Gardenhire Denounces MLB's Big Rule Change: "How Can You Take Away The Strategy Of The Game?"

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Photo credit © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball rolled out on Thursday a host of new rules that will go into effect over the next two seasons, and the most significant among them is drawing widespread scorn. Starting in 2020, pitchers must face a minimum of three batters (or reach the end of a half-inning) any time they take the mound.

As one MLB manager told Sports Illustrated, "It’s stupid. It’s as if the NBA decided, ‘Okay, on Tuesday nights three-point shots no longer will be allowed.'"

Tigers skipper Ron Gardenhire is in the same boat. He was asked about the various rule changes in an appearance on the Jamie and Stoney Show on 97.1 The Ticket and couldn't hold back from speaking his piece. 

"They tell you not to comment too much on them, but that three batters per pitcher, that takes away strategy," he said. "You don’t take away strategy in football, you don’t take away strategy in basketball. One-on-one situations, you get them matched up. Now all of a sudden they're telling us that I can't bring in a situational lefty, which is something that’s really important in this game, to get a lefty out with two righties up next and then bring in a righty to face them. How can you take away the strategy of the game?

"They’re taking away a chance – honestly, putting a chance that we might lose a baseball game because I gotta leave this lefty in, if I put him in the game, to face right handers too. I just don’t like that part of it. Now that’s just me, that’s just the way it is. I just don't think anybody should ever be able to take away the strategy of the game." 

Most managers and players seem to agree the rule is too intrusive on the flow of the game. Asked who was in favor of it, Gardenhire said, "Ownership and the general managers get together with baseball people and they all talk about it and vote on things like this. It’s all about speeding up the pace of the game, but let's not take away the strategy of the game. That’s the part that kind of confuses me when they start doing that.

On the Tigers' decision to sent prospect Daz Cameron to Triple-A: We love the kid, he was very impressive. He showed some youngness a couple times on fly balls and stuff like that, but this kid is so talented and can really do something. He really, really studies this game. He’s going to be a fun one in Detroit. People are really going to appreciate this young man, because he’s going to be a really good baseball player if he keeps the path. 
Why Cameron isn't ready yet: You want to get him through a little bit of Triple-A here and see what happens. He’s proven where’s he been that he can play. It's a step-by-step process. We’ve got a center fielder right now in JaCoby (Jones). We know this guy’s pushing the envelope, and it all depends on what JaCoby does. We love (Jones) out in center field, he’s one of the better center fielders defensively in the game. We’ll have another great outfielder, along with Daz, somewhere in the outfield all together and that will be fun.