Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman tore into MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred over a discussion he had about a potential rule for starting pitchers.
This came after Manfred discussed the possibility of encouraging longer outings from starting pitchers to market the game better. He appears to have dismissed the idea of a minimum innings requirement.
“I don’t think a specific inning requirement even with exceptions are workable in our rule,” Manfred said during an appearance with Chris O’Gorman’s “Questions for Cancer” podcast. “It’s just too blunt an instrument to fix this problem. I do see both problems as really serious.”
“Look, marketing the game, just think about a broadcast. The name and face you see the most is the starting pitcher,” he continued. “The matchups of great starting pitchers have historically been important in terms of marketing the game and I do think we need to get back to that.”
Gausman responded on social media and poked fun at Manfred’s wild rules to speed up the game in the past. He also mocked the wild rules he’s proposed to increase interest.
Gausman Rips Manfred
Gausman, who led the Major Leagues with two complete games and one shutout last season, seized on Manfred’s comments. Needless to say, he’s skeptical.
“Don’t believe a word this man says,” Gausman replied on X. “Get ready for 6 innings, you get to keep the DH, if not a fan hits in their spot.”
Relief pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB) already have a minimum rule. They must face at least three batters in an appearance or pitch until the end of a half-inning.
However, starting pitchers would be an entirely different beast. Some starters can burn through over 100 pitches by the 5th inning. And how would you stop a pitcher from simply stating they feel some tightness in their elbow when they would then have to be removed over injury concerns?
Indeed, starting pitching is being relegated to the Stone Age in today’s game. In the modern era, New York Yankees pitcher Jack Chesbro had the most complete games in a season, with 48 in 1904. We repeat – Gausman led the league last season with 2.
The Yankees newly acquired pitcher Max Fried and Philadelphia Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez also had 2 CGs.
Don’t believe a word this man says. Get ready for 6 innings you get to keep the DH, if not a fan hits in their spot https://t.co/FjTwMooRlX
— Kevin Gausman (@KevinGausman) December 17, 2024
RELATED: Baseball Fans Are Absolutely Shredding Rob Manfred Over The ‘Golden At-Bat’ Rule Proposal
Commish Gets Wrecked For Other Rule Proposal
Gausman’s message to Manfred would be hilarious if not for the fact that some of his proposals aren’t far off from one recently presented by the Commissioner himself.
The “Golden At-Bat Rule.”
It is one of the dumbest ideas we’ve ever heard in sports.
Earlier this month, Manfred suggested that there is a lot of “buzz” around team owners about implementing the “golden at-bat” rule. And it’s as dumb as it sounds.
The rule would allow each team to have whoever they want to come to the plate one time in the game. Take the Yankees for example. Let’s say they have the bases loaded, two outs in the bottom of the ninth, down three runs, and Oswaldo Cabrera is coming to the plate.
Bam – “golden at-bat” rule – they insert Aaron Judge, walk-off grand slam. It sounds cartoonish and something you’d see out of a video game because it is.
Fans hammered Manfred over the idea, and he seems to have backed off a bit. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t try something equally dumb to boost fan engagement – the fan at-bat!
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