By Tom Seipp, Sports Editor
America’s pastime.
Baseball has been America’s sport for over 100 years. It is one of the most traditional sports in the world.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is ruining the game by trying to change rules that have been in place for decades.
Major League Baseball announced numerous rule changes for the 2020 season on Wednesday. The headliner was the announcement of the three-batter minimum rule.
The three-batter minimum rule requires a pitcher who enters a ballgame to face a minimum of three batters before being removed from the game.
If anyone has watched baseball, especially playoff baseball, then you know this rule will drastically change how the game is played.
In baseball, strategy is bigger than in any other sport. Certain decisions determine who wins the World Series and who does not. Bullpen management is one of the biggest keys of having success.
Now, that makes the strategy that much harder to grasp. This rule virtually puts an end to the LOOGY (Left-handed One-Out Guy). Many players will have a harder time making a Major League roster due to this.
Take for example Jerry Blevins. Blevins was a LOOGY for the 2016 Mets when they went to the postseason. Blevins appeared in 73 games, but only faced 178 batters. Under the new system this would be impossible. Blevins would have to face a minimum of 219 batters if he appeared in 73 games.
Players like Blevins could be out of a job since their speciality has been eliminated from the game. Blevins has had an above-average season in seven of his previous nine seasons. He had to settle for a minor-league contract this offseason due to the fact that teams knew his value had decreased.
This wasn’t the only bizarre idea the commissioner had.
Monday the New York Post released an article claiming that Manfred wanted to expand the playoff system from five to seven teams per league and put a “reality TV show” twist on it. Manfred wanted to have teams select their playoff opponents on live television.
Why?
Baseball has been a sport of traditions, why change it to this new format that nobody would like?
Expanding the playoffs will allow more mediocre teams to make the playoffs. It will allow owners to spend less money and settle for worse teams.
It also will lower the meaning of making the playoffs for fans. Postseason baseball is unique as there are only 10/30 teams who make the playoffs. In the NBA, 16/30 teams make the playoffs and in the NHL 16/31 teams make the playoffs. That means over 50% of teams in both leagues make the playoffs. In baseball with fewer teams making the playoffs, it makes the feeling of making the playoffs that much special.
That’s all we know Manfred wants to do, for now.
There are talks that the MLB wants to adapt the designated hitter in the National League.
Again, why?
In baseball it’s unique how the MLB has two different leagues with different rules: the American League has the DH while the National League doesn’t.
If the National League adapted a DH, this would result in a universal DH which would create no separation between the leagues. It’s always interesting seeing inter-league play to see the different teams in different leagues.
Tradition.
It’s a word that is used in baseball more than any other sport. Let’s keep all the traditions the same.
seipptw19@bonaventure.edu
