SBN Reacts: Fans disapprove of Commissioner Rob Manfred

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts (formerly known as SB Nation Fanpulse - why they changed it I can’t say, people just liked it better this way), a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send 30 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Royals fans, sign up HERE to join SBN Reacts.

Fans are eagerly awaiting when baseball may return, and were given renewed hope when reports surfaced that owners were proposing a July return with an 82-game season. Players expressed a desire to get back on the field as well, although there were reservations about being asked to make further pay concessions than the ones they made back in March. Players also had questions about the safety protocols proposed by owners. Although many players are young and healthy enough not to be in a high-risk group for coronavirus, there are some players, such as Royals reliever Tim Hill, a cancer survivor, who have underlying medical conditions that could put them at risk, in addition to concerns of passing the virus on to family members who may have underlying medical conditions.

We asked fans if they would feel comfortable starting the MLB season this summer amid the pandemic, even with the safety protocols in place, and found 64 percent were willing to proceed.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused many of our state leaders to rise in popularity as they competently handle the situation as best they can. This has not been the case for Commissioner Rob Manfred, who has faced a lot of criticism from his handling of the Astros and Red Sox sign-stealing scandals, to claiming ignorance over claims the ball is juiced, to labor battles with the player’s union.

Only 39 percent believe Manfred now has the game’s best interest at heart, with only 39 percent trusting him, and 60 percent preferring former Commissioner Bud Selig to Manfred.

Remember, you can sign up to participate in the FanPulse SBN Reacts surveys at this link! Surveys will go out each week and only take a few minutes to complete. Check back next week for more SBN Reacts results!