn't work then FORGET ABOUT IT!!

Enough of this whiny crap!! In fact ENOUGH of the Olympics, its sadly a joke that is no longer remotely funny!!

GW, forgive my dissension, but I find the Olympics funnier by the day. The Games themselves have overshadowed the games.

It'll be the usual; none of the top players from the MLB, but Japan and South Korea still fielding their best (the former never winning, either). It shouldn't be an Olympic sport to begin with. They already have the twenty-odd and growing 'World baseball' events.

Wouldn't be surprised if many athletes end up in hospital due to heat exhaustion (especially marathon runners). The games really should be in September or October.

Golf, tennis, rugby, soccer, baseball and basketball all have their own multiple major tournaments every year so don't need to be in the Olympics. Although I like watching all the above-mentioned sports, I have very little interest in watching them at the Olympics. Give me weightlifting, athletics, gymnastics and swimming at the Olympics!

After all, isn't the Olympic motto, 'Faster, higher, stronger'?

@serendipitous - contrary to popular opinion, it is not from the Original Greek Games!

The Olympic 'motto' Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Stronger" was proposed by Pierre de Coubertin upon the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894. Coubertin borrowed it from his friend Henri Didon, a Dominican priest who was an athletics enthusiast. The motto was introduced in 1924 at the Olympic Games in Paris.

all these people dissing baseball and softball. must be miserable for you to live in Japan where baseball is by far the No. 1 sport. maybe you would be happier living elsewhere.

It's not a coincidence that the Closing Ceremony for the 2020 Games in Tokyo will be on August 9, the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. The old guard in Japan is not interested in conducting the Games during a more reasonable time for the weather.

They have other motives in mind, including the promotion of Japan as a leading nation for peace in the world and against nuclear weapons, as well as to garner sympathy for Japan as a nuclear holocaust victim in 1945.

Baseball is definitely worthy as an Olympic event. Not sure I agree with softball however. I can't believe they are considering those dates. Athletes and fans are going to be dropping like flies in the brutal summer heat. Are they intentionally trying to sabotage the games or are they really that stupid.

Olympic dyes are the same time about all of MLB teams are concentrating on league championship possibility.

Enough of this whiny crap!! In fact ENOUGH of the Olympics, its sadly a joke that is no longer remotely funny!

Completely agree. The Olympics as they are now bear no resemblance to what they were originally intended to be, back when the modern version commenced in 1896.