But they solved baseball’s biggest problem. Postition players pitching. It is like baseball took the old adage, every baseball game is a chance to see something that never happened before, and thought how do we fix that
Boooooo!
Terrible.
Nats owner Ted Lerner passed away at age 97. Thanks Ted, it was a long 34 years between baseball teams.
Just when I thought the Rules Committee couldn’t get any dumber. What nest, T-Ball Home Run Derby if the game goes 15 innings?
I’d like to register my disapproval. This one, however, was not done for the fans. “Free Baseball” is something the fans like, but probably not the players.
In addition to the permanent establishment of the extra-inning runner, the competition committee is also instituting new rules on when a team can use a position player as a pitcher:
- Through the eighth inning, a team may only use a position player to pitch if they are down by 8+ runs
- In the ninth inning, a position player may only be used if the team is down by 10+ runs
- In extra innings, position players may be used to pitch at any time
Interestingly, it does mean that a team could be using a position player to pitch the 8th, but then would have to send an actual pitcher in for the 9th, if they are only down by 8 or 9 runs.
2013 NLCS MVP Michael Wacha signs with Padres.
I wonder which problem this rule is trying to solve?
I have a chance for two good tickets to the 2023 AllStar Game, (and home run derby)
They’re not cheap, but that’s not the issue. I don’t find the “summer classic” game that interesting on TV. Anyone attend one live? Is it a cool experience? I think it might be, but I don’t even bother watching most years when I’m home and it’s free.
The explosion in use of position players to pitch in the past couple of seasons.
I’m not sure that I see it as a “problem,” per se, but it seems like a lot of people do feel that, when a team puts in a position player to pitch, it’s essentially giving up on even the pretense of being competitive in that game, in the interest of saving the team’s relief pitchers for another day. And, increasingly, it’s also a tactic that’s being used by teams which are way ahead in a game, again to save their pitchers’ arms.
That said, it’s also the predictable by-product of (a) teams using their relief pitchers more and more, and pulling their starters earlier in games, and (b) a rule, which finally went into effect last season, limiting teams to 13 pitchers on their active rosters.
As per MLB.com:
The problem of the game being colorful and fun to watch.
The fact that the ghost runner is verboten in the postseason proves that it isn’t real baseball.
They should have taken a more measured approach. Use the ghost runner up until the all-star break, perhaps. There are a lot of ‘crucial’ series down the stretch that should be settled by the deepest squads and not, oops, a slow roller to first and a sac fly.
It remains the case, though, that all of those appearances were meaningless. The fact someone uses Steve Shortstop to pitch instead of Bill Longrelief doesn’t hurt the game in any way. If anything, fans like seeing position players pitch.
It’s another solution in search of a problem. VERY few extra inning games go really long. The idea a bunch of 17-inning game were screwing everything up is fiction; they almost never happen.
Also I hate the term, “Ghost runner.” It’s an automatic runner. A ghost runner is a convention used in kids’ baseball with a low number of players to allow for a literally imaginary runner to take the place of a live person who can then assume hitting or some other duty. The ghost runner is moved in tandem with the batter’s ability to advance.
So is Ohtani a “position” player, a pitcher or both. If he gets to be counted as a pitcher allowed to play in the field can I name my utility infielder as an “Ohtani” and allow him to pitch when needed.
Strassburg and deGrom are both injured going into Spring Training. The word on Strassburg is…not good.
Sorry, Nats and Rangers fans.
I’d read a WaPo article last year about Strasburg, I think shortly after his one and only 2022 start before going back on the injured list. It detailed the rather extreme surgery he’d had to try to correct the thoracic outlet syndrome (surgeons removed one of his ribs, and two muscles in his neck), and what sounded like. at that point, steep odds to be able to return to playing.
“…we’ve got a bunch of guys on (the Red Sox) pitching staff top to bottom. Bullpen, starting staff. We’re here to make some noise. Say what you want, but I like where we’re at.”
- Chris Sale
Last year Sale came back after a rib fracture only to suffer a broken pinky and season-ending fractured wrist.
If they get a dozen starts out of him this year it’ll be miraculous.*
*he’ll probably have plenty of company on the injured list. Paxton, Kluber etc.
He is a two-way player, meeting the following MLB rules definition:
Players qualify for the two-way designation if they have met both of these conditions in either the current or previous MLB season:
• Pitched at least 20 Major League innings
• Played at least 20 Major League games as a position player or designated hitter, with at least three plate appearances in each game
So any new possible “Ohtani” who is primarily a hitter is in trouble under the current rule. He can’t be a two-way player until he’s already been one or his team is in plenty of blowouts for him to get his innings.
Or you have him start 4 games. The new rules only apply to relief appearances.