MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
League is testing new rule in minors, but game is better without gimmicks
The Gulf Coast League and Arizona League stand at the bottom of organized baseball’s food chain. Officially they are labeled “short-season” rookie leagues — leagues that begin play late in June and play only a 54-game schedule.
The players are first-year pros and most of the stadiums in use are the spring training sites of major league teams. No one ever makes an overnight road trip. Teams are identified by their parent club (i.e. GCL Phillies, GCL Mets, etc.) and a few teams, including the Yankees, actually field two teams in the same league. The games typically are very low key — no admission is charged and no concessions are available.
Normally very few people who don’t happen to be major league farm directors pay close attention to the goings-on of these leagues, but that might be different this season. Major League Baseball has chosen these leagues as a laboratory to try out a new rule. Starting in the 10th inning, each team will begin the inning with a runner on second base. Whichever player batted last in the previous inning will start the next on second base.
The goal, of course, is to decrease the chance of a marathon extra-inning game breaking out. Officially MLB’s explanation for the new rule is that long games put too much stress on young arms. The real reason may be that baseball is experimenting with an idea it might choose to adopt in the future.
This rule, of course, isn’t brand new. It’s been around for years in softball, particularly in the women’s game. Typically the “planted runner” is sacrificed to third base, giving the offensive team a variety of ways to score the run. Whether or not the visiting team is successful, the home team then follows the same strategy.
This year’s World Baseball Classic unveiled a slightly different rule. Beginning in the 11th — not the 10th — inning each team would start the inning with runners at first and second. The rule came into play only once, in a game between the Dominican Republic and Colombia. The top of the 11th began with a sacrifice and an intentional walk which were followed by a flurry of hits that eventually produced a sevenrun rally. The Dominicans won the game, 10-3.
That rule and the one being employed in the two short season leagues are indications that baseball
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is concerned about the marathon games that break out now and then. Such games force managers to exhaust their bullpens and then either turn to the next day’s starter or put a non-pitcher on the mound. Frequently they drag into post-midnight hours when the stands are nearly empty and the television audience becomes miniscule.
It isn’t far-fetched to conclude that baseball ought to look for a way to curtail these marathons. Naturally there is no consensus about how to do it.
The main objection to the rule that will be used in the rookie leagues is that the softball strategy will usually be deployed. That is, the first batter up will bunt. I’m not sure that would be the case since fewer than half of today’s major leaguers appear to know how to bunt.
Nonetheless, at least one microphone jockey has suggested that when the runner is placed at second base an out should also be recorded, thus eliminating even the thought of a bunt.
‘Scuse me a minute, I think I’m feeling ill.
Another suggestion is start planting runners before the game reaches extra innings. If the game is tied in the eighth or ninth innings, start those frames with a runner on second.
Now that you mention it, I’m feeling even sicker.
I, for one, happen to like my baseball without gimmicks and, at least to me, all of these ideas are nothing more than gimmicks. I agree that marathon games, especially ones that run past midnight are not desirable, but I think they can be curtailed without gimmicks.
In fact, the Japanese did away with them years ago with a very simple rule. No regular-season game will last more than 12 innings. If 12 innings of baseball doesn’t produce a winner, the game goes into the standings as a tie.
What would be wrong with doing that here? Kansas City at L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m. Los Angeles Colorado Arizona San Diego San Francisco
Tuesday’s games
St. Louis 6, Milwaukee 0, 1st game Washington 10, Atlanta 5 Pittsburgh 5, Colorado 2 Arizona 7, Detroit 6
Boston 4, Philadelphia 3, 12 innings L.A. Dodgers 7, Cleveland 5 Miami 8, Oakland 1 Chicago Cubs 14, N.Y. Mets 3 Milwaukee 8, St. Louis 5, 2nd game San Diego 6, Cincinnati 2 Kansas City 8, San Francisco 1
Wednesday’s games
40 41 40 27 26 25 26 26 40 41 Miami 11, Oakland 6
San Diego 4, Cincinnati 2 Kansas City 7, San Francisco 2 Atlanta 13, Washington 2 Boston at Philadelphia A FEW STATISTICS (Wednesday’s games not included):
The Twins lead their division despite the fact that their ERA (4.90) is the worst in the American League…Jose Bautista (Blue Jays), Starlin Castro (Yankees), Freddy Galvis (Phillies), Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks), Nick Markakis (Braves), Marcell Ozuna (Marlins) and Mark Trumbo (Orioles) are the only players who have appeared in every one of their team’s games…The Yankees’ Aaron Judge is a mere mortal on the road, where he his batting .286 and has belted seven homers in 30 games. He has hit 15 homers in 30 games in Yankee Stadium, where his average is exactly .400…The Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon has eight triples, which is more than the total of 10 major league teams… The Phillies have only seven sacrifice bunts. No other National League team has fewer than 12…The Diamondbacks are 8-1 against American League clubs. The rest of the NL has a 43-73 in interleague games…Adam Lind of the Nationals has cranked three pinch homers…The Indians’ Josh Tomlin has allowed only four walks in 66 innings. Nevertheless, his record is 3-8…The Nationals’ team batting average in night games is .292. In the daylight they slump to .253.
Hall of Fame voter Jay Dunn has written baseball for The Trentonian for 49 years. Contact him at jaydunn8@aol.com
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_ _ 1⁄2 14 15 Colorado at Pittsburgh Arizona at Detroit Chicago Cubs at N.Y. Mets L.A. Dodgers at Cleveland Milwaukee at St. Louis
Thursday’s games
L.A. Dodgers (Hill 3-2) at Cleveland (Tomlin 3-8), 12:10 p.m.
Boston (Sale 8-2) at Philadelphia (Pivetta 1-3), 7:05 p.m. Washington (Gonzalez 5-1) at N.Y. Mets (Matz 1-0), 7:10 p.m. Milwaukee (Davies 7-3) at St. Louis (Wacha 3-3), 7:15 p.m.
San Francisco (Moore 2-7) at Colorado (Hoffman 4-0), 8:40 p.m.
Friday’s games
Arizona at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m. Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m. St. Louis at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m. Washington at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m. Miami at Atlanta, 7:35 p.m.
San Diego at Milwaukee, 8:10 p.m. San Francisco at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.