Whether the players like it or not, it appears Major League Baseball will have some semblance of a season.

The question now is whether anybody cares.

The nowhere — yet well publicized — negotiations between the players union and owners have created a real disconnect with baseball fans across the country.

When the 2020 season does commence — via mandate by the commissioner’s office or an actual settlement — it will likely be played without fans. That would make a reconnect with fans virtually impossible.

Almost.

Major league teams have to go through a few weeks of “late spring” training before they can commence playing games. Many of these teams are opting to do those workouts in their home cities rather than revisit their training sites in Florida and Arizona.

If they’re going to be in their home ballparks anyway, why not venture out to other ballparks in their communities?

With no spring baseball going on until now, community ballparks have felt a bit of a financial sting. Pullman Park in Butler and Critchfield Park in Slippery Rock are two prime local examples.

So imagine this, if you will.

The Pirates take a day of sping training out of PNC Park and place it in Pullman Park. They take another day of spring training and place it in Critchfield Park.

They take another day and place in the Wild Things’ park in Washington, etc.

While no more than 249 people can gather at these parks, sell 249 tickets — maybe at $15 each — to people who are interested in coming in and watching a day of major league spring training. The Pirates could throw an intra-squad game in, something they’ll probably be doing at PNC Park anyway.

When the day of practice is over, Pirate players can sign autographs, pose for pictures with fans, whatever.

A true reconnect.

The money from ticket and concession sales could go to the local ballpark. Those funds wouldn’t replace money already lost by those facilities, but it wouldn’t hurt.

The Pirates have a new manager, Derek Shelton, who is an extremely personable guy. General manager Ben Cherington could roll into town for a meet and greet, field fans’ questions while the team works out on the field.

The players get their work in, fans get unique access to a big league club, local ballparks make a little bit of money.

Everybody wins.

Every major league team could do this in its respective town.

MLB needs to start thinking of something other than money — or at least get rid of that percepion.

This would be a good way to start.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle