The MLB is proposing one of the dumbest rule changes in history

If you think MLB’s latest proposed rule change is deeply stupid, you’re not alone.

Rob Manfred has been focusing on making baseball games shorter, with a massive concerted effort towards increasing the rate of play. It was made public a few days ago that the MLB would limit teams to six mounds visits per game, with seven resulting in teams having to remove their pitcher.

Matt Synder of CBS Sports, brought this episode of ‘The Rich Eisen Show” to light, as Eisen reported had heard talks about the MLB considering to let the losing team choose their three hitters to bat during the ninth inning. Even if those three hitters just batted the previous inning, they would still be eligible to bat in any order if losing in the ninth inning.

Well then. This alleged rule change makes zero sense, like absolutely none. Now, I’m not sure if this rule is supposed to give the losing team a fighting chance or to try and speed up the game, but it’s quite hard to follow.

Synder also shared the point of view from the unnamed executive that texted Eisen, which showed just how little this person cared about the sport.

"“No other sport has the best players sitting on the bench in the final minutes of a game. Imagine LeBron [James] or Tom Brady or Sidney Crosby or [Cristiano] Ronaldo watching on the sidelines”"

Am I taking crazy pills? What do LeBron and Ronaldo have to do with baseball? If you’re not sitting on the edge of your seat in the bottom of the ninth of a close baseball game, you’re in this job for the wrong reason, and therefore your opinion is not wanted.

As for Manfred, who has been the league’s commissioner for what will be three seasons in 2018, has shown one thing since taking over the position: The dude is going to pinch pennies. He’s looking to find ways to attract younger generations, and the current flow of MLB games doesn’t quite hit that demographic.

Shorting the games and making them entertainment, to me, feels like baseball selling out for views. I get that money talks, but to completely annihilate the historical lore that is Baseball in America to put more money in the pockets of people who will make more money on Opening Day than I’ll ever make in a lifetime is what’s wrong with this sport.

Instead of screwing your laborers and shortchanging fans for ratings, why doesn’t Manfred focus on what makes this game great (cough, cough the players) and do a better job marketing them.  Personally, I find it rather ridiculous that the sports best player for the last half decade is a relative unknown to casual fans.  But sure, keep destroying baseball because you don’t have young people’s attention, and subsequentially, their money.