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Because of Baltimore riots, no fans are allowed at Wednesday's Orioles game

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

If a baseball game is played in a stadium and no fans are around to watch it, does anybody still care? We're about to find out at Wednesday's Baltimore Orioles game, but answer is almost certainly, "Yes."

The Orioles, stuck with two postponed games because of the riots and civil unrest in Baltimore, have enacted an usual plan to play Wednesday's game against the Chicago White Sox — no fans will be allowed to enter Camden Yards because of "safety concerns."

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Yep, it will be a baseball ghost town. Players will play, announcers will announce (presumably), but no fans will be there to cheer, boo or chase a home-run ball. It will be a strange scene, but a necessary one, the team and the league decided, considering the ugly clash in Baltimore between authorities and Freddy Gray protestors.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a press release:

“After conversations with the Orioles and local officials, we believe that these decisions are in the best interests of fan safety and the deployment of City resources. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by violence in Baltimore, and everyone in our game hopes for peace and the safety of a great American city.”

The Orioles also announced Tuesday these schedule changes for their upcoming games: Their weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays will move to St. Petersburg with the O's playing as the "home" team. The games postponed Monday and Tuesday will be made up as a May 28 doubleheader.

Wednesday's game in Baltimore will be broadcast live on Yahoo Sports.

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!