What a shift, huh? Well, that’s actually one of the things --- you can’t shift anymore.
And the bases are bigger.
And there’s a pitch clock.
And you can’t attempt as many pickoffs.
Baseball sure has revolutionized and transformed to push the product in a faster-paced, more offensive-driven way in a hurry, huh?
I like it. I love it.
The 2023 vintage of a Major League Baseball game is not only normally complete in about 2.5 hours, it jam packs so much more action into that time frame when compared to the game just a season ago.
Again, I love it.
For a sport that seemed so loathe to change, it appears we have made major alterations in the blink of an eye and largely told the wonks hellbent on preserving some of the silly historical nuances of the game to screw off.
But how about this one --- a Designated Pinch Runner.
Yep. It could happen. If you think all the old timers who regale you with stories of Musial and DiMaggio and still keep score at the games hate the Designated Hitter, wait until they get a load of a rule that could push into the league allowing a designated runner.
Here goes: the MLB-sponsored Atlantic League serves as a test balloon for many rules so as to see if they will work or not and then, if they appear to have a positive place in the game, can be implemented into the big leagues.
The USA Today recently wrote this, explaining the Designated Pinch Runner rule that is being tried on a test-basis in the Atlantic League:
This new rule will intrigue baserunning purists. Teams can utilize a non-starting player as a pinch runner for the entire game. The designated player can be substituted as a baserunner in any situation. Both the substitute player and the starter can be re-inserted to the game without penalty.
Oh, the possibilities.
The first thing I think of about this rule, if it were to get pressed into MLB, is that it would get more players involved (or potentially involved) into each game.
That’s always a good thing as managers will tell you inactivity with some players is often a tricky balance.
On top of that, I love the fact it is a rule catered toward a specific skill set and use of a player without the penalty of a one-and-done insertion of that player into the game.
That is to clarify in simpler terms: If you have a really fast guy on your team or in your system and you want to hyper-utilize him as being that really fast guy, this is your chance. And, moreover, this is the chance for the fans to see a burner rip through the basepaths.
From that standpoint, it is awesome. Baseball should absolutely provide a gateway for getting its best (or at least most exciting) talent on the field as much as possible and this would serve to do exactly that.
From an organizational draft and development sense, think of the possibilities there, too. And the other avenues it could open. We could see teams scouring NCAA track circles for sprinters who won’t have a future in track and field, but just might be able to be taught enough feel of baseball to get out there and blaze around the bases and be a major asset to a team.
They could be a runner. And that’s it. A skill so valuable with the Designated Pinch Runner rule that they’d take up a coveted spot on the big league roster.
Man, I love all this innovation.
A Designated Pinch Runner who you can offer as a free substitute all game for anyone, and do it as many times as you like? The baseball purists are mad as can be about this, probably swearing up a storm faster than you can say “Cornelius McGillicuddy.”
A Designated Pinch Runner who you can offer as a free substitute all game for anyone, and do it as many times as you like? Give it to me. I love it.