The world of Major League Baseball is abuzz about the changes which are coming in regards to what pitchers can and can't use when delivering their pitches.
The reaction Tuesday -- particularly from the pitchers -- was pointed and passionate.
Tyler Glasnow flat-out said he believed the change had paved the way to his current injury. Trevor Bauer, meanwhile, fired shots at the entire thought process behind MLB's decision, calling it a "knee-jerk reaction."
For Alex Cora, however, the response was uncomplicated: Take no chances.
After joining the rest of Major League Baseball managers in being briefed by MLB's Mike Hill and Theo Epstein, Cora discussed the new landscape with his pitchers prior to Tuesday night's game.
“I was surprised, but they have the information. They can back it up with data and information they have," Cora said. "This is something that obviously we know it’s been going on for a while, but for them to do it this way, they were very clear that yeah, this is why we’re doing it this way. Understanding that, we have to keep moving forward and if guys have to make adjustments throughout the league, they will make adjustments. We just talked to the players, to the pitchers, we’ll have another meeting probably in Kansas City when we get more information with the whole team and go over it. I’ll be open about it. I come from suspension and I know how embarrassing that is and how tough that is, not only on you as a person but your family, your friends and the people that love you. Ten games, a year, two years, three years, it doesn’t matter. Being suspended is hell and you don’t want to go through that. I was very open to them and hopefully they understand that.”
How the mandates -- which carry a 10-game suspension if caught for using a substance not cleared by MLB -- might impact the game is also something Cora has been thinking about, as he relayed prior to his team's series-opening win in Atlanta.
"There’s a lot of talk about the offense and what pitchers are doing. There’s another talk that is interesting, like control your stuff, too," he said. "I think if this is as big as people see it and the information provided shows, maybe stuff is going to come down a little bit. The throwing 99 and let it rip all the time, it’s not going to play, and you have to actually pitch instead of throw. If that’s the case then maybe it’s a better quality of baseball, right? Like, pitchers are going to throw strikes, guys are going to put the ball in play and defense has to make plays. We’ll see how it goes. I believe stuff-wise, it might come down a little bit, but at the same time, athletic-wise, we are on another level. These guys on the mound, they’re bigger, stronger, more explosive, so lets see how it plays out, but I do believe stuff-wise, it’s going to come down a little bit.”
