MIKE BURKE
Allegany Communications Sports
If it’s not obvious by now, it never will be: Rob Manfred is a clear and present danger to the well-being of baseball.
Of course, where have we heard something like this before?
Prior to his becoming Commissioner of Baseball, when he was an attorney for MLB with unfortunate influence, I maintained even then that Rob Manfred hates baseball because he doesn’t get it, and he has now proven this to be true without a shadow of a doubt.
It was just brought to light by The Athletic that Manfred said on an October podcast that there is “buzz” amongst MLB owners around the idea of a potential “golden at-bat” rule. A “golden at-bat” rule, you ask?
Before we get into that, let’s first just offer a guess that FanDuel and/or DraftKings has something, if not a lot, to do with this, because it’s all about pure greed. The game is making plenty of money, so there’s no need to change it as much as MLB is and intent on changing it more.
As for the “golden at-bat” rule, remember the Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout at-bat with the title on the line in the World Baseball Classic? Essentially, if this preposterous idea is seriously considered, MLB, in the tradition of its recent rule changes to attract young people with short attention spans, is attempting to manufacture the same kind of game-defining moment by allowing a team to bring its best hitter up regardless of where he is in the lineup once per game.
Naturally, since the beginning of this lineup-based team sport, these moments have come organically, which has long been the beauty of the game itself. Yet these “golden at-bats” would be wholly manufactured made-for-TV creations in the name of entertainment.
Look, when I want entertainment that I don’t take seriously, I watch the NFL, okay?
Would this “golden at-bat” (and don’t you feel dirty just saying it?) be for late-game situations only? Would it be for teams that are trailing? What if the golden batsman (Oy!) reached base and was then next up in the lineup? Would he get consecutive at-bats?
Again, Manfred says there’s “buzz” around adding this junk, yet in just a short period of time, the only buzz surrounding the golden at-bat rule is from people who think it’s an incredibly stupid idea and believe Manfred should stop watching so many Savannah Bananas games.
It’s almost as though MLB is trying to outdo itself on the overall positive reaction the last rule changes received, and I’ll admit the pitch clock has been a good thing.
The larger bases? They’re okay …
A runner on second to start any and all extra innings? It’s not baseball, it’s softball. And if it’s such a great idea, why don’t they do it in the postseason?
Neither am I too crazy about the three at-bat rule for relievers or the throw-over rule for all pitchers. Again, it’s not baseball
The banning of the shift has been a success in increasing action with the ball in play, but it still violates the purity of the sport. I mean, other than the 1946 World Series, Ted Williams seemed to be able to adjust to the shift, you know?
And why do all of these rules work against the pitcher? Ask at least two of the corporate sponsors.
Major League Baseball had such a great year in 2024, getting a dream World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, and television ratings and attendance were both up. Why does the game need to be completely changed forever if this stupid rule is ever put into play?
Consider, if the golden at-bat had been in play in 1978, there would have been no Bucky Dent home run at Fenway, and there likely would not have been Mookie Wilson in 1986 just to name two iconic moments in baseball history.
Meanwhile, MLB, while claiming to be looking out for the health of the game, killed 40 minor league baseball teams in 2020, not to mention even more minor-league jobs with the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Two MLB teams will be playing their home games in minor-league stadiums for the foreseeable future, the Regional Sports Network bankruptcy continues to have a damaging effect on 15 teams and their markets, blackouts continue to enrage baseball fans across North America and the umpiring behind home plate has been and remains atrocious.
Yet Rob Manfred is going to save the game with his golden at-bat.
Here is a guy that couldn’t have played baseball when he was a kid, either because he wasn’t picked to play or, more likely, he just didn’t want to play, because it’s clear he just doesn’t like baseball.
Mike Burke writes about sports and other stuff for Allegany Communications. He began covering sports for the Prince George’s Sentinel in 1981 and joined the Cumberland Times-News sports staff in 1984, serving as sports editor for over 30 years. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @MikeBurkeMDT