ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The proposed 'Golden At-Bat' rule has drawn plenty of criticism from the entire scope of the baseball and sports world and one World Series winner has also joined in on the criticism.
In a podcast appearance on 'The Varsity with John Ourand', MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred floated the idea of the addition of the 'Golden At-Bat' rule, which would let effectively a team's best hitter to step up to the plate even if it is not his turn.
"There are a variety of (rule change ideas) that are being talked about out there," Manfred said on the podcast. "One of them – there was a little buzz around it at an owners’ meeting – was the idea of a Golden At-Bat."
The proposed idea has drawn almost near universal criticism, with KMOX Sports personalities Kevin Wheeler and Tom Ackerman also joining in on the criticism on a recent edition of 'The Gashouse Gang'
Bengie Molina, current Spanish-language broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals, and a former 13-year major-league catcher who won the 2002 World Series with the then-Anaheim Angels, joined Chris Rongey and Amy Marxkors on 'The Chris and Amy Show' and among the topics they discussed was the proposed 'Golden At-Bat' rule.
"I don't like it," said Molina on 'The Chris and Amy Show'. "I'm an old school guy, I love old school baseball, but not only that, it's just not baseball."
"How about if the eighth hitter is a guy who is struggling and the Cardinals are about to get out of an inning with the struggling guy and instead (Rob Manfred) gives them the opportunity to bring on Albert Pujols to hit? No that's not fair to the hitter, the team, to the OTHER team that has to cover that."
Molina says he is not at all "intrigued" by the proposed rule and being an "old-school guy", he is not in-favor of the proposed rule.
"Obviously as a fan, you would probably love it because it will give the team a chance to win that game, but the guy who are pitching to that guy are not happy," said Molina.
"I hope it doesn't go through. It's really unfair to the team that has to pitch to these guys."