Among hardcore baseball fans, I reckon I would probably be labeled “progressive.” I was in on instant replay from day one, I am into the general idea of a pitch clock, I think sac bunts are for your great grand-pappy, and I support the designated hitter in the National League. I know, I know, you hate a lot of that. But, hey, there are some “new” ideas out there that are way too far-flung for even me.
Take, for example, the idea that MLB has implemented at the lowest levels of the minor leagues, is floating for exhibition games, and, if the slope actually gets slippery, could threaten to lean into actual big league games: starting extra innings with a runner on second base so that the game … ends more quickly? Is more exciting? Ugh. It’s horrible. That kind of *completely* artificial creation just feels like it would fake-ify so much of the game. (Not to mention the fact that you’re guaranteed to see a dang bunt to begin every 10th inning.)
Now there’s an idea floating around out there that is even worse and fake-ifying:
One #MLB executive told @richeisen about an idea to improve excitement in the game by allowing managers to put anyone up to bat in the 9th inning if trailing. Good idea or crazy? pic.twitter.com/IgM6Zrofer
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) February 20, 2018
There's an idea being floated in MLB of a manager being allowed to bat whoever he wants when trailing in the 9th.
MLB exec: "No other sport has the best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of a game. Imagine LeBron, Brady, Renaldo watching from the sidelines" https://t.co/JGts5naG4U
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) February 21, 2018
First of all, whoever is IN baseball and actually floating that idea should be fired. Like, if you were just trying to start a conversation? Fine. But if you actually think this is what baseball should do, you have no business directing any portion of this sport.
Second of all … so, a team goes way up in the game on the strength of their entire lineup, has to bat with the bottom of the lineup in the top of the 9th … and then the other team gets to walk it off in the bottom of the 9th with the heart of their order (which, by the way, already put up a three-spot in the 8th inning to get the team within a run)? What sport is that? It ain’t baseball.
I’m not just being a crusty curmudgeon here, right? This idea is actually nearly too silly to even discuss, right?